[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 4, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E19]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING JOSEPH SILVA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 4, 2017

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Joseph Silva for his 20 
years of service on the Colma City Council, two of them as vice mayor. 
At 1,400 residents, Colma is the smallest town in San Mateo County on 
the San Francisco Peninsula. While Colma is best known as the City of 
Souls because it is home to 16 cemeteries, locals will point out its 
architectural charm created by Spanish-Mediterranean motifs, its modem 
infrastructure, including a BART station, and its central location that 
makes it easily accessible from anywhere in the Bay Area. Colma is a 
small town where residents and businesses happily coexist.
  Joe Silva has been instrumental in creating or restoring the town's 
iconic buildings and structures. During his tenure, the town built the 
5,500 square foot Colma Community Center that houses the restored 
historical museum and railroad depot, the Sterling Park Recreation 
Center and the Colma Police Department. He is also heavily involved in 
keeping the current renovation of the historic Town Hall on track.
  Councilmember Silva and his fellow councilmembers are always striving 
to maintain a harmonious balance between old and new. Brick paved 
residential streets with ornamental street lights coexist with 
Interstate 280. The historic Town Hall and Community Center coexist 
with the modern Metro Center and Serramonte Shopping Center.
  While on the council, Joe served on the Grand Boulevard Task Force, 
the Peninsula Clean Energy Board of Directors, and the C/CAG Board of 
Directors. He cares deeply about his community and improving the 
quality of life for everyone.
  Joe has a ``roll up your sleeves'' and ``can do'' attitude. This was 
evident during the recession that started in 2008 when he helped 
strengthen the town's retail base by finding ways to entice people to 
shop at Colma's businesses and car dealerships. He collaborated with 
the Daly City-Colma Chamber of Commerce to think outside the box and 
come up with creative ideas. Joe's optimism and determination were 
instrumental in guiding his home town through one of the most 
challenging times since the Great Depression.
  Joe also finds time to volunteer for good causes such as the Lutheran 
Hope School in Daly City, Habitat for Humanity, the North Peninsula 
Food Pantry and Dining Center of Daly City, and Club Dust, an 
organization building homes for extremely poor families in Mexico. He 
has participated eight times in the AIDS/LifeCycle Ride to End AIDS, a 
seven-day, 545 mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles that 
raises money and awareness for HIV and AIDS. If you do the math, that's 
4,360 miles. For his continued dedication to the AIDS ride, he received 
the distinguished San Mateo County Mayors' Diversity Award in 2012.
  Joe grew up in the Bay Area and attended Jefferson High School in 
Daly City. He moved to Colma 30 years ago and has lived here ever since 
with his wife, Cynthia. They have raised two daughters, Sandra and 
Nicole.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to 
join me in recognizing Councilmember Joseph Silva for two decades of 
service to the residents of Colma. While he is leaving the council, I 
have no doubt he will remain an active member of our community for many 
years to come.

                          ____________________