[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 172 (Monday, November 30, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                     IN RECOGNITION OF TERRY NAGEL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 30, 2015

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Terry Nagel, the retiring 
Mayor and member of the Burlingame City Council. The word 
``indefatigable'' comes to mind when reciting Terry Nagel's public 
service.
  Mayor Nagel joined the Burlingame City Council in 2003 after 
receiving the highest number of votes in any council race. She has 
served three terms as Mayor.
  When she launched her council career, she had to do so in periodic 
darkness because the local power company frequently failed to supply 
Burlingame with electricity, largely owing to antiquated infrastructure 
that left the city prone to blackouts during storms. It should be noted 
that although the power company sometimes failed to provide electricity 
because of this old equipment, it found a way to buy modem equipment so 
that Burlingame customers could receive monthly bills for the erratic 
electrical service. Over several years, Terry Nagel pressured the power 
company to change its priorities and to spend millions of dollars to 
make sure the system is reliable, both for Burlingame and surrounding 
communities. She still receives phone calls during storms from 
residents who thank her for keeping the lights on.
  While every council member shares in the success of a community, 
Terry Nagel initiated many of the most notable successes, including a 
recent rebirth of Burlingame Avenue that has given the town a beacon 
for families, newcomers and visitors. The project took many years to 
undertake and then to complete, but the results are indisputable. 
Burlingame's main street is attractive and distinctive, with upgraded 
businesses to match the beautiful public infrastructure. Terry Nagel 
can rightfully claim that she helped to create a welcoming and charming 
cityscape that will be enjoyed by multiple generations.
  Mayor Nagel has promoted open government, fiscal responsibility and 
championed emergency preparedness. She is a member of the Board of 
Directors of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority. She started 
the Burlingame Pet Parade, a fun-filled family event in Burlingame's 
community calendar. In conjunction with her public service, she created 
the Community Wish List that connects donors with over 80 community 
nonprofits.
  She has extensive professional experience managing nonprofits and 
promoting such venerable institutions as the Stanford Law School. She 
is a former reporter for our local newspaper, and she is a graduate of 
the University of Washington, cum laude, where she received a Bachelor 
of Arts degree in English.
  Mayor Nagel and her husband Jim Nagel have lived in Burlingame for 32 
years. If you do the math, you'll realize that her family, including 
sons Matt and Greg and daughter Katie, have seen Mayor Nagel walk out 
the door in service to the public for nearly 40% of the time that she 
has lived in town. This represents thousands of hours outside the home, 
in dedication to her neighbors and generations yet to come. That's 
thousands of hours away from her family, yet her family has been rock 
solid in its support of her vision.
  We rise today to honor a great leader of the City of Burlingame and 
my friend and colleague Terry Nagel. She says that her focus is on 
communication and building consensus. In fact, it is all of those 
things and more. She is the penultimate community steward, and although 
we wish her well in her next adventures, we can also truly say that she 
will be missed in the years ahead.

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