CITY
OF SAN DIEGO
RETIRED EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION
JULY 13, 2004
ATTENDANCE
Board Members: Adam Saling,
Bob Cain, Joe Flynn,
Sylvia Tatum, Don Robbins,
John Tsiknas, Sharon Beach, Alice Anglim
Retirement Issues Task
Force: Bob West
Guests: Terry Flynn,
Bob Headland, Patricia Karnes
Vice President Adam Saling
called the meeting to order at 9:30 AM
MINUTES
The minutes of the Board
meeting of June 8, 2004 were approved as corrected.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Sylvia Tatum reported a
balance in the Operating Fund on June 1, 2004 of $2,267.73. Income for June totaled $1,526.90 and
expenses were $1,128.77.
Operating Fund balance on
June 30, 2004 was $2,665.86. Reserve
accounts totaled $10,225.46 for a grand total of $12,891.32.
Adam Saling reported that the speaker for the August meeting would be mayoral candidate Ron Roberts. (Mayor Murphy declined our invitation) September speaker will be Mike Conger, who will give a wrap-up of the results of the various lawsuits brought against the Retirement Board and City Council. Adam was asked if written questions would be submitted to Supervisor Roberts in advance of the meeting. Adam said he would take written questions and would discuss the meeting format with President Acevedo.
HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD
Bob West reported that a widow of a POA retiree complained that she was told that there would be “no changes” in next year’s health insurance packages and she found that her Kaiser insurance costs had gone up to such an extent that she had to cancel her coverage. Valerie VanDeweghe apologized for the misunderstanding and stated that the “Plan Designs” (benefits) had not changed
but the costs and co-pays had increased in some plans.
Joe Flynn stated that for two year’s running he felt that the Kaiser representative to the General Member’s Health Insurance Forum was ill-prepared to answer questions from the membership. This feeling was echoed by other Board members. Adam asked Joe to draft a letter from the Board to Kaiser for review at the next Board meeting.
COMMITTEES
NEWSLETTER
Joe Flynn reported that 30-35 newsletters came back undeliverable from the latest “Return Receipt Requested” mailing. Joe said he was working with John Tsiknas on loading the newsletter onto the website faster.
HOLIDAY PARTY
Alice Anglim reported that the Holiday party would take place at Tom Ham’s on December 8, 2004. The cost (without dessert) is $17.52 and Alice recommended we charge $18.00. There was discussion about a small subsidy being financed by the association in order to keep the cost at $17.00, the same as last year. The matter of the cost to be charged was tabled until next month’s meeting.
WEBSITE DEVEL0OPMENT
John Tsiknas reported that between April 15th and July 12th there were 3,902 “hits” on the association’s website.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Joe Flynn and Don Robbins volunteered to be on the nominating committee along with a general member to be chosen at today’s meeting.
MAYOR’S PENSION REVIEW COMMITTEE
Adam Saling reported that the PRC had recommended a seven-person “professional” Retirement Board and that the mayor is pushing for a board with the same uneven ratio of three active members and one retiree. Adam recommended that the Board lobby for the seven member “professional” Board with two standing advisory committees, one made up of active employees and the other of retirees. After discussion, the Board voted unanimously to authorize Adam to make that recommendation on behalf of the Retired Employees Association to the Rules Committee on July 14, 2004.
STATUS OF RETIREMENT FUND
Adam reported that the balance of the Retirement Fund as of July 12th was $3.337 Billion, an increase over last month of $140 Million, due, in most part, to City contributions to the fund.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert E. Cain
Treasurer