[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 65 (Monday, April 15, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF JERRY BEVERLAND

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 15, 2019

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a local leader 
who has made a tremendous impact on the Tampa Bay area through a 
lifetime of public service, my dear friend, former Oldsmar Mayor and 
City Council Member Jerry Beverland. There has been no greater champion 
for the city of Oldsmar than Jerry and his lovely bride, Wanda. As both 
Mayor and City Council member, Jerry has been a lion during decades of 
City Council meetings, never backing down on a stance that he believed 
was in the best interests of Oldsmar. He has been a lead voice on every 
great endeavor for the city from the Sports Complex to the Water 
Reclamation Facility to the Oldsmar Library. His public service has 
extended beyond the city limits, as he has served as President of the 
Northeast Pinellas County Water and Sewer Authority, and as a member on 
the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and the Pinellas County Council 
of Mayors. Many of the initiatives he spearheaded made a profound 
impact on our community. Pinellas County residents will benefit for 
many years to come because of his leadership. Jerry Beverland has given 
his time, talent and treasure to make Oldsmar a wonderful place to 
live, work and play.
  As a local historian, Mr. Beverland has helped to preserve the rich 
cultural heritage and tradition of our community, publishing four books 
on the history of the City of Oldsmar. Proceeds from the sale of his 
books have benefitted the Oldsmar Library.
  On a personal note, Jerry has been a trusted friend and advisor of 
the Bilirakis family, and me, in particular, for decades. His passion 
for life and for the city of Oldsmar is inextricably intertwined. The 
Beverlands have endured life's ups and downs for over sixty years 
together in the city they call home. Yet through their tribulations, no 
one has consistently done so much, for so long, for the city. Jerry 
Beverland's integrity, wide breadth of knowledge and commitment to 
service above self is an example to which we all should aspire. I look 
forward to working with him and Wanda to continue making the city of 
Oldsmar a great place to live.