[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E288-E289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  SALUTING CUYAHOGA COUNTY BAR FOUNDATION PUBLIC SERVANTS MERIT AWARD 
                               RECIPIENTS

                                 ______


                           HON. LOUIS STOKES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, February 7, 1995
  Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute eight individuals who 
are being honored as outstanding public servants. On Thursday, February 
16, 1995, the Cuyahoga County Bar Foundation and the Cuyahoga County 
Bar Association will be hosting the 49th Public Servants Merit Awards 
luncheon at the Marriott at Society Center. On that occasion, eight 
individuals will receive the Franklin A. Polk Public Servants Merit 
Award. The individuals are: John D. Chmielewski, Rita B. Cloonan, 
Carrie Cook, Gail A. Dadich, Deidre Taylor, Sherman S. Terry, Jr., 
Robert C. Townsend II, and George F. Williams.
  The Public Servants Merit Award is named in honor of Franklin A. 
Polk, a distinguished lawyer who chaired the Annual Public Servants 
Awards luncheon for 40 years. As the 49th Awards luncheon approaches, 
Frank will be remembered for recognizing the efforts and contributions 
of public servants.
  Mr. Speaker, I take special pride in saluting the 1995 Public 
Servants Merit Award recipients. I want to share with my colleagues 
some information on these outstanding individuals. Mr. John D. 
Chmielewski has served his entire career with the clerk of courts. He 
currently holds the post as deputy of the criminal division office. Mr. 
Chmielewski is a native of Cleveland. He is a graduate of Holy Name 
High School, Cuyahoga Community College, and Cleveland State 
University.
  Mr. Chmielewski can boast numerous accomplishments during his career. 
He is responsible for developing an integrated information system, 
which upon completion will link the county's various criminal justice 
offices. He is a member of the jail utilization committee which 
facilitated the design and construction of the new annex. In addition, 
he is credited with the development of the State's first updatable 
microfiche system for court system use; the creation of a bar-coded 
charge-out system for criminal files, and an optical imaging system to 
replace the photocopying process.
  Mr. Chmielewski, who resides in Brecksville, is also active in his 
community. He has conducted various seminars for neighborhood community 
and records management principals, and coached for the Brecksville/
Broadview Heights Soccer Organization. He is also a member of the 
Brecksville/Broadview Heights Band Boosters. He and his wife, Susan, 
are the proud parents of three children, Adam, Jason, and Laura.
  Mr. Speaker, Ms. Rita Cloonan is also a native Clevelander, and a 
graduate of Charles F. Brush High School. Her tenure with the Cuyahoga 
County Probate Court spans 24 years. She currently serves as deputy 
clerk/secretary for the court. During her career, she has worked in the 
account department, release of assets, and the application counter.
  As deputy clerk, Ms. Cloonan schedules hearings, processes adversary 
complaints, assists attorneys and law clerks with court filings, and 
the general public in estates and guardianship filings. She is also 
responsible for compiling data and filing monthly status reports for 
judges and referees.
  Ms. Cloonan is an active member of her community. She is a volunteer 
at St. Malachi Church, where she helps to feed homeless and needy 
individuals. She is also a member of the Westlake Irish-American Club, 
and coordinates the Ohio Irish festival. Ms. Cloonan is also 
politically active, serving as a campaign volunteer with the Rocky 
River Democratic Club. Bowling, gardening, needlework, antique shopping 
and travelling are just a few of her favorite hobbies.
  Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Carrie W. Cook graduated from high school in 
Columbus, MS, where she was born, and has attended Cuyahoga Community 
College. At present she is enrolled at Moody Bible Institute. Mrs. Cook 
has been employed at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court since 1970.
  For the past 15 years, Mrs. Cook has supervised the traffic unit. In 
this post she is responsible for directing and coordinating activities 
of the department. The position also involves a close working 
relationship with other court offices and staff. Mrs. Cook's court 
tenure has also included providing administrative support to child 
support counselors and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 
manager.
  Mrs. Cook is a member of First Bethel Baptist Church, where she is 
president of the gospel choir, a Sunday school teacher for the adult 
class and a member of the executive board. Her hobbies include reading, 
cooking, crafting, home decorating, and helping the needy. She and her 
husband, Arthur, will mark their 28th wedding anniversary this year. 
They reside in Cleveland Heights, and are the proud parents of a son, 
Erek.
  Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Gail A. Dadich is the next Public Servants Merit 
Award recipient. For the past 13 years, she has served as the journal 
department administrative assistant/court community service liaison for 
the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court. A native of Berea, OH, 
she is a graduate of James Ford Rhodes High School.
  In her current post, Mrs. Dadich reviews journal entries to make 
certain that all documents required by statute and local rules are 
attached. She also monitors contempt of court cases for compliance with 
the court's order for community service in lieu of jail time. 
Additionally, she fills in as acting bailiff and scheduler for the 
judges.
  Mrs. Dadich and her husband, Dan, are residents of North Royalton. 
They are the proud parents of three children, Devon, Danny, and Derek. 
In her spare time, Mrs. Dadich enjoys cross-stitching, movies, and 
sports. She is an avid Cleveland Browns fan, and supports the North 
Royalton Soccer Club, where her sons are team members.
  Mr. Speaker, the next honoree, Mrs. Deidre Taylor, has enjoyed a 24-
year tenure with the courts. She is currently the administrative 
assistant to the Eighth District Court of Appeals. Mrs. Taylor is a 
native of Cleveland and a graduate of St. Augustine Academy. She is 
currently enrolled in Dyke College where she is working toward a 
bachelor's degree in management.
  In her role as administrative assistant, Mrs. Taylor is responsible 
for budget preparation and personnel administration. She also oversees 
the purchase of furniture and supplies for the office. Prior to this 
assignment, she served as administrative clerk for the common pleas 
court.
  Mrs. Taylor, and her husband, James, have been married 23 years and 
reside in Euclid. They are the proud parents of four children, Colleen, 
Katie, James, and Megan. Mrs. Taylor is a member of the East Side 
Irish-American Club, St. Felicitas School PTU and Boosters, and the 
Ohio Association for Court Administration. Her other activities include 
coaching girls' summer league softball and reading.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Sherman Sumner Terry, Jr., has been employed by the 
common pleas court for 26 years. He is a native Clevelander and a 
graduate of John Adams High School. Mr. Terry currently serves as 
assistant chief scheduler in the central scheduling office. He is the 
former president and vice president of the bailiff and attaches 
association.
  Mr. Terry is a decorated veteran who saw active duty in Korea with 
the United States Army's 40th Infantry Division, 160 Infantry Regiment, 
Company D, and attained the rank of staff sergeant. His military 
decorations include the Combat Infantryman Badge, Korean Service Medal 
with three Bronze Stars, United Nations Medal, National Defense Medal, 
Good Conduct Medal, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit 
Citation Badge.
  Mr. Terry and his wife, Ruby, are residents of Shaker Heights. They 
have two adult children, Sherman III and Celeste, and a daughter-in-
law, Gail. Mr. Terry is a Boy Scout leader and a volunteer for the 
United Black Fund. At the Fifth Christian Church [Disciples of Christ] 
he has served as treasurer, a member of the Christian men's fellowship 
and the male choir. Mr. Terry is also a gifted artist, an avid 
photographer, and enjoys travelling.
  Mr. Speaker, our next honoree, Robert C. Townsend II serves as the 
chief bailiff for the Cleveland Municipal Court. He is a graduate of 
Glenville High School and Clark-Atlanta University. His previous 
positions with the court have included personal bailiff, deputy 
bailiff, equal employment opportunity compliance and personnel officer 
and deputy court administrator.
  Throughout his career, Mr. Townsend has received special training in 
criminal justice and court administration. He has studied at Case 
Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and George 
Washington University. Mr. Townsend and his wife, Roberta, are the 
proud parents of a daughter, Alisa, and a son, Robert.
  Mr. Townsend has been active in more than 25 community-based 
organizations where he has been an officer or board member. They 
include the Association of Neighborhood Councils, NAACP, Cleveland 
Magnet School Advisory Committee, Community Organizations for Community 
Progress, and the Corrections Planning Board of Cuyahoga County, just 
to name a few. He was honored as most 
[[Page E289]] trusted volunteer by the Federation of Community 
Planning, and is the former chair of the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing 
Authority.
  Mr. Speaker, the final honoree for the Public Servants Merit Awards 
is George F. Williams. Mr. Williams is a native of Knoxville, TN. He 
attended John Hay High School and Kent State University.
  Prior to joining the Cleveland Municipal Court, Mr. Williams was 
employed at Precision Metalsmiths, Inc. Currently, he serves as a 
deputy clerk at the court, where he is the assistant supervisor of the 
criminal counter division. He has been employed by the Court for 26 
years.
  Mr. Williams is an active member of the Emanu-El AME Zion Church, 
where he is a member of the board of trustees and the victory chorus. 
His other hobbies include listening to jazz music and travel. Mr. 
Williams and his wife, Yvonne, have been married nearly 38 years. They 
are the proud parents of a son, George F. Williams, Jr., and daughter, 
Peggy J. Dunlap.
  Mr. Speaker, I take pride in saluting the eight individuals who have 
been selected to receive the Public Servants Merit Awards. They have 
each exhibited a strong commitment to public service and personal 
excellence. I also commend the bar foundation and bar association for 
recognizing the importance of honoring employees who strive to make the 
court system work more effectively.


                          ____________________