Mike Hanke: No reason to travel; The STRS office is loaded with highly paid people who could have told them the STRS investments were tanking

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Canton Repository

April 17, 2006

STRS JUNKETS

Last week, at the trial of a former State Teachers Retirement System board member, a former STRS employee who helped plan out-of-town trips for the board described her research of “fancy restaurants that were exotic and unique” and jazz and blues clubs and who was playing; all of this done to pamper the board members on their “research trips.”

The person on trial was Hazel Sidaway of Plain Township, who had pleaded not guilty to charges of accepting and not disclosing gifts, a violation of state ethics laws, over a three-year span during her time on the board.

Regardless of the charges and the trial, the real problem was that the board took trips and partied at expensive restaurants, theaters and clubs. There wasn’t any reason for them to travel at all. The STRS office is loaded with highly paid people who could have told them the STRS investments were tanking. At least STRS would have saved the all-too-pricey travel expenses.

Hanke is general manager of The Repository. He can be reached by telephone at 330-580-8301, by e-mail – mike.hanke@cantonrep.com, or by writing 500 Market Ave. S, Canton, 44702