CITY OF SAN DIEGO RETIRED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION Meeting of September 8, 2009 Veterans’ Memorial Building Balboa Park The meeting of September 8, 2009 was called to order at 9:37 a.m. by President Nancy Acevedo.
Board Members Present: President Nancy Acevedo, Sylvia Tatum, Ty Rogers, Bob West, Jean Struiksma, Dave Hall, Ruth Ann Hageman, John Tsiknas & Maggie Smith
Guests: Sterling Jones, Mary Bush, Dick Wilken, Joe Flynn
Absent: Patti Karnes, Burnie Gipson, Alyse Ford, Terry Flynn, & Bob Korch.
Minutes: August minutes were approved with the correction that the RSVP Academy is 40 hours, not 90. TREASURER’S REPORT: Sylvia’s report was approved. Also, the board unanimously approved an expenditure for the HP printer that was recommended to her.
COMMUNICATIONS: Nancy read a letter from MEA President Tony Ruiz agreeing that Helen Phillips would be the representative from our board to MEA. She also read a note from Bill Lingo thanking the association for their remembrance of his wife Lorna Murt Lingo.
ACTION ITEMS:
New Member Contacts will be undertaken by Nancy Acevedo and Ruth Ann Hageman
Audit Committee Report: Maggie asked that the board approve the Audit Report recommendations that are included at the end of the Annual Audit for the year 2008 Financial Records. One of the recommendations, that the Treasurer be separated from the Membership function is a by-law change which the board approved unanimously. Motion made by Hageman/West to approve the audit was unanimously approved.
By-Laws Proposed Revisions: Attached to the agenda was a memo to the General Membership regarding proposed revisions to the Association By-Laws and Rules of Order, as follows: The addition of the Helping Hands Committee as a Committee of the Board; the addition of one more required signature for “withdrawals or transfers from accounts maintained by the Treasurer”; and the naming of the Membership Chair as a member of the Board of Directors of the Association.
INFORMATION - DISCUSSION ITEMS:
Debit Card: John Tsiknas pointed out that the debit card is needed for “Constant Contact,” and it was decided to keep the card but to use it for that purpose only.
Obituary policy: There was a discussion of the blast email that was sent out announcing Lorna Murt’s death. It was decided to refer an obituary policy on notifications of a person having died to the Helping Hands committee. Also, a motion was made to have a 2-line notice in the newsletter only. The Motion was approved by a vote of 5 to 3.
Revitalization Ad Hoc Committee: Maggie emphasized that the results of the questionnaire showed that the Newsletter is very popular among Association members. Therefore she said that it is justified to enhance the printed version of the newsletter by including short articles to be submitted by Bob Korch and Ruth Ann Hageman. Editor Jean Struiksma will have the final decision on what is to be included. The Revitalization Committee would like to have the opportunity to do a four-page newsletter a some point in the future. Joe Flynn said that the 2 page newsletter costs $320 and the 4 page one would be $450. There is no problem including expanded material in the on-line newsletter. This expenditure was approved on a motion made by Bob West and seconded by Maggie Smith.
Proposed Legislation: The Social Security Fairness Act is being sponsored by 300 Members of Congress, including Congressman Duncan Hunter. When Nancy asked him recently if there was any chance the bill would get out of committee and go to the floor for a vote, he said no. There was general assent among our Board Members that we should continue to follow any opportunities for the legislation to be moved forward in the future.
Pay Alternatives to Checks: This item was continued until Lynn Swanson could be present.
Food Bank Donations: Alyse has proposed that we collect food at the Tom Ham’s Holiday Luncheon. Tom Ham’s has agreed that we may have a collection barrel for this purpose at this event. Nancy said that it is important to find out what is acceptable (cans, bottles, wrapped goods?) before announcing the opportunity.
RETIREMENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVE REPORT:
Disability Committee: Dave Hall, the Association’s representative to the Retirement Board, is now the Chair of the Disability Committee for SDCERS. They meet every Tuesday before the Thursday Board Meeting, so the next Disability Meeting will be Sept. 15. People who are interested in this issue are encouraged to attend.
Scoop Feedback: Dave said that the Retirement staff would like to have feedback on the Scoop. One person offered that both the new retirees and the deceased are no longer listed in their newsletter. Dave said that this information is included on-line, but not in the printed version.
Corbett and 13 th check will be discussed by the full SDCERS board at the November meeting, and retirees who are interested in these issues are encouraged to attend.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Nominating Committee: Ruth Ann reported that the Committee had its first meeting today and that we are working toward the November deadline. Joe repeated the idea that anyone who wants to participate in the process may come to the meetings.
Award Recognition Committee: no action taken.
Helping Hands Committee: Ruth Ann Hageman, Ty Rogers, Mary Bush, and Sylvia Tatum were present as members of the committee (other committee members are Janet Burgess, Dora Garcia, Larry Gardner, Terry Flynn, Doug McHenry, Carmen Lutes, Mary Lynn Hyde and Paulette Mormino). Copies were distributed of the current resource materials that will be used by members of the committee in providing information to family members of retirees.
Helping Hands Committee Member Mary Bush reported on her effort to put a beneficiary reminder outside the pension envelope so that retirees would see it every month. She spoke to several in the retirement Office (Bonnie, Rosa, Danielle and Fanela). The first response she got from Robin was that “It is already in the SCOOP and that it could be put on the inside of the envelope.” Mary reiterated our recommendation that the message be put on the outside. She is going to talk with another person in charge after September 8 th. Nancy volunteered to bring the issue up at the next meeting of the Retiree Issues Task Force. Ruth Ann said that a friend of a member of the Helping Hands Committee was in the pre-retirement meeting when he learned that his beneficiary for his Social Security benefits was still naming his ex-wife from whom he had been divorced for more than 20 years!
Newsletter Editor: Jean said that she will need an assistant for editing and spell-checking any time pages 3 & 4 are added to the printed newsletter. Jean will pursue this.
Membership Committee/Brochure: Joe Flynn said that there may be additional printings required of our membership brochure that is given out to people when they sign up for retirement.
Other Committee Reports: There was either no news or an absent chair for the Award Recognition Committee, the Advocacy Committee, the Program Committee, the Active Employee Association Representative and the Web Site.
The Board Meeting was adjourned at 10:45 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ruth Ann Hageman, Secretary |