Hydrant Surprise for Longest-Serving City Manager in San Mateo County History, Clay Holstine

On June 12, 2024, a special ceremony was held outside of City Hall to commemorate the first of many hydrant groupings around Brisbane.
Two historical Brisbane-themed hydrants have found a new home here, alongside one newly designed hydrant, honoring the longest-serving City Manager in Brisbane (and in the history of San Mateo County) for nearly 26 years of dedicated service to the community. This effort has been almost a year in the making, and wouldn’t have been possible without the generous help from Brisbane artist and Public Art Committee Member Leesa Greenlee, who not only painted the hydrant, but also collaborated with staff on a design that would pay homage to Clay and preserve his legacy here in Brisbane for more decades to come.
This hydrant intertwines the character of Brisbane along with some specific nods to Clay. The hydrant was designed around an oak tree with its sturdy trunk and sprawling branches, representing strength, longevity, and stability. The acorn, the fruit of the oak tree, symbolizes potential, growth, and prosperity. The deep roots extended beyond the surface are not unlike the deep roots Clay has sown here in Brisbane which will continue to serve the City beyond his physical presence as our City Manager. The owl (donning Clay’s signature glasses) symbolizes wisdom and prosperity. It seemed fitting to incorporate a nod to the new Library, a project Clay is very proud of and one that took nearly his entire career here to complete. It is a piece of his legacy that will continue serving the Brisbane community for decades to come.
As is Brisbane tradition, hydrants painted to honor individuals are subtle in their references, so we invite you to look closely at the piece to see what elements of Clay you can find. We want to thank Leesa Greenlee, Mike Glynn, and the Public Works team for their assistance in making this happen.