[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 151 (Thursday, November 18, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1964-E1965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING PAUL KELLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 2010

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today with my 
colleague Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey to recognize Paul Kelley who is 
retiring after 16 years as a member of the Sonoma County Board of 
Supervisors. Congresswoman Woolsey and I have the distinct privilege of 
representing Sonoma County and both of our tenures in the House have 
coincided with Mr. Kelley's tenure on the Board of Supervisors.
  Supervisor Kelley represents the northern most supervisorial district 
in Sonoma County, which is home to one of the finest wine grape-growing 
and wine-producing regions in the world. His support of agriculture and 
agriculture-related industries is deep seated. He grew up on a small 
farm outside of Santa Rosa and spent his summers as a youth working on 
neighboring ranches and farms in the area. As a supervisor, his work 
included helping to bridge the gap between the water needs of farmers 
and fisheries, in supporting measures that guaranteed that 22,000 acres 
in his district would be protected under the county's Agricultural 
Preservation and Open Space District acquisitions and encouraging 
businesses and farmers to embrace green technology.

[[Page E1965]]

  Supervisor Kelley also helped create new parks and recreational 
facilities throughout his district, including the Boys & Girls Club in 
Windsor, and renovate existing youth facilities in Cloverdale, 
Healdsburg and Larkfield-Wikiup.
  He was the key proponent of returning commercial air service to the 
Charles M. Schulz/Sonoma County Airport. The regional airport now has 
daily flights to four western cities.
  Supervisor Kelley's special assignments on the board included 
membership on the Sonoma County Transportation Authority, the North 
Coast Rail Authority, the Water Agency Committee, the Local Agency 
Formation Commission (Chair), the Eel Russian River Commission (Chair), 
the Redwood Empire Association, the North Coast Air Pollution Control 
District, the North Coastal Counties Supervisors' Association, the 
Public Policy Facilitating Committee, the Sonoma County Advertising 
Program, the Sonoma County Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit 
Program and the Association of California Water Agencies (President).
  Madam Speaker, after 16 years of public service to the people of 
Sonoma, Paul Kelley deserves to enjoy the riches of this new phase of 
his life as a water and transportation consultant. We wish him well.

                          ____________________