HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESO 9936EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO ELIZABETH KNISS
FOR OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE AS COUNCIL MEMBER
WHEREAS, Elizabeth Hayden Kniss served as Council Member from January 1990 through December 2000
and from January 2013 through December 2020, as Vice Mayor in 1993 and in 2017, and as Mayor in 1994, 2000
and 2018; and
WHEREAS, Liz has served Palo Alto and the region for over 35 years, beginning her elected service in 1985 as
a trustee of the Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education, then serving on the Palo Alto City Council
from 1990 to 2000, including as Vice Mayor and Mayor, and then went on to serve on the Santa Clara County Board
of Supervisors from 2001-2012, including as Board President in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Liz, a public health nurse, always focused on improving the community's physical and mental
wellbeing, championing initiatives such as Healthy Cities/Healthy Communities, bicycle infrastructure, quality food
and service programs for seniors, improved tobacco regulations, and served for many years on the Bay Area Air
Quality Management District, including as chair in 2017; and
WHEREAS, during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Liz pushed for testing and contact tracing and helped north
county cities secure regular testing sites, and has supported the county in the vaccine distribution effort, all of which
earned her a Champion of the Year A ward from the Santa Clara County Cities Association; and
WHEREAS, during her many years of service, Liz always sought to balance neighborhood and business interests,
supporting and fundraising for initiatives like the new Junior Museum and Zoo and the Palo Alto History Museum,
voting to open Foothills Park to all, and also leading economic programs such as restaurant parklets, opening
University and California Avenues to pedestrians and dining, small business grants, and weekly check-in sessions
on Zoom with local retailers and restaurants; and
WHEREAS, facing the Bay Area's housing shortage head-on, Liz has been a constant supporter of expanding
housing choices, including support for affordable housing developments such as Maybell, Buena Vista Mobile
Home Park, and Wilton Court, updating regulations for Accessory Dwelling Units, and launching the Housing Work
Plan; and
WHEREAS, a booster of our Sister Cities program, Liz visited and built lasting relationships with five of Palo
Alto's eight Sis~er Cities, including Oaxaca, Al bi, Enschede, Heidelberg, and the Yangpu District of Shanghai; and
WHEREAS, Liz is such an important, friendly, and notable member of our community, walking the Stanford
Dish each morning, knowing residents in every neighborhood, greeting business owners by first names, and always
offering her knowledge, relationships, and assistance to help solve a problem.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Palo Alto hereby commends Liz's
outstanding public service and gratefully records both its appreciation, and the appreciation of the citizens and
businesses of this community, for her decades of meritorious service and commitment as Trustee and President of
the Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education, Santa Clara County Supervisor and Board President, and
as City of Palo Alto Council Member and Mayor.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED: January 4, 2021
ATTEST: L
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APPROVED: ~~-
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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City Manager