[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20218]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF MAYOR GERALD W. GROSS OF WEST EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2015

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Mayor of the Borough 
of West Easton, PA, the Honorable Gerald W. Gross, for his 50 years of 
service as an elected official. His accomplishments were recognized by 
the West Easton Borough Council on the evening of Monday, December 14.
  Mayor Gross first held an official role in West Easton as a member of 
the Borough Council. It was a position he held for twenty years. In 
1986, he was sworn in as the Mayor of West Easton. He has been the 
mayor for thirty years.
  Known to be a patient and giving man, Mayor Gross would take calls 
from home to hear complaints and questions from Borough residents. He 
owns a landscaping business and often donates free materials and 
services to the Borough to maintain parks and recreational areas.
  As a dedicated leader, Mayor Gross closely oversaw several large 
community projects, such as the installment of public sewer lines and 
the planning and construction of the West Easton municipal building. He 
also led planning and preparations for the Borough's centennial 
celebration in 1998, which was ended with a fireworks display.
  Mayor Gross has been ardent in his efforts to boost economic 
development in the Borough. A notable accomplishment was his role in 
the establishment of a new Northampton County leased DUI Treatment 
Center in 2012, which generates $50,000 in impact fees for the 
Borough's general fund. Additionally, he has worked to make the 
community and its parks safe and clean in order to promote West Easton 
as a great place for families.
  Mayor Gross is also known to be someone who can bring people 
together. He believes much can be done when people are willing to 
compromise, and he stresses the importance of listening to each other 
and staying focused on the greater good of the community. His good 
works have served as a role model for his daughter, Kelly Gross, who 
was first elected to West Easton Borough Council in 1993 and currently 
serves as Council President.
  It is an honor for me to recognize Mayor Gerald Gross for his 
generous nature and his lifetime of service. With a will to do for 
others, he has improved his community and inspired the next generation 
of leaders.

                          ____________________