Supervisor-elect Church to hit ground running

Church is confident about becoming a supervisor, and said he has accomplished all he set out to do in his original four-year term as a Millbrae councilmember, including the adoption of a revitalization and beautification program for downtown Millbrae, as well as developing recreational trails and working towards bringing BART to Millbrae.

Being a former mayor and councilmember, Church said, has helped foster a familiarity with regional agencies and supervisors who will soon become his colleagues. This should, according to Church, enable him to more quickly achieve his issue agenda items.

"My biggest challenge will be transportation, and the close second is housing," Church said. "They're interrelated - the traffic gridlock that we are faced with is going to be the number one challenge over the next decade, and if that feeling is shared, I'll have an opportunity to discuss it at board meetings - there certainly is a strong sentiment amongst citizens and I believe the board shares the same concerns."

Church said he decided to step up to the county supervisor position after friends encouraged him to leave - the people who know him best and believe he'll do a good job according to Church. "It wasn't on my mind before," Church said, "I didn't enter public service thinking of the county board position."

Church ran unopposed for Griffin's seat during last Spring's election.

Politics, it seems, is in Church's blood - his father served on the Millbrae council for two years, and was mayor from 1960 to 1961.

"I grew up in a family where public service is a way of life," Church said, "I enjoyed it at a city level, and I'll enjoy it at a county level where the challenges will be greater."

While Church gets ready to assume his new position, Griffin is entering the world of the unelected.

"I have my résumé out," Griffin added, "I would like to continue to be active for a few more years." With 12 years of county board experience, Griffin said going into the private sector will be quite a change. "It's going to be an adjustment I'm sure, but I'll continue to work for things I have a passion for - health, kids and transportation issues," she said.

Despite the upcoming change, Griffin looks back fondly upon her accomplishments with her fellow supervisors. "I'm delighted to have been part of the group that started curb-side recycling in the county, 24-hour child care facility, and helping to found the arts commission in Millbrae."

Looking back over her decade-plus of public service, Griffin said, "There are always things you wish you could have seen through, certainly some of the issues like the Proposition 10 tobacco tax - none of that money will be implemented until I leave office."

She does, however, have full confidence in Church's ability to fill her shoes. "Mark Church and I have worked together, I've known his family for years, I've endorsed him, and I'm sure he'll do a fine job," she said.