[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 177 (Tuesday, December 8, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1728-E1729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF BARBARA PIERCE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2015

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Barbara Pierce for her 16 
years of outstanding service on the City Council of Redwood City, 
including one term as Mayor and one term as Vice Mayor. Barbara is the 
consummate public servant, never tiring of looking for ways to improve 
the city and the quality of life of its residents.
  During her four terms on the council, she served on many committees 
and represented Redwood City before many organizations--most of them as 
chair at one point--including the Peninsula Division of the League of 
California Cities, the League Housing Community Economic Development 
Committee, C/CAG's Congestion Management Environmental Quality 
Committee, the Bay Area Water Supply Conservation Agency, the Resource 
Management Climate Protection Committee, the Association of Bay Area 
Governments, the Redwood City 2020 Coordinating Council, the Grand 
Boulevard Task Force and the Bair Island Task Force.
  Conservation and environmental protection are core values of Barbara 
Pierce. She is the spiritual leader of Redwood City's purple pipes 
project that brought recycled water to Redwood Shores long before our 
drought made water conservation a necessity. At first, it wasn't easy 
educating the public about the need to use recycled wastewater, but 
Barbara's persistent and earnest efforts persuaded the public to choose 
wisdom in the use of resources over skepticism based upon ignorance. 
The experiment began in 2000 but really took off in 2007 when the city 
expanded the pipes throughout Redwood Shores through pump stations. The 
recycled water project saves hundreds of millions of gallons of 
drinking water each year, and leaves Redwood Shores as one of the few 
areas of green landscaping during the current drought.
  Barbara has played a significant role in just about every modern 
decision and process that has shaped Redwood City and made its vibrant 
downtown a reality. She played a leadership role in the creation of 
Courthouse Square, the restoration of the entry to the San Mateo County 
History Museum, Theatre Way and the retail cinema complex. She was also 
instrumental in the building of the Redwood Shores Library and the 
Redwood Shores Child Care Center. She worked hard to address traffic 
congestion, housing, climate change, water supply, and public safety 
issues, and to build a successful and sustainable community. Her secret 
to success is collaboration. She strives to work with members of the 
community and to find a way for everyone to win.
  Her ethic of conservation is a direct consequence of her concern 
about future generations. In addition to her council duties, Barbara 
led efforts for 25 years at the Redwood City Education Foundation and 
saved an outdoor education program and created a music program for 
3,500 students.
  She has served on the board of the San Mateo County Historical 
Association, the Community Emergency Response Team, the Chamber of 
Commerce, the Downtown Business Group and ARTS RWC. She is also a long-
time Girl Scout leader, classroom volunteer and site council member. 
Barbara has a big heart and her love of Redwood City is only secondary 
to her love of her family.
  She was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in Fair Lawn, New 
Jersey. She graduated with a B.A. and M.A. in Psychology from Moravian 
College and Catholic University of America, respectively.

[[Page E1729]]

  Thirty-five years ago she and her husband Jerry made Redwood City 
their home. They have two grown daughters, Andrea Koenig and Amanda 
Pierce, both of whom have made them very proud.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor Barbara Pierce for her unwavering commitment to the residents of 
Redwood City. A compassionate steward of the interests of children and 
the environment, a stalwart supporter of strong public safety services, 
and a woman who dedicated tens of thousands of hours of her personal 
time to the interests of others, Barbara is now leaving for some well-
deserved rest. It is beyond her ability, however, to simply retire, and 
retirement for Barbara Pierce will likely involve watching her former 
council colleagues on the local community access channel rather than 
being there in person. Barbara Pierce never earned an Emmy for her 
performance on the City Council, but she earned the love and respect of 
her community, an award that counts for much more than a statue, and an 
award that will echo throughout generations yet to come.

                          ____________________