Together at last: Dennis Leone and Gary Allen converse, three years later

From: Dennis Leone

Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 8:48 PM

Subject: Meeting With OEA's Gary Allen

To Those Who Are Interested:

On March 15, I met with Gary Allen at OEA. Also attending were STRS Board member John Lazares, OEA Executive Director Dennis Reardon, OEA Vice President Patricia Frost-Brooks, and OEA Secretary-Treasurer Bill Leibensperger.

I feel the meeting went very well and it was good to have an open discussion on topics of mutual concern. It was agreed that all in the room would keep the door open for future communications. I felt we agreed to do what we can to help keep false information and rumors in check. I also felt we agreed to communicate with our respective constituents that it serves no constructive purpose for false or misleading information to be advanced or circulated. I believe there was basic agreement that while we cannot be held personally responsible for all that people say on their own, we all have a professional role to urge our constituents not to disseminate rumors or positions they "believe" others have. Such is unfair to all and will only cause unnecessary hard feelings and division.

While there was some discussion of matters from 2003, it did not dominate the conversation, and I feel what was said -- both ways -- was constructive and honest. I was impressed with Dennis Reardon's candor. He and I had not met before today and I think we both wish we could have had discussions in 2003. I believe all heard perspectives about prior issues that they, perhaps, had not heard before. No one in the room, certainly, desires to see a return to the issues that triggered the prior concerns with STRS.

Whereas I cannot speak for all that attended, I felt that we pledged to keep open the lines of communication in the future and work together in the spirit of what I have attempted to summarize above.

Dennis Leone