Community Corner
San Bruno Community Foundation Honors City Retirees
Event held Wednesday Dec 6 2017 prior to announcing current Community Grant Winners
Article Source: San Bruno Community Foundation President Nancy Kraus
San Bruno Community Foundation Honors Retiring City Leaders
Comments delivered at December 6th 2017 Board meeting by President Nancy Kraus
“Tonight we have the honor of recognizing six leaders in our community who have individually and collectively improved the quality of life in San Bruno: Mayor Jim Ruane, Vice Mayor Ken Ibarra, Treasurer John Marty, and City Clerk Carol Bonner whose terms of elected service are ending, and, City Manager Connie Jackson and Director of Community Services Kerry Burns who have announced their retirement in early 2018.
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This is a bitter sweet moment in the life of our City and for each of us on the Board to lose the connection we have enjoyed with these leaders.
As I expressed to the Board in November, as colleagues on this board, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in meaningful ways and to have earned the trust of a Mayor and City Council who have looked to us to take a new Foundation to heights we may have felt impossible when we first began four years ago. Indeed, next week, it will be exactly four years since we held our first board meeting.
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As we always try to remind ourselves and the public of the sad circumstances which led to the formation of the Foundation, we rarely acknowledge those who fought to acquire the restitution funds making the foundation possible. Tonight, we have that opportunity. The work of this team of dedicated public servants we are honoring is why we sit here today as directors of a foundation tasked with making a difference for the San Bruno community.
In that spirit of going the distance for the greater good of the community as a whole, and on behalf of the Board and the Executive Director of the San Bruno Community Foundation, it is my distinct privilege as President of the Board to present the following proclamations.
ABOVE: L Carol Bonner, R: John Marty
We begin with recognizing Carol Bonner and John Marty. As City Clerk and Treasurer, respectively, you inherited increased responsibilities with the Formation of the Foundation. Carol, you have been such a support in helping us keep the community informed about the Foundation’s work through the posting of our agenda packets and offering advice from your position of expertise.
John, literally, from day one of the Foundation Board assuming its role, you have offered your insight on investment strategy, taking time to speak at our meetings over the past four years and to connect with the leadership of the Foundation to share thoughts and advice. Our Proclamations touch on these services as well as other contributions each of you has made to the City of San Bruno.
ABOVE: L Nancy Kraus, R: Connie Jackson
City Manager Connie Jackson. Connie, your indefatigable commitment to the City of San Bruno is exemplary. For the past seven years you have had the additional responsibility of supporting the Foundation from its inception to where it is today. Few recognize the amount of hours you have added to your days, weeks, months, and years to get us up and running – our accomplishments are in no small measure due to your encouragement and support. You have dedicated yourself, along with the Mayor and Council to relentless pursuit through the courts to seek some small measure of justice for our community. All this, while managing the day to day operations of our City with integrity and dedication.
On a personal note, will we ever forget your phone call to me four years ago while I was in NY, advising that I had been chosen to lead the new Foundation. I asked what time commitment you thought that would involve. Little did either of us know at the time the reality of that answer – for both of us!! But here we are, four years later, tired, but we made it!
ABOVE: L: Nancy Kraus, R: Kerry Burns
Kerry Burns - Always with a smile, you have embraced ideas and projects to enhance the quality of life in San Bruno. We have wonderful Community Days to show for it along with new parks on the horizon which the Foundation has been pleased to support. Your work to improve the quality of life for all ages in San Bruno has been stellar. I have been privileged to witness first hand all you do to support youth in San Bruno.
These Proclamations to you both represent a small token of our appreciation and reflect in their content some of the comments I just made.
ABOVE: L: Nancy Kraus, R: Ken Ibarra
Vice Mayor Ibarra - You and I go way back to your first term as Council member, but more so, connected to all you do for San Bruno in your numerous volunteer capacities. Our paths have intersected many times in that regard and I know you will continue to have a strong presence in San Bruno. You are a leader who is visible to the entire community and you demonstrate a genuine caring about all sectors of our City.
The Board’s Proclamation recognizes your support of us, as individuals, with our appointment to these positions and for your personal commitment to ensuring that the City would be enhanced by the restitution funds the Council entrusted us to manage.
ABOVE: L: Nancy Kraus, R: Jim Ruane
Mayor Ruane – where to begin. We are seven board members, so committed to serving in your image of selflessness and doing the right thing, that each volunteered to be reappointed to the Board!! Unquestionably, we have served and will continue to serve in tribute to your relentless and unwavering commitment to do the right thing for San Bruno by pursuing the restitution settlement and changes to the law regarding public utility safety.
You have served San Bruno with a heart that deeply cares for her people, with a passion for justice, and with integrity that is beyond reproach. You have set the bar high for those who follow you to stay the course in ethical service to our community and not be swayed by conflict or by those with personal agendas.
Yours is a legacy that will stand the test of time.
So it is a special privilege for me to present you with this Proclamation from the San Bruno Community Foundation, thanking you for what you have done to inspire us, in your image, to do the right thing for San Bruno.
To the six of you and your families, our best wishes that you find new journeys that bring you happiness and fulfillment.
Before calling on the Board for their comments, as we conclude the Presentations, I want to segue into President’s Comments on the agenda, by sharing what has been accomplished by this Foundation in four years and which directly reflects on those who we have just honored.
The Foundation received $70.5 million in Restitution funds from the City. After a thorough vetting process, the Foundation identified an investment management firm to manage the funds. Expenses through today are approximately $3.4 million, including $500,000 in Community Grants, $220,000 in Scholarships, Community Day, $550,000 for rec center conceptual design and about $930,000 encumbered for other projects such as park and pedestrian safety.
We now have approximately $73.3 million – considerably more than when we started – and that is after spending $3.4 million! (Of that, $50 million is encumbered for the new rec center and pool facilities.)”
ABOVE: Retirees and Foundation members
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Robert Riechel
E=Mail: SanBrunoPatch.Robert@Yahoo.com
My Posts: http://patch.com/users/robert-riechel
Photo Credit: San Bruno CA Patch Archives
Source Credit: San Bruno CA Community Foundation
Leslie Hatamiya - Executive Director
lhatamiya-sbcf@sanbruno.ca.gov
Office (650) 763-0775
