[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 34 (Thursday, February 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E478-E479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO BERNARD C. BARRMAN, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 2009

  Mr. McCARTHY of Cailfornia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
longtime community leader and friend, Bernard ``Bernie'' Barmann Sr., 
from Bakersfield, California, on his retirement after more than 30 
years of service to Kern County. Bernie has served in the Kern County 
Counsel's Office since 1974, first as the Deputy County Counsel and 
then as County Counsel since 1985.
  Bernie graduated from Immaculate Conception College in 1955 and later 
earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1966. As a 
Fulbright Scholar and Kent Fellow, Bernie studied in France in 1963 to 
1965. A dedicated scholar, Bernie taught at the Ohio State University 
and the University of Toronto from 1966 to 1971. In 1974, he earned a 
J.D. from the University of San Diego. Locally, he was an adjunct 
professor at California State University, Bakersfield's School of 
Business and Public Administration from 1986 to 2000.
  A skilled lawyer, Bernie was admitted to the California State Bar in 
1974 and for 33 years has practiced law in California at both the state 
and federal level. He has also been admitted to argue in front of 
several federal courts as well as the United States Supreme Court. 
Bernie has also been active in the California State Bar and the Kern 
County Bar--he was an editor for the Law Practice Management Newsletter 
for the State Bar from 1991 to 1993 and served as President of the Kern 
County Bar Association in 2001. He served from 1997 to 2000 on the 
State Bar Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission and was President of 
the California County Counsels Association in 1993-1994. Bernie was 
awarded the Kern County Bench & Bar Award in 2006 for his outstanding 
contributions to the legal profession and justice system, and was 
recognized in Who's Who in American Law each year from 1992 to 2004. He 
lectures frequently on local government issues, especially on the 
topics of the California Open Meeting law and the Public Records Act.
  An active member in the Kern County community, Bernie has been a 
Rotarian for 23 years and has served in leadership positions with 
various community organizations, including the Kern County Academic 
Decathalon, the Boy Scouts of American Southern Sierra

[[Page E479]]

Council, the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra Board, and the Community 
Concerts Association, to name a few. Bernie's victories for Kern County 
made funding available for new administration buildings including many 
fire stations and the Juvenile Justice Center.
  As Bernie retires from the position of Kern County Counsel, his 
selfless contributions to Kern County will not be forgotten. However, I 
know he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Bee, 
their two children, Bernie Jr., an attorney in Los Angeles, and Brigit, 
a psychologist in Asheville, North Carolina, and his three 
grandchildren. I wish him well in retirement.

                          ____________________