[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 212 (Tuesday, December 15, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1145-E1146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         IN HONOR OF ADAM EISEN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2020

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Adam Eisen who 
served on the Half Moon Bay City Council for four years, the last year 
as Mayor. Mayor Eisen is one of the most energetic and optimistic 
public servants with whom I've had the honor to work.
  When Adam ran for city council in 2016, he would have never imagined 
the challenges the year 2020 would present him while he was mayor of 
this beautiful coastal town of 13,000. He had to respond to a global 
pandemic not seen in a century, the resulting economic downturn, 
devastating wildfires ravaging California communities, and a national 
social justice movement demanding racial equity.
  Adam was a regular presence on weekly county briefings that included 
more than 200 public officials from school districts, cities, the 
county, the state and the federal government. In weekly newsletters, 
Adam relayed much of that information about Covid-19 to residents, from 
case numbers to testing to business closures, school closures and beach 
closures. In the early days of the pandemic during the stay at home 
order, the entire county of San Mateo flocked to the coast to get away 
and get outside. Local beaches and parking lots resembled Times Square 
during New Year's Eve. Safety concerns motivated Adam to initiate a 
five mile from home shelter in place order for the county. As an avid 
surfer and outdoors enthusiast, this was counterintuitive, but Adam

[[Page E1146]]

saw it as a necessary tool to slow community spread of the deadly 
virus.
  In mid-August, lightening struck, literally. More than 14,000 
lightening strikes set off a series of 650 wildfires, eventually 
burning over two million acres in California. One of the fires, the CZU 
Lightening Complex, burned in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, Adam 
rose to the occasion and responded to this disaster on top of the Covid 
disaster. He coordinated with other officials to assure emergency 
vehicles had access to hotspots. He set up Smith Field to assist 
evacuated fire victims.
  Adam was drawn to public service by three broad and ambitious goals. 
He wanted community members to be involved, he wanted to engage a 
younger constituency, and he wanted to have the most qualified staff 
work for the city.
  Shortly after Adam and his wife Katherine moved to Half Moon Bay from 
Connecticut, a tractor ran into a bridge that he used to bike to his 
mother's house. The damaged bridge was demolished and his path to his 
mom's was gone. He attended multiple council meetings lobbying to fix 
the bridge. With his typical optimism, he later told the local 
newspaper: ``The bridge did get fixed; it just took a few years and 
it's fantastic.''
  As a devoted father of two young children, Kaleb, 12 and Ezra, 9, 
Adam wanted to make sure young families and younger people were 
represented on the council. He created an open channel of communication 
and made sure their voices were heard.
  During his tenure on the council, Adam and his colleagues completed 
updates of Half Moon Bay's Local Coastal Plan and the General Plan with 
a great deal of community input. Both plans will impact the area for 
the next two to three decades. He was also deeply involved in the 
hiring of a new city manager and city attorney.
  Adam worked on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan to set standards 
and guidelines for new and existing parks. He helped revise the City's 
contract with local horseback riding stable operators to keep beaches 
accessible for riding yet free of horse manure so that all visitors can 
enjoy them. He was instrumental in banning single use plastic and 
flavored tobacco to keep our environment and our children safer.
  The pandemic-induced economic downturn required quick and decisive 
action to keep Half Moon Bay solvent. To increase city revenue, Adam 
helped initiate Measure U, a ballot initiative increasing transient 
occupancy taxes, which passed by over 70%.
  Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in honoring Adam Eisen who served 
the residents of Half Moon Bay for four years that feel like a 
lifetime. He is leaving the council, but I am certain his next chapter 
will be filled with adventure and with contributions that will benefit 
everyone on the coastside. It's been my honor to serve with him.

                          ____________________