Sondra Stratton to Judge Glaeden: Time to pay the piper!

April 23, 2006

The Honorable Carrie E. Glaeden

Franklin County Municipal Court

General Division, Courtroom 13 A

375 South High Street

Columbus, OH 43215

Honorable Glaeden,

I have, as have many other retirees, watched the trial of Hazel Sidaway, former STRS board member, with much interest!!

As the person who filed the formal complaint with the Ohio Ethics Commission, using reports made by Dr. Dennis Leone, as well as materials gathered from STRS by various retirees, and newspaper reports, I am extremely pleased that Ms. Sidaway has been found guilty on at least 2 counts. Please do not give this woman a slap on the hand as was done by Herbert Dyer! She deserves the maximum allowable sentence!!! She should be fined and also serve a prison sentences. As one who has enjoyed the very best of hotels at retirees expense, the prison environment is one that she must experience.

While I, personally, would prefer prison, I would pleased for Ms. Sidaway to repay her debt to retirees and society by working it off ( free of course) at STRS. I am sure STRS can always use someone to clean the restrooms, polish the vast amount of chrome, weeping or cleaning floors, do dishes in the cafeteria, or change dirty diapers at the preschool, we also pay for, etc.

You see, Ms. Sidaway has shown a great deal of arrogance while showing no repentance and apparently still feels she has done nothing wrong. During my first visit to an STRS board meeting, one retiree asked if it was true that one of the board members ran up a $350 beach bar bill that was paid by retirees.

The very next speaker responded that it was true while pointing to Ms. Sidaway as the offender. Most people would have been so embarrassed and felt like crawling under the desk. Not Ms. Sidaway. She showed no embarrassment or remorse but rather seemed to act as though she was “entitled”. In fact, I believe Ms. Sidaway had attended a retirement party given in her honor the night before at a cost of over $4,000 of retirees money!!!

Retirees are struggling to pay for health care insurance and health care costs such as medication. We are having to make decisions as to whether we eat or buy needed medication. One lady had to give up purchasing needed orthopedic shoes when we lost the 13^th check. Being one of the younger retirees, I know how hard it is for me and can not imagine HOW the older retirees who made less, thus received less retirement, can even begin to manage.

Again, this retiree, as a CORE organizer and member, is requesting the max in sentencing for Hazel Sidaway. She has earned this punishment and deserves nothing less! It is time for those who used and abused our retirement system and money to pay the piper!!

Thank you for listening and taking retirees thoughts and concerns into consideration!

Respectfully,

Sondra Stratton, STRS Member

CORE member

Former Treasurer and President of

Brown County Retired Teachers Association