[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 177 (Tuesday, December 8, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN RECOGNITION OF ROBERT G. GOTTSCHALK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2015

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Robert G. Gottschalk, the 
current Mayor of Millbrae, California, for his twelve years of service 
on the Millbrae City Council. Mr. Gottschalk served on the council from 
2001-2009 and then again from 2011-2015. He was Mayor for three terms 
and Vice Mayor for three terms.
  Just a few years ago, Millbrae, like most cities on the San Francisco 
Peninsula, undertook a retrenchment involving substantial budget cuts 
and changes to service delivery. Although many of these changes arrived 
shortly before Robert Gottschalk returned to the city council, the 
city's residents counted on Robert and his colleagues to nurture the 
experiment into a success. Recently, changes occurred to Millbrae's 
fire department. In both instances, Robert and his colleagues worked 
hard to ensure that change delivered value for city residents.
  Robert also worked hard to identify a sound development partner for 
the city in several areas near the Millbrae BART station. Surrounding 
properties, and BART's own property, hold great promise for residents 
and the city's treasury. Robert Gottschalk sought to support transit-
oriented development throughout this area while also ensuring that 
existing Millbrae residents benefitted through additional sales tax 
that may support city services.
  For the last three years, Mr. Gottschalk has served on the HEART 
Board of Directors, an affordable housing fund, that helps to relieve 
the hardship that too many of our neighbors suffer due to the 
skyrocketing housing prices in the Bay Area. The lack of affordable 
housing is unfortunately the defining problem of our time and the 
leadership of our elected officials is needed to address it.
  In his duties on the council, Mayor Gottschalk served on the Finance 
Committee, the Loan Review Committee, the Airport Land Use Committee 
and the SFO Airport Community Roundtable. I've been working closely 
with him and other local and federal officials to solve the airport 
noise crisis that has become a health problem for many residents in San 
Mateo County. In his service on the Airport Community Roundtable, and 
on the council, his legal expertise is invoked to ensure that Millbrae 
remains as noise-free as possible, and that the community's interests 
are understood by airport and federal officials.
  During his 12 years on the council, Councilman Gottschalk has been 
part of many milestones in town. He was instrumental in completing the 
construction of the Millbrae library and the expansion of the 
countywide library system. As a long-time board member of the Sister 
Cities Commission, he led the effort and signed friendship city 
agreements with Kai Ping, China in 2009 and with Hanyu, Japan in 2014. 
He has traveled to China five times. He has also been very active in 
improving county emergency services and in relieving traffic 
congestion.
  Mr. Gottschalk brought impressive experience to the city council. He 
earned a BA from San Jose State University in 1968, an MBA in Finance 
from UC Berkeley in 1975 and a JD from UC Hastings College of the Law 
the same year. He has practiced law in Millbrae for 15 years. Prior to 
that, he had a 21-year-career in the banking industry. He served for 26 
years in the military, including on an aircraft carrier in Vietnam, and 
retired as Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserves.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor Robert Gottschalk for his service to the city of Millbrae and to 
our country. Few are called to serve, and even fewer go willingly into 
the daily toil of democracy. Whether in our nation's armed forces or as 
a thoughtful voice of reason on a city council, Robert Gottschalk is 
one who has contributed greatly to his city and country. It is now time 
for him to turn over the reins of responsibility to another council, 
but he does so knowing that he not only did his best on behalf of his 
community, but that his service is an example of why local democracy in 
America is the most trusted level of government. We sincerely thank him 
for a job exceedingly well done.

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