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- - , . -, merely adjectives that we use to describe the experiences that we are given. The City Council, the seven people up here are given the experience of working with - this community to shape policy and do ultimately what we believe is in the best interest of the citizens of Redwood City. You all have been given the experience of becoming involved, of helping to shape that policy. The key now is, what do we do with what we have. I truly believe now that we can start fresh, like we always do every two years. We can agree on some things and disagree on other things. We can find compromise in the middle of it all. But underlying all of that is the respect for ourselves and our community that has to be there. I truly believe that it is and I am ready to reaffirm my commitment to that tonight. So, to sum it up briefly, I'm ready to go back to work, so let's rock n' roll." Vice Mayor Ruskin said, "My wife told me to be brief. You know that's impossible, but I will try to be relatively brief. I want to thank everyone for the honor you have given me this evening, and I say everyone because in order to be chosen Vice Mayor one person needs to be elected by the residents. I thank the residents again for the honor they gave me two yeas ago, and I thank the Council for the honor of being elected this evening.... In addition to the honor of being elected Vice Mayor, and I am touched by it, I know that many of the people who serve on the Council were born in Redwood City. I did not have that privilege. I came here later, but I want to thank you for accepting me and giving me the honor to serve you, and the responsibility as well. I realize that responsibility comes with the honor, and I pledge that I will do everything I can so that all my - actions and statements always reflect well on our City. I'm proud of what we have accomplished in the last two years. We've fostered economic growth in Redwood City. We've improved the downtown, the University of California will be coming here. We've improved the entry features and the infrastructure. We've maintained quality services to families with new parks and park equipment. We've kept quality services for seniors and tried to eliminate increases in fees so that seniors can retire well in our City, and I think we have done an admirable job in doing that. We rejected the increase in fees that was suggested when the new trash plan... was accepted, and green waste was taken on another day. I am happy that the Council rejected the planned increase in fees. We've done a great job in anti-gang activities, reducing gang activities in the City. We've added more police. We've begun a police staffing effort that will continue into the years ahead. We've built a fire station in the Shores, and a partnership with the schools. I think we've done an excellent job. There is still a lot to do. One of the things about an election, in addition to giving candidates the opportunity to explain why they should be elected, new issues come to the surface, and I believe in this election some new issues came to the surface that we need to address. I hope to address those issues in the next two years on the Council, to improve communications with the neighborhoods, as well as communication with boards, committees and commissions, to work on traffic problems, and to make great strides in the beautification of our commercial - thoroughfares. I want to congratulate JeffIra on being elected to the Council and ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 NOVEMBER 14, 1997 MINUTES Page No. 023 PAGE 13