CITY OF SAN DIEGO
RETIRED EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S MEETING
MARCH 9, 2004
BOARD MEMBERS: Nancy Acevedo, Bob Cain, Joe Flynn, Sylvia
Tatum,
Don Robbins, Charles
Buchanan, Alice Anglia, John Casey, Dave Wood,
Adam Saling, John Tsiknas,
Judy Folsom, Sharon Beach.
ABSENT: Dave Crow
GUESTS: John Mattis, Rosie
Wiseman, Bob Headland, Ruth Ann Hageman
President Acevedo called the
meeting to order at 10:20AM.
The minutes of the Board of Director’s meeting of February 10, 2004 were approved as submitted.
The minutes of the Board of
Director’s retreat of February 13, 2004 were approved with corrections.
Sylvia Tatum reported a total balance in the Operating Fund and Reserve Funds as of February 1, 2004 of $12,127.32 and a balance in the Operating fund of $1,948.00. Income for February was $1,443.83 and expenses were $1,397.95. Operating Fund balance as of February 29, 2004 was $1,993.88. Interest income on the Reserve Accounts was $8.85. Reserve funds balance on February 29, 2004 was $10,188.17 for a grand total of all accounts of $12,182.05.
Sylvia reported that 820
members are signed up for dues payroll deduction. She also said that 13 members had been
removed from the membership roster as being deceased or for other reasons.
Program Chairman Adam Saling
reported that Ron Roberts could not make the April meeting date for a joint
meeting with Mayor Murphy and that he would attempt to schedule the mayoral
candidates later in the year. He would
try to fill the April meeting speaker slot with an attorney expert in Elderlaw
and Medicare.
In the absence of Dave Crow,
Nancy Acevedo reported that Dave redrafted his letter to Mike McGhee to stress
that retiree’s top three priorities (13th check, Corbett settlement
check and health care benefits) were of equal weight and in no given order.
John Casey had no news to
report. Next meeting of the committee
will be in April.
NEWSLETTER
Joe Flynn suggested that the
matter of expanding the newsletter to four pages be tabled until the
Association’s proposed Website is further developed. The Board agreed.
Charles Buchanan said there were no pre-retirement meeting scheduled.
Alice Anglim reported that
the current MEA Memorandum of Understanding would be effect until 2005. She said that any involuntary unpaid furlough program would have to be
approved by a majority of the MEA membership.
John Tsiknas has been working with his son Gregory on a Website for the Association. Gregory will develop the site using his professional software and within our $500 budget. The first step is to develop a “storyboard” of items to be included. Some items suggested:
Mission Statement
By-laws
Organization structure
Survivor Benefit Booklet information
Links to Mayor and Council and Retirement
Office Websites
Urgent bulletins re meetings, trial dates,
etc.
Join the association on line with payroll
deduction form
Position papers
The address sdrea.org has
been taken by the South Dakota Rural Electrification Agency. We will pick another address.
Judy Folsom said the commission was still seeking information regarding the question of whether health care benefits for retirees are a vested right. The commission was told by its legal counsel that he could not comment on the question due to “pending litigation.” He said the Commission may have to retain “outside counsel” to discuss this. SDREA has been trying for over a year to get an answer to the health care vesting question.
The Commission is looking at
ways to reduce system costs, i.e. periodic reauthorization of disability
retirement, and to increase revenues, i.e. selling surplus property. The Commission is scheduled to make its
report to the City Council in April.
Nancy reminded the Board that the 2004 budget has been approved and that any proposed increases in expenditures must be brought to the Board for approval.
LAWSUIT
Nancy reported the next scheduled court date is a March 19 hearing with a trial date of May 21. These dates could be changed due to ongoing conferences.
RETIREMENT FUND BALANCE
Nancy reported that the Retirement Fund balance as of March 8 was
$3.262 Billion, up $51Million from last month.
OTHER BUSINESS
CORBETT SETTLEMENT PAYMENTS
Nancy stated that the Retirement Board legal counsel was still studying the question of Corbett Settlement payments to heirs of deceased retirees.
LIABILITY INSURANCE
John Tsiknas reported that he talked to Jack Katz about the Board’s need for liability insurance and that it was Jack’s opinion that it was unnecessary.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:30AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert E. Cain
Secretary