[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3948-3949]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MAYOR JOSEPH ESQUIVEL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize the Honorable Joseph Esquivel for his 39 years of public 
service to the people of Lakewood, California. Joe began his service to 
Lakewood as a member of the Lakewood Recreation and Community Services 
Commission in 1972; and in 1990, he began the first of his five terms 
on the Lakewood City Council. After 21 productive years of service on 
the council, Joe is retiring from public service to spend more quality 
time with his family.
  Joe and his wife, Pat, have called Lakewood home since 1963, raising 
three wonderful children and in the process becoming proud grandparents 
and great grandparents. As an active leader in his community, Joe had a 
hand in the founding of many local organizations such as the Lakewood 
Youth Hall of Fame. Joe continues to be a member of the Hall of Fame 
Board of Electors, which is charged with recognizing Lakewood's young 
high school and collegiate standout athletes.
  Throughout his time on the City Council and as Mayor, Joe made it his 
priority to ensure that Lakewood remains a safe, family friendly, and a 
thriving community. Joe was instrumental in bringing together the 
resources needed to make Lakewood's state-of-art Sheriff's Station a 
reality and was integral in developing several crime prevention 
programs that have made our community safer.

[[Page 3949]]

  Over the past two decades, Joe has worked tirelessly to make certain 
Lakewood operates on firm financial footing and never outside of its 
fiscal means. While the struggling economy has impacted many cities 
throughout southern California, Lakewood has managed to maintain 
funding for all city services and capital improvement projects. In 
addition, Lakewood has managed to be a leading destination for 
businesses and new business development.
  Joe's involvement in public service reaches far beyond the confines 
of the City's Council Chamber. Joe is a dedicated member of Lakewood's 
Rotary Club, having served for many years as the coordinator of the 
Rotary Club's annual Project Shepherd holiday assistance program for 
families in need. Under his leadership, Project Shepherd aided hundreds 
of families each year with the help of volunteers of all ages from 
Lakewood schools, churches, and youth organizations. He was named 
Rotarian of the Year in 1995. One of his joys as a Lakewood resident 
was serving as a volunteer coach of 8- and 9-year-old youngsters in 
basketball and football at Bolivar Park. He received the Mayor's Award 
for 11 consecutive seasons of volunteer coaching.
  He has held various leadership positions, including president of the 
California Contract Cities Association, president of the Greater Los 
Angeles County Vector Control District, and president of the Private 
Industry Council of Southeast Los Angeles County. Joe sits on the 
Lakewood Regional Medical Center and Lakewood Weingart Family YMCA 
Board of Directors. As a Navy veteran, Joe has been a proud member of 
American Legion Post 496 for the past 19 years.
  From one public servant to another, I praise Mayor Joseph Esquivel 
for his service and dedication to the city of Lakewood and to the 
community. Lakewood would not be the community it is today without him. 
I want to thank him for his years of service and wish him the best of 
luck as he moves forward in new endeavors.

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