[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18093]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF MARY McMILLAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 3, 2013

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Deputy County Manager Mary 
McMillan upon the occasion of her retirement after 23 years of stellar 
service to the residents of San Mateo County. Ms. McMillan's 
accomplishments are the definition of public service and these 
accomplishments are legion.
  As a leader in our county, she has been a passionate advocate for 
foster children. There is a rental apartment building in South San 
Francisco that exists today because years ago Mary saw that foster 
children who aged out of the system were often homeless and forgotten. 
This type of vision and compassion are typical of Mary McMillan.
  Mary led the county's efforts to create its vision. She included 
citizens in the process of setting county priorities through innovative 
town hall-type forums in which citizens ranked county priorities and 
discussed their expectations about such services as mental health, 
parks, child protective services and services for the elderly.
  As a leader, Mary volunteered for the boards of multiple nonprofits 
and has most recently been serving on the board of Puenta de la Costa 
Sur in the rural community of Pescadero. This nonprofit community 
center serves farm workers in that community, and their families. This 
agency's vital services are near to Mary's heart: Providing for the 
clothing of children, the feeding of families, and the direction to 
healthcare services when needed.
  The San Mateo County delegation to the state legislature knows Mary 
as the tireless advocate of the county's priorities. Woe to the state 
legislator who failed to heed Mary's advice. She was always the best 
prepared advocate in the room and often knew more about a topic than 
the State Senator or Assemblymember. Mary McMillan is not a 
particularly tall woman, but she fits the image of the mouse that 
roars. She roared on behalf of the county's parks. She roared on behalf 
of special education funding that was otherwise targeted for state 
budget cuts. She roared on behalf of child support for indigent 
children. Mr. Speaker and Members, Mary's example sets the standard for 
public service because there was no cause too slight or complex that it 
evaded Mary's examination and advocacy. The people of San Mateo County 
owe her a debt of gratitude for her remarkable talents as exhibited 
throughout the halls of the State Capitol. These are talents that were 
honed over many years as a legislative staffer, and then turned toward 
the service of San Mateo County.
  Finally, Mary McMillan is much beloved by everyone who knows her. It 
is a tribute to a person who has been in the public eye for so long 
that everyone has a wonderful story to relate about her character and 
judgment, as well as her personal kindness.
  Mr. Speaker, this retirement will be a tremendous loss for San Mateo. 
The county may someday have another advocate, but it will be hard-
pressed to find such a talented steward of its trust. We wish Mary 
McMillan well on her next journey in life. We have no doubt that, 
wherever she goes, she will continue to be the mouse that roars.

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