Recognizing the Departure of the Honorable Reuben Holober From the City Council of Millbrae

Floor Speech

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Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Millbrae Councilman Reuben Holober as he leaves the City Council. Reuben was 25 years old when first elected in 2013. He grew up in Millbrae, received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Washington and his Master's Degree in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley. Prior to joining the council, he served on the city's Sister City Commission. He also served as an intern for the late Congressman Tom Lantos. During his youth, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

Millbrae is a small town of 22,000 stretching from the edge of the bay adjacent to San Francisco International Airport to the wooded hillsides of the Peninsula. Its businesses are almost all small companies. Historically, they largely served local residents, travelers and the airport. In the wake of the housing collapse, Millbrae businesses were hit hard. It was during recovery from that recession that Reuben first ran for public office. He noted in his candidate statement that while the first priority for residents was public safety, the city's tax base needed to grow to support the goal of safety. Developing the areas around the BART/Caltrain station was key to generating revenue.

Today, at the site of the station, construction companies are putting the final touches on 840 units of new housing, 50,000 square feet of retail, and a new hotel. Reuben supported this addition to Millbrae, and it will undoubtedly become a template for similar sites around the country.

The city council made many difficult decisions during Reuben's time in office. When a fire consumed the beloved Millbrae Recreation Center, he and colleagues secured the funds to build a beautiful new facility. In recent years, water rates have escalated because of aging infrastructure as well as price increases by the city's water supplier. It fell to then-Mayor Holober to note these painful increases in his 2020 reports to the residents, but he also explained all the wonderful work that was done by the public works department, including replacement of many pipes that were more than 50 years old

A new biotechnology building is under construction near the BART/ Caltrain station. Due to the openness of Reuben and his colleagues to new business development, the city is known as a place where companies with the right ideas can get projects successfully through the approval process.

When he joined the council, he was half the age of a typical councilmember. With youthful optimism, he joined the council's Technology Subcommittee and Infrastructure Task Force. His colleagues also assigned him to be the council's representative to the Millbrae Chamber of Commerce, the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, the San Mateo County Library Joint Powers Authority, and the Caltrain Local Policy Makers Group. Millbrae Community Television, which broadcasts local events, also benefited from his service on its Board of Directors

Reuben was Mayor in 2020 when COVID arrived. It is almost painful today to read his remarks to colleagues, delivered in November. He noted, ``2020 has been an extremely difficult year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From job losses and economic decline . . . to feelings of isolation and depression . . . due to necessary shelter-in-place and social distancing orders. In many ways . . . we were not prepared for the pandemic.'' He and his council colleagues rose to the challenge. He noted that the council provided grants to local businesses and helped them apply for greater funding through the SBA. He fulther noted that 409 businesses received PPP loans that saved 2,600 jobs, The council also passed ordinances to allow curbside dining outdoors, expedited construction permits, closed streets to allow residents and visitors to stroll, and limited fees charged by DoorDash and others so that restaurants could survive without customers being gouged by delivery charges.

All of this was done even though at the time the city's budget took a $6.5 million hit due to revenue reductions. By cutting other expenses sharply, the deficit was reduced to $1.3 million, but this left the city operating ``on a shoestring budget'' according to then-Mayor Holober.

With completion of the new recreation center, major development at the Caltrain/BART station, and commencement of development of a nearby biotechnology complex, Millbrae is finally poised to soar. Reuben Holober can be confident that his quiet and effective leadership was crucial to building a bright future for the city he loves. I wish him, his wife Amy and his son, Nolan, all the best in the years ahead. Reuben Holober, the 25-year-old who wanted to serve, has done a wonderful job for his city and his neighbors. He's now earned the ultimate badge towards the rank of Eagle Scout: Civic duty. Democracy in Millbrae is better due to his time on the council.

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