FORMER PALOS HEIGHTS CLERK RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

A standing ovation was given to former Palos Heights City Clerk Henrietta Marjan following the presentation to her of a prestigious municipal clerk award at the June 16th Palos Heights City Council meeting.

Mrs. Marjan was presented with the Quill Award by current City Clerk Charles Stanley on behalf of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). IIMC bestows the Quill Award on current and former clerks in recognition for years of service to improving the municipal clerk's profession.

In May, nine Quill Awards were announced at the IIMC's annual conference in Ft. Worth, Texas. Two other recipients were from Illinois: the late former clerk of Des Plaines, and Frank German, the current Tinley Park Village Clerk.

In presenting the award, Stanley highlighted some of Mrs. Marjan's many distinctions.

She was Palos Height's first city clerk, serving from the time of incorporation in 1959 until she stepped down in 1973. For the city's first nine years, city hall was in the breezeway of her home.

She later was a founder and the first president of the Municipal Clerks Association of the South and West Suburbs of Cook County. She also was a founder and the first president of the state clerks association, the Municipal Clerks of Illinois. In addition, she has served as a director and in other capacities with the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

"For some years now, Mrs. Marjan has served as an eminent authority on parliamentary procedure, as well as continuing to contribute her time and experience to municipal clerks organizations at every level," Stanley concluded.

The award itself is a 12-inch gold quill that encases a working ballpoint pen, and a gold "inkpot" stand with the recipient's name engraved.

"I'm overwhelmed with this," said Mrs. Marjan. "It has been 14 years since I have served as clerk, and when Mr. Stanley called and asked could I be here to receive the Quill Award, I tried to get an explanation of what the Quill Award was since this is something that has been instituted since I retired."

"You might like to know," she told the audience, "that the quill is the emblem of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. The first clerks that served this country had to take their minutes using a quill pen."

"This presentation gives everyone pleasure," commented Mayor Eugene G. Simpson, "but me more pleasure than many because I've known the lady 20-some years."

Mayor Simpson also presented Mrs. Marjan with a lapel pin depicting the city's emblem. "We give this out to people we regard highly," the Mayor said. •

Page 24 / Illinois Municipal Review / July 1987