[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 8, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         IN HONOR OF TERRI COOK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2020

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Terri Cook, an 
outstanding public servant, as she retires from her position as City 
Clerk for the City of Belmont. Terri was elected as clerk in 2002 and 
served as an elected official until this year when the position 
transitioned to an appointed one.
  City clerks are an integral part of the operation of a city. Clerks 
must keep accurate records of city council meetings and votes as well 
as minutes and votes from numerous commissions and advisory boards. The 
outcome of lawsuits over city actions sometimes hinges on accurate 
records, as does the eligibility of the city for federal and state 
funding. Elections to the city council or to other elected positions 
are operated by the clerk's office, and Terri enjoys serving as an 
authority for new candidates.
  Terri has many other responsibilities as a clerk. She was the liaison 
to the group that created the Veteran's Memorial in Twin Pines Park, 
and she helped her friend, the late councilmember Eric Reed, fulfill 
this dream of a memorial before his own untimely passing. She took over 
the annual veteran's recognition and has been its lead ever since. She 
also worked with the city to adopt the 101st Airborne Division, I-327th 
Infantry C Company based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Among other 
activities, she helped ship nonperishable goods to these troops during 
overseas deployments.
  Terri's family has lived in Belmont since 1931 and her priorities 
both as a candidate and volunteer reflect her love of the city. Her 
career in public service spans a remarkable 37 years as she served as 
an administrative assistant in the San Carlos schools, as a member of 
the Belmont Planning Commission from 1993 to 1997, and then as a 
Belmont City Council member from 1997 to 2002. She was mayor in 1999.
  As a civic activist she opposed construction of a massive, double-
deck overpass at the intersection of the El Camino and Ralston Avenue, 
and supported preservation of Twin Pines Park. In her volunteer work 
she served as an open space task force member, a member of the board of 
the Belmont Park Boosters, an historical society member, as an advisor 
to the schools on facility renovation, and as a member of her 
homeowner's association.
  When she ran for the city council, this lifelong resident focused on 
quality of life issues. One priority was clearly stated in her 
candidate's statement: traffic, traffic, traffic.
  To relieve congestion, she supported a grade separation at the 
Caltrain tracks and Ralston Avenue, a project that subsequently came to 
pass, and the need to protect parks and open spaces. She also supported 
rebuilding a fire station, developing a town hall format for council 
meetings so that the public could interact with the council in a more 
productive manner, and a revision of the city's sign ordinance to 
reduce visual clutter. As a planning commissioner and city council 
member, she supported the renovation or creation of many tax-generating 
businesses such as a local auto dealership, a new grocery store, 
approval of several hotels, and the maintenance of Belmont's small-town 
atmosphere. While I was a member of the state legislature, Terri would 
sometimes call. I always took the call and often heeded her insightful 
advice.
  Madam Speaker, Terri Cook looks upon the community as her family and 
her dedication to the city and its future is legendary. We wish her 
well in the years ahead. All who love a community eventually get to 
pass along the reins of leadership to the next generation. As Terri 
Cook does so, she will leave her community in good order and with much 
of her imprint upon its features. She will long be remembered and 
admired by all of us. This fond remembrance is a lasting testament to a 
remarkable local leader.

                          ____________________