Tom Curtis to Ralph Lloyd: More troops needed on the Front Line

From: Tom Curtis

To: Ralph Lloyd

Sent: December 07, 2005

Subject: 120705 Curtis Resp To Lloyd; Asbury Resp; Curtis To Asbury; No Response To 2 Emails

Hello Ralph,

Everything you voiced a concern about has been taken directly to Damon and the board by others and repeatedly by me. The bottom line is that they really do not care what you and I think or want. The STRS management will do whatever they want and justify it and get approval by the majority of the board by simply saying, that is the way we have always done it and only these few malcontents complain about it. That is with the exception of John Lazares and Dennis Leone, who in most cases, vote against much of this kind of stuff most of the time. They only represent 2 people out of 11.

Ralph; please try to understand this. The only way any of this crap will ever end is if more educators get actively involved and voice their opinions both by email, snail mail and in person at the STRS board meetings. Many retirees write me and voice their opinions like I have some clout at the STRS. I alone, or the combined effort of those people active in CORE, do not constitute enough members to cause concern or alarm within the STRS management or board. The management constantly pays to have surveys completed by the membership. Those surveys indicate that the majority of the STRS membership is very satisfied with how the STRS is being operated, how the health care is being handled, etc., etc.

Those surveys are placed before the board and used to negate what those few of use that have regularly been there and continually push for changes to be made. In their minds, we are nobodies besides a handful of malcontents and certainly not the majority.

Consequently, you can write me all you want. If I have time to respond I will. If all you do is write and complain without doing anything else, I will eventually stop responding to you. I get no pay for my efforts for the past three years I have traveled to Columbus, sometimes two and even three times per month. I was initially there because I did not get what I was promised in health care benefits. I have stayed active because no one will receive health care benefits in the future if we do not get this mess turned around. That takes active involvement. There comes a time when you have to step forward and become proactive and be there to speak up for yourself. Everyone seems to have a reason why they cannot attend board meetings, or why they do not themselves write the board and management staff. The bottom line is that your lack of active involvement does not help our cause and does not show support for the Dennis Leone's and John Lazares', we have helped to get elected.

When we do find another qualified candidate, then someone such as yourself comes along and discounts that person for something in their resume and wants me to explain such. I don’t want to be callous, but get real and get involved. I do not have the time to bring you up to date and justify everything that you ask about, simply because you do not choose to be more proactive. Just why is it that you feel perfectly welcome to write and complain to others and me in CORE, but we fail to see you at any meetings or at the STRS to speak to the board? I show only you and four other members in CORE from Carroll County. Why can we not get a larger number of members in your area? Could you help us out with that effort? CORE needs more support. We cannot keep this up forever, simply because other are willing to let someone else do it. Please, get involved and be part of the solution and find out first hand what is going on. We need bodies, not just voices asking questions that take time to explain.

Take care,

Tom Curtis

From: Ralph Lloyd

Sent: December 07, 2005

I have a problem with Damon Asbury's comment about the board meeting in 2004.

He says that the STAFF reported an actuarial study by their EMPLOYED consultants, reviewing contributions vs. pension and healthcare cost for 5 or fewer years was a wash. That was before the healthcare situation became a glaring fact that was not a wash. I don't trust anyone who screws me to give me a report that was done by someone they employed.

Ralph L Lloyd