[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24403]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MELVIN McCREE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DALE E. KILDEE

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2008

  Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Melvin Phillip 
McCree. Melvin passed away on November 12th following a long illness 
and a tribute will be held tomorrow in remembrance of his life and 
work.
  After graduating from Flint Northern High School, where he was the 
Student Council President, Melvin went on to graduate from Mott 
Community College. He continued his studies at Western Michigan 
University and the University of Michigan-Flint. In 1981 he was elected 
to the Flint City Council for the Fifth Ward. During his service on the 
Council, he was elected to a record-setting 5 consecutive terms as 
Council President.
  Appointed to the position of Register of Deeds in 1990, Melvin was 
re-elected for 4 more terms. During the 18 years he served as Register 
of Deeds, Melvin sought to bring the office into the 21st century. He 
was diligent in implementing new technologies to provide better service 
to the public. Melvin developed an office website, a system to scan and 
store all documents digitally, and the ability to provide documents to 
the public in a variety of media. Through his foresight, the Genesee 
County Register of Deeds office is a model for other county offices to 
image and store records.
  Melvin McCree was an enthusiastic, conscientious public servant, an 
insightful innovator, and a thoughtful humanitarian. I knew Melvin 
since he was a child and I watched him grow and develop into a good 
man, and a kind friend. I valued his counsel, his sense of humor, and 
his community spirit.
  Madam Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me and 
honor Melvin Phillip McCree. The people of Genesee County have lost a 
dedicated public official and I mourn his passing.

                          ____________________