[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19724]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IN RECOGNITION OF JOHN ``JACK'' MATTHEWS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2015

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor John ``Jack'' Matthews for 
his twelve years of service on the San Mateo City Council--two terms as 
Mayor--and his many contributions to our community.
  Councilman Matthews served on the Housing Endowment and Regional 
Trust (HEART), C/CAG, the Emergency Services Council, and the Local 
Policy Maker Group for Caltrain Electrification and High Speed Rail. 
These names with obscure meanings mask organizations of enormous 
importance to our community. Fortune smiled on us when Jack Matthews 
agreed to these assignments.
  Jack also served on the Grand Boulevard Initiative, the Civic Arts 
Committee and the homeless outreach team. One of his proudest moments 
was the 40th anniversary celebration of San Mateo's relationship with 
the 101st Airborne Division during Memorial Day Weekend in 2012 when 
the city also hosted its sister city Toyanaka, Japan.
  During his tenure on the council, he has been a voice of reason. In 
subtle contrast to his otherwise quiet nature he has been insistent 
about the issue of equal opportunity for all. This core value of Jack 
Matthews is best demonstrated by the very active role he played in the 
development of affordable housing in San Mateo. Jack and his council 
colleagues have helped create Peninsula Station, an affordable 
development for 60 families, as well as Delaware Pacific, housing 120 
low income families at the former site of the police station. Rather 
than wring its hands over the problem of homelessness, San Mateo, in 
large part through Jack's leadership, grappled with the problem and 
developed a solution--buying and redeveloping the Hotel Vendome. Upon 
opening, one new resident remarked to a reporter that she had taken her 
first shower in many years. Jack and his enlightened colleagues on the 
San Mateo City Council offered that woman more than a shower. She 
regained her dignity.
  Jack also supported construction of an award-winning, beautiful new 
library, a Transit Center, the creation of Draeger's Market, a new 
downtown cinema, a new police station, the emergence of Bay Meadows as 
a regional transit and housing hub, and new transit-oriented 
development at the Hayward Park Caltrain station. He also supported 
historic changes to the organization of the fire department. Some 
councilmembers serve and never witness any of these types of changes. 
Jack helped shepherd all of them.
  Mr. Matthews is an architect and has his own firm, John Matthews 
Architects, located in downtown San Mateo since 1986. His firm is 
responsible for the design and significant storefront improvements at 
the St. Matthew Hotel, Kaffee Haus, Tomatina, AcquaPazza Ristorante, 
Vault 164, M is for Mystery Bookstore and others. In 1992, he served as 
president of the American Institute of Architects for San Mateo County 
and from 1994 to 1996 he was a board member of the AIA California 
Council.
  Community service is in Jack's DNA. A long-time volunteer with the 
Boy Scouts, he has additionally served on the Board of Directors of 
H.I.P. Housing, a non-profit providing housing to over 1,000 people.
  Born in San Francisco, Jack grew up in San Carlos and attended 
Carlmont High School. He graduated from California State Polytechnic 
University in San Luis Obispo with a degree in architecture in 1972. 
Two years later, he and his wife of 45 years, Patricia, moved to San 
Mateo and raised their four children, Domenic, Anthony, Benjamin and 
Desiree. Today they have four grandchildren, Delphine, Tessa, Stephen 
and Lorenzo. After his retirement from the city council, Jack is 
looking forward to spending more time with his family and pursuing his 
passion for the outdoors including hiking, backpacking and fly fishing.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor my good friend and colleague Jack Matthews for his dedicated 
service to the residents of his city. His outstanding work has helped 
make San Mateo a more beautiful and livable community. He has 
demonstrated by personal example that San Mateo has an enormous heart. 
We are losing a local leader who will soon become a man with additional 
time for leisure. There is no doubt that Jack will, even during times 
of quiet repose, be dreaming big dreams for his extended family--the 
people of the City of San Mateo.

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