Councilmember Richard Valle won the election when he first ran for Union City Council in 1997. Because of his genuine passion for the community, where he lived for 40 years, he got into a seat in the City Council very easily.

His campaign promise of looking at the city's ``GENERAL PLAN'', because it was not looked at since 1986 became a reality, when the city started the works and now we have a most current General Plan for the city. He had other issues that came into fruition and benefited the community.

When Richard came to Union City in the early part of 1959, he was nine years old and the place was contrary to what Union City is now. There was a lot of open spaces and lots of dirt roads and few neighborhoods had sidewalks. As a young boy, he would take long hiking trips from his parent's house on 13th Street to the hills and toward south Hayward. He had the first paper route in his neighborhood and he delivered the town's newspaper, the Daily Review.

When he was 10 years old, he marched in the Union City National Little League parade down ``H'' Street, a tradition that still takes place today. He is now a member of the Board of Directors of the National Little League. He played for Holly Sugar and graduated from James Logan High School in 1968.

Richard and wife Barbara, whom he met when they were at Logan High School, and children Monica and Andrew, live in a historical home on 13th and ``G'' Streets in the Decoto area. The Swanson Family who emigrated from Sweden built the home. The father was a carpenter and built the home around 1910. The family raised chickens and traded eggs with neighbors for vegetables and fruit.

Richard's many works in the community include being a Board Member of the Union City Lions Club. He and his wife are now in charge of the annual Lions Club Thanksgiving Dinner for seniors.

Richard is a Vietnam Veteran, U. S. Army, Medic, an experience he will never forget; Past President of the Union City Police Activities League (PAL), instrumental in helping create the first PAL in the history of Union City. He was the founder of the Union City Science, Earth and Health Festival that is now in its 5th year and is held at Logan High School annually. He is a member of the James Logan High School School Site Council, a former member of the Union City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, he and his wife were the Registrars for the Union City Youth Soccer league, Advisor, to Centro de Servicios, Board of Directors, a non-profit charitable organization and now a proud member of the Union City Historical Museum, another non-profit organization in the city. He was also one of the founders of the Materials For the Future Foundation located at the Presidio in San Francisco and is currently the Treasurer of the Board of Directors.

Richard is the Founder and President of California's largest non-profit recycling company, the TRI-CED Community Recycling, a non-profit corporation, that employs youth and provides union jobs for local residents many of whom are low income residents.

Richard has a Masters Degree in Public Administration, Cal State University, Hayward and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology, also in Cal State University, Hayward.

His wife Barbara works in Administration at Cal-State University,

Hayward, daughter Monica goes to James Logan High School and will be graduating this year and son Andrew is a freshman at James Logan.

His parents Raul and Olivia still live on 13th Street just three houses down the street from Richard and Barbara.

A dedicated husband and father, who grew up in Union City, a professional and successful businessman, an intelligent and honorable and dedicated councilmember, Richard Valle is committed to his work and philosophy of ``Building Community.''