[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 17 (Tuesday, February 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E206-E207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SALUTING THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY BAR FOUNDATION AND BAR ASSOCIATION PUBLIC 
                    SERVANTS MERIT AWARD RECIPIENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LOUIS STOKES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 11, 1997

  Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute eight outstanding 
individuals who will be honored later this week at a special ceremony. 
On February 14, 1997, the Cuyahoga County Bar Foundation and the 
Cuyahoga County Bar Association will host the 51st Public Servants 
Merit Awards Luncheon. At the luncheon, the honorees will receive the 
Franklin A. Polk Public Servants Merit Award. The individuals to be 
honored are: Delores Bell; Charles T. Birmelin; Michael Flanagan; 
Deborah Fleischer; John P. Garmone; Rosanne O'Brien; Fred W. Papay; and 
Maryellen Reddy.
  The Public Servants Merit Award is named in honor of a distinguished 
lawyer, the late Franklin A. Polk. During his career, attorney Polk was 
committed to recognizing the contributions of public servants. He also 
chaired the annual awards luncheon for 40 years.
  Mr. Speaker, I take great pride in saluting the 1997 Public Servants 
Merit Award recipients. Each of the individuals is more than deserving 
of this level of recognition. At this time, I want to share with my 
colleagues and the Nation some information regarding the honorees.

       Delores A. Bell, as an employee of the Cleveland Municipal 
     Clerk of Courts since 1972, Delores holds the title of deputy 
     clerk. She is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure 
     office, sorting capias from the previous day, initial 
     processing of tickets from the division of building and 
     housing as well as the Department of Health and the City 
     Income Tax Dept.
       During the late 1960's through the early 1970's, Delores 
     worked inside the voting booth on each election day.
       Married to John for nearly 35 years, she is the mother of 
     three grown children, Monte, Sonnita and Tyronn. She states 
     that her most outstanding accomplishment has been to raise 
     her three children and be the very best mother possible. She 
     is also proud of the fact that one child has earned two 
     college degrees and the other two will soon earn their 
     degrees as well. Delores states, ``If I could live my life 
     over, there are a few things I would do differently, but I 
     would not change my walk with the eternal deity. It is best 
     to give your children all of the time you can when they are 
     young''.
       Her activities include walking miles around the track in 
     the spring, summer and fall. For relaxation she enjoys 
     traveling, going to the movies and meditating.
       Charles T. Birmelin, a 1961 graduate of the Stenotype 
     Institute of Washington, DC, Charles T. Birmelin began his 
     career in the field of court reporting with Mehler and 
     Hagestrom as a free-lance reporter for 5 years. In 1970 he 
     came to work for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas 
     taking the position of assistant official court reporter. By 
     1979, Charles has assumed the very demanding position of 
     chief official court reporter. His responsibilities include 
     overseeing the staff of 42 court reporters, plus two 
     administrative staff. He services 33 judges of the court of 
     common pleas; provides answers to persons who may have 
     questions relating to the court reporters; as well as provide 
     answers for the general overall supervision of the entire 
     court reporting department and staff.
       A native of Mansfield, OH, Charles also enlisted in the 
     U.S. Army in 1962 and was decorated with the ``Good Conduct 
     Award'' and the ``Distinguished Service Award'' before being 
     discharged in 1965. Charles lists his outstanding 
     accomplishments as being elected president of the Ohio Court 
     Reporters in both 1978 and 1979 and receiving an award of 
     being a fellow of the national court reporters Assoc. He was 
     also an Eagle Scout and a troop leader in the Boy Scouts of 
     America, Mansfield, OH.
       For relaxation Charles enjoys fishing, boating and camping. 
     He says he also likes to go to auctions to find that ``good 
     buy'' of an antique.
       Michael E. Flanagan, St. Edward's and Cleveland State 
     undergraduate, Michael Edward Flanagan comes to his position 
     as chief deputy bailiff of Cleveland Municipal Court based on 
     a long family commitment to public service. His father was 
     Chief Bailiff from 1948 to 1984 and his grandfather served in 
     the Cleveland police department from 1921 to 1951. Michael's 
     current responsibilities in the administrative services 
     department include being a project leader to review current 
     court programs to improve and modernize them. Since 1988, he 
     has also been responsible for the design and implementation 
     of the court's computerization [CIJIS]. He also has 
     participated in ``Bailiff Basic Training'' through the Ohio 
     Peace Officer Training Council as well.
       Michael is equally committed to his family and his 
     community. The father of Colleen, Kevin, Kathleen, and Megan, 
     and husband for 18 years to Maureen, Michael devotes his time 
     to St. Christopher Catholic Church, Ohio Association of Court 
     Administrators, Normandy Nursing Home, Rocky River Municipal 
     Court Security Advisory Committee, and still finds them to 
     coach girls softball among other activities.
       In his ``free'' time he enjoys traveling, hiking, canoeing, 
     and family camping. He loves spending time working on his 
     home computer which translates into better service to the 
     Court.
       Deborah Jean Fleischer, Deborah Jean Fleischer has spent 
     the last 27 years of her life working for the Cuyahoga County 
     Probate Court. At the age of 19, she assumed her first 
     position with probate court in the docket department. Ten 
     years later she transferred to the order department where she 
     would eventually become supervisor in 1987. Prior to this 
     position, Debarah worked part-time in a gift shop at 
     Cleveland Hopkins International Airport while still attending 
     high school.
       Her duties at the court include: Certifying court 
     documents; preparing court records for filing in the Court of 
     Appeals; doing genealogical research; and assisting the 
     general public when necessary.
       Deborah has always been involved with her community. She 
     was a volunteer for the project learn organization which 
     helped teach illiterate adults to read. She volunteers 
     through her church to help deliver food to local shelters, 
     and she is also a very strong animal rights advocate, being 
     involved in the Berea Animal Rescue Center.
       In her spare time, she loves traveling and has visited many 
     European locales including Italy, Austria, Zurich, and 
     Switzerland. Traveling isn't the only thing she loves to do; 
     she has a love of animals for which her neighbors can attest. 
     She can often be seen

[[Page E207]]

     picking up stray animals and taking them home for care.
       John P. Garmone, as clerk of court for the Lyndhurst 
     Municipal Court, John Garmone is responsible for the 
     preparation and maintenance of the docket, general index and 
     other court records. He is also responsible for collecting 
     all monies payable to the clerk's office including fines, 
     court costs and fees, bail, garnishments, bank attachments 
     and trusteeships. In addition to signing and issuing arrest 
     warrants, John also supervises a staff of seven full-time 
     deputy clerks and two part-time deputy clerks.
       After graduating in 1974 from Cleveland State with a 
     bachelor of science degree, John immediately took a position 
     with the municipal court in Cleveland as chief deputy clerk. 
     John also was a bail investigator with the Cuyahoga County 
     Bail Commissions interviewing and recruiting county prisoners 
     for probationary diversion programs.
       John lists his being a past president of Northeastern Ohio 
     Municipal Court Clerks Association in 1993 as one of his 
     outstanding accomplishments.
       Married to Kathleen for nearly 3 years, he enjoys music and 
     the theater and trying ``to keep his wife in the style of 
     living to which she has become accustomed.'' John also states 
     that, ``Trying to treat everyone as I would appreciate 
     whether they are the public, coworkers, whomever and keep a 
     sense of humor while doing it''. John describes a typical day 
     as, ``Everyday is a Joke! And I would not have it any other 
     way''.
       Rosanne M. O'Brien, born in Washington Island, WI, Rosanne 
     O'Brien took a position with Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court 
     in her senior year of high school as part of a career class. 
     While holding a number of positions such as general clerk, 
     numbering clerk, docketing clerk, and senior clerk typist 
     since 1972. Her current position, assistant courtroom 
     coordinator, is her most challenging yet. She is responsible 
     for scheduling and reviewing cases prior to court and must 
     speak with probation officers, attorneys, and clients to 
     assure a smooth hearing in the courtroom. With such a 
     diversified background, it is no wonder she has been 
     nominated for employee of the year five times.
       Rosanne is also very committed to her community, being a 
     campaign volunteer for the American Cancer Society, American 
     Heart Association, American Lung Association, Easter Seals 
     and United Way. On the political side, she is also an elected 
     precinct committee member and Chairperson for membership and 
     attendance with the Lakewood Democratic Club.
       Rosanne and her husband, James, have enjoyed over 18 years 
     of marriage. Her two golden retrievers, Sandy and Dusty, keep 
     her busy when she's not bowling or doing needle crafts.
       Fred W. Papay, born in Cleveland, Fred. W. Papay graduated 
     from West Technical High School. He began his work with the 
     Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts at the age of 24 in 1971. 
     Nominated by Gerald E. Fuerst, clerk of courts for Cuyahoga 
     County, Fred W. Papay is chief filing clerk. His 
     responsibilities include overseeing all of the filing for 
     both civil and divorce cases, and all subsequent pleadings in 
     those cases.
       A sergeant with the U.S. Air Force for 3 years, Fred is a 
     Vietnam war veteran. After serving his country, he remained 
     on inactive duty for another 2 years.
       When Fred is not busy at work filing court documents, he 
     enjoys sports. Fred is also an avid collector of any type of 
     sports memorabilia. He says that in addition to his 
     fascination with sports, he loves to collect elephant 
     statues.
       Maryellen Reddy, as a journal clerk/court community service 
     liaison in Cuyahoga County domestic relations court for over 
     20 years, Maryellen Reddy has a wide range of job 
     responsibilities. Her position requires her to review all 
     journal entries prior to any hearings or the judges' 
     signature. She also makes sure that all documents required by 
     the State or local rules are attached to all entries. She 
     monitors all contempt of court cases with the court's orders 
     for compliance with the court community service.
       Maryellen has been active in the political arena as well as 
     being an executive board committee member of the Democratic 
     Precinct, Ward 19.
       An avid Cleveland sports fan, Maryellen is proud of the 
     fact that she has been an eighteen year season ticket holder 
     in the ``Dawg Pound''. She also enjoys Cleveland baseball, 
     having season tickets for the Cleveland Indians. In her 
     leisure time, Maryellen enjoys spending time with her family 
     and cuddling up to a good book.

                          ____________________