[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1979-E1980]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             A TRIBUTE TO MARGARET ROBERTS AND CHAR CALLIES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 1998

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your 
attention today a recent editorial from one of the finest weekly papers 
I know, the Desert Trail newspaper in Twentynine Palms, California. 
This editorial pays tribute to two remarkable woman who have made, and 
continue to make a tremendous differnce to the people of Twentynine 
Palms.

              [The Desert Trail, Thursday, Sept. 10, 1998]

                      Congrats to Our City Clerks

       There are upsides and downsides to every situation, and the 
     announcement this week that Deputy City Clerk Char Callies 
     will succeed retiring City Clerk Margaret Roberts is no 
     exception.
       We all knew the day would come when Margaret would hang up 
     her city of Twentynine Palms seal and head into 
     ``retirement'' with her husband, Marine Sgt. Maj. Alex 
     Roberts.
       That day will officially come on Dec. 18, when Margaret 
     closes the door on an 11-year career with the city, City 
     Manager Jim Hart announced Wednesday.
       ``Margaret was the city's first full-time employee and she 
     was instrumental in helping guide the new city after 
     incoporation. We all owe Margaret a sense of gratitude for 
     her efforts on behalf of the city,'' Hart said in announcing 
     that her resignation had been accepted reluctantly by the 
     City Council for the end of the year.
       There's probably not anyone in this city who doesn't owe 
     Margaret some debt of gratitude. For more than a decade she 
     has represented the city of Twentynine Palms in a most 
     gracious and straightforward fashion. It seems there's 
     nothing she can't do, nothing and no one she cannot handle 
     with aplomb.
       She has guided council candidates, provided information and 
     assistance of all kinds to just about everyone and their 
     brother and been there to lend an ear when needed.
       Margaret has never failed to provide The Desert Trail with 
     information we've requested and never hesitated to pick up 
     the phone and let us know when a story needed to be told.
       We will all miss Margaret, even as we wish her well, when 
     she and Alex head East to pursue the next part of their lives 
     together.
       That said, we don't think the City Council could have made 
     a better choice to replace Margaret than Char Callies.
       A longtime resident of Twentynine Palms, Char is 
     personable, caring, efficient, strong, hard-working and no-
     nonsense, just like her predecessor.
       ``Char has been working hard over the past three years to 
     gain the knowledge and experience the City Council felt was 
     needed to become city clerk,'' Hart said in announcing her 
     promotion. ``She has done an outstanding job as the city 
     manager's secretary and deputy city clerk and this promotion 
     is a recognition of Char's efforts.''
       We wholeheartedly congratulate Char on her promotion and 
     look forward to working with her come mid-December. It's nice 
     to know that she'll be on the job when Margaret says goodbye.

  Mr. Speaker, please join me and our colleagues in recognizing the 
incredible contributions and achievements of these fine women.

[[Page E1980]]

I know that the entire City of Twentynine Palms is proud of their fine 
work. It is only fitting that the House of Representatives pay tribute 
to them today.

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