[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 135 (Friday, September 19, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN RECOGNITION OF JERRY DEAL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2014

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Jerry Deal who is retiring 
after serving for eight years on the Burlingame City Council, the last 
four as Vice Mayor, and for 13 years on the Planning Commission, three 
times as the Chair. His work on the Planning Commission earned him the 
nickname ``Father of Design Review.'' Jerry's commitment to his beloved 
home community and public service has benefitted the city of Burlingame 
and the quality of life of its residents.
  As an architect, Jerry has used his training and skills to inform 
many of his public policy decisions. He was instrumental in the 
transformation of Burlingame Avenue and the building of the new 
Safeway, roof garden, pocket park and retail and office spaces. As a 
business owner himself and a member of the Burlingame Economic 
Development Committee, Jerry helped foster a business-friendly 
environment. His pragmatism and humor, essential to any good architect, 
have allowed him to be effective in leading the public and his 
colleagues.
  Due in part to Jerry's leadership, the library was saved and 
Burlingame still maintains its own police department. Jerry is also a 
tireless advocate for children, promoting and protecting our schools 
and developing additional recreational fields.
  Jerry's passion for community service began with a seat on the Board 
of Directors of the San Francisco Repertory Company, and as a board 
member of the free Shakespeare in the Park festival. During his time on 
the Burlingame City Council he was involved in a long list of issues 
and committees. In addition to the already-mentioned Economic 
Development Committee, Jerry served as a liaison between the city and 
the Burlingame Chamber of Commerce. He has one of the better attendance 
records at Chamber functions, and he listened closely when the Chamber 
made important suggestions to improve the quality of life in 
Burlingame. He was also a member of the Fire Advanced Life Support 
(ALS) Joint Powers Authority, a public--private partnership launched in 
1977 to provide improved emergency medical care to Burlingame citizens.
  It isn't just the citizens of Burlingame who trust Jerry Deal to be 
fair and insightful. Jerry was elected by San Mateo County's 20 mayors 
to serve on the SamTrans Board of Directors overseeing fixed-route and 
para-transit bus services in San Mateo County. The county's mayors also 
elected him to serve as Vice Chair of the Peninsula Corridor Joint 
Powers Board which owns and operates Caltrain. The Caltrain Board of 
Directors appointed Jerry as its representative on the Transbay Joint 
Powers Authority (TJPA), the body responsible for overseeing the new 
Transbay Transit Center, a rail extension for Caltrain and High-Speed 
Rail and adjacent transit-oriented developments in downtown San 
Francisco. As you can surmise from this list, Jerry is smart, self-
effacing, and is passionate about improving the quality of life for all 
Bay Area residents directly impacted by city planning, housing and 
transportation.
  Jerry's expertise, enthusiasm and effectiveness have left an 
indelible mark on the city of Burlingame which he has called home for 
over 35 years. He and his wife JoAnn Johnson-Deal, a teacher at 
Franklin Elementary School, have five children and ten grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor Jerry Deal, the Vice Mayor of Burlingame, a proud resident and a 
dear friend, for over two decades of outstanding public service. He 
will be leaving us shortly to move to Oregon, but his legacy will live 
on in the beauty of Burlingame, in its architecture, in its family-
focused activities and lifestyle, and in the example of fairness that 
Jerry exhibited during his time in public office. We will say farewell 
to a friend of decades who has etched his mark on decades yet to come.

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