[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 135 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO THE LATE ERNEST MORISHITA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 1, 1998

  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express our 
community's grief at the loss of Ernest Morishita who died September 6 
of this year at the age of 57. Ernie was more than an effective and 
dedicated public servant, Ernie instilled a feeling of family to 
Monterey County administration.
  Monterey County was extremely fortunate to hire Ernie Morishita away 
from Fresno County in 1983 to become our County Administrative Officer. 
Ernie managed the 24 departments and over 3,700 employees with a 
combination of skill and good humor. It was under his leadership that 
an economic development program was implemented, bringing stability to 
County coffers in the face of such onslaughts as the economic downturns 
of the early 1990's and the erosion of property tax income due to 
changes in State formulae.
  Ernie had a way of streamlining bureaucratic processes and making 
them user-friendly. Planning and building inspection processes, 
cooperation between county libraries with city libraries and schools, 
health and medical departments and programs all benefitted from Ernie's 
intelligent oversight and fine leadership. Ernie could call upon his 
positive relationship with the agencies and the political structure of 
the county to negotiate agreements across agency boundaries. The City 
of Salinas was able to build playing fields and a golf course on County 
land, for instance. As the Emergency Services Director during five 
major, presidentially declared disasters, Ernie created a full-time 
emergency services office for greater inter-agency cooperation and 
effective emergency response.
  Ernie's droll humor brought warmth and loyalty to county 
administration, and his pranks are legend. He was not beyond 
impersonating the county environmental health officer upon arrival at a 
restaurant to see how it affected service. To better monitor operations 
and maintain accessibility to all levels of operations, Ernie often 
walked through county facilities, conversing with custodians and 
clerks. He was a mentor and advisor who developed affection and 
camaraderie at every level. Supervisor Simon Salinas once said ``He had 
the biggest heart of anyone in the county.''
  Our heartfelt condolences go to his family, his wife Kay, daughter 
Emily, and son Mark, as well as to his father Irving and brother Ken.
  Ernie's legacies are beyond the stability and financial integrity he 
established within county operations. Ernie was a patriarch, and the 
county became a family through his wise guidance.

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