[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 15, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO JODY HALL-ESSER

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                          HON. JULIAN C. DIXON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 15, 1999

  Mr. DIXON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to pay tribute today to Mrs. 
Jody Hall-Esser, Chief Administrative Officer for the city of Culver 
City, California. On July 9, 1999, Mrs. Hall-Esser, will retire from 
city government capping a distinguished career spanning a quarter of a 
century in public service to her community. To honor Jody for her many 
years of exemplary service to the citizens of Culver City, a 
celebration in her honor will be held at the Culver City City Hall on 
Wednesday, July 7. As one who has worked closely with this 
extraordinary and selfless public servant for many years, and who 
possesses first-hand knowledge of her outstanding service to our 
community, I am pleased to have this opportunity to publicly recognize 
and commend her before my colleagues here today.
  Jody has served in many capacities since joining the Culver City 
government in 1971. She was initially hired as the first Director of 
the Culver City Senior Citizens Center, a position she held for a few 
years before leaving to work in the private sector. In 1976 she 
returned to the city as the first Housing Manager in the Community 
Development Department, where she spent the next three years designing 
and executing Culver City's rent subsidy and residential rehabilitation 
loan and grant programs. She also is credited with implementing the 
construction of the city's first rental housing development for the 
low-income elderly citizens of Culver City.
  In 1979 Jody was named Community Development Director and Assistant 
Executive Director of the Culver City Redevelopment Agency. For more 
than a decade, she headed the city agency tasked with Planning, 
Engineering, Redevelopment, Housing and Grants operations. Among her 
many accomplishments were establishment of the Landlord-Tenant 
Mediation Board; the Art in Public Places Program; and the Historic 
Preservation Program.
  Jody was appointed Chief Administrative Officer and Executive 
Director of the Redevelopment Agency in 1991. For the past nine years, 
her many responsibilities have included implementing public policy 
mandates promulgated by the Culver City City Council, as well as 
managing the city's human, financial, and material resources. She has 
compiled an impressive and enviable record of accomplishments, despite 
seeing the city through a period of civil unrest, a major earthquake, 
damage caused by torrential rains, and a severe economic recession. 
While just one of these occurrence would test the tolerance of most 
individuals--not Jody Hall-Esser. She merely redoubled her efforts to 
ensure that the residents of Culver City received the necessary local, 
state, and federal resources they needed to remain afloat.

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