Dennis Leone: A request for a meeting with OEA President and Executive Committee

From: Molly Janczyk
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Subject: Gary Allen: OEA EXEC COMM:Leone requests a meeting with OEA Pres. and Exec Comm.

Gary, OEA Reps: Please inform us as to progress regarding Dennis Leone's request to meet with the OEA Pres. and Exec. Comm. which Conni Ramser and Robert Davis said they presented to you. Dennis is hoping to sit down and clear the air to productively and collaboratively work together on common goals. Leone and Lazares have met with other organizations and commonly travel throughout the state hearing concerns. Such a meeting will only benefit all.

Truth must be the only tool without innuendo and statements made for political purposes which are proven untrue. Never did Leone state anything about eliminating SB190. Buser simply wanted a study which has made us understand it better. Damon Asbury is bewildered as to how the NEW board was accused of this stating STRS said all options had to be examined for costs. Please seriously consider this for your membership and the need for all members of all organizations to see leaders talking, planning and focused on only one goal: benefits for all membership.

Molly Janczyk
OEA-R Lifetime
STRS Retiree
ORTA Lifetime

Upon inquiry to Dennis Leone regarding his presentation of the below info to the STRS Board at the Feb. Retreat, I rec'd this response. Dennis presented this info as Ramser, former OEA Exec. Comm. Member, indicated she had no or little awareness of untrue OEA statements or Leone's report. I sent her that report. I asked Dennis if any progress was reported. Leone presented as following:

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From: Dennis Leone
To: Molly Janczyk
Subject: Re: OEA
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006

After I said to Davis during the first day of the Retreat regarding my request to meet with OEA Exec. Comm., OEA's Robert Davis said to me (in front of Ramser) that he would share my request with his superiors, which I take to mean Allen. Ramser, on the third and final day of the Retreat, said to me that she had already shared my request with OEA (don't know whom) -- which I took to mean the day before -- but she said to me that she did not know what the response would be. I told her I would like HER to personally help cause such a meeting to occur. I could tell she was uncomfortable with me saying that to her. The last thing I said to her and Billirakis on the third day of the Retreat was my belief that such a meeting will never occur...........I still believe that. Billirakis said to me at the Retreat that he has "tried and tried" in the past to make such a meeting occur, but has not succeeded (his words ). OEA has nothing to lose and everything to gain with such a meeting (like the meeting John Lazares and I had with OFT), but OEA just doesn't seem to see it that way.

Dennis Leone

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(Molly): This was from the first email I sent Dennis asking about the documents which I paraphrased following his response:

(Dennis): The document authored by Bill Leibensperger is the second document that I passed out to all of the STRS Board members during the Retreat to illustrate how OEA was communicating false information about STRS. The first one was the January OEA Exec Committee Report authored by NEOEA rep Len Codispoti which stated since the STRS Board no longer has an OEA majority, health insurance was on the STRS chopping block. This statement, as well as Bill L's statement, were lies. The statements clearly were designed to generate new active teacher interest in STRS matters. There isn't a better way to promote Conni Ramser's election......then to say the Board is doing something that it isn't. Smart move, politically, on OEA's part.

So you know, Molly, when I handed these 2 documents to all STRS Board members at the Retreat, I personally informed Ramser and Robert Davis (OEA employee who observes all STRS meetings, including the Retreat) -- together, at the same time -- that I wanted to have a meeting with the OEA Executive Committee. I told both that I also have received communications from active teachers who have said OEA is STILL claiming during local association meetings that my 2003 findings about STRS spending abuses 2003 were "exaggerations." I told both Ramser and Davis that I can produce written proof of this.

In other words -- during the Retreat -- I formally requested a meeting with Allen and the OEA Exec Committee to lay this stuff on the table and clear the air. I told Ramser and Billirakis the next day at the Retreat that I believe the meeting will never occur. I wrote a letter to Allen two months ago and asked him to attend an STRS meeting, He will not respond and apparently will not sit down with me though he has been asked numerous times by many.

Dennis Leone
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From: Molly Janczyk
Subject: OEA Article Ohio Schools: 10/05

Subject: STRS and HCA launch member education engagement campaign.

Paraphrased: 'Time for members across the state to come forward and help NEW Board understand concerns regarding affordable HC, stream of revenue for HC and continuation of 35 yr benefit.'

Bill L. adds he and Frost Brooks will help with logistics of participation and testimony.

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Central Ohio OEA/NEW Communique:

"Advocating for YOU at STRS: BY BILL LEIBENSPERGER

2 page article by Bill L.; Nov. 2005: SOME quotes:

'Face of the board has changed. No longer an active majority of contributing members and concern that the 3 new "investment experts" created by SB133 might have a more narrow interest than elected board members led to some effective political action in Sept.'

'Having been made aware that the STRS Board would be entertaining a motion that will shape the future of retiree HC Benefits for our members,
18 active and retired OEA members composed testimony that stressed the imp. of the compact bet/ STRS and public school educators for HC and retirement benefits.'............... 'They made a huge impact.'............

'Concern that a NEW STRS board might consider such destructive ideas as repealing SB190 and moving away from a subsidized defined HC benefit for current and retired retirees were allayed for the time being.