Chuck Chapman's speech to STRS Board June 15, 2006

June 15, 2006

I am Chuck Chapman: Life member of OEA, and ORTA with thirty two years of teaching service. I am Legislative chair for Medina County RTA.

I am pleased to see the positive changes in the composition of the Board. We can now move forward knowing that the Board will be making decisions to improve and protect the system.

It is very frustrating to observe the Board taking a lot of time to make improvements to protect our finances. Changes in our health care coverage can happen very quickly.

Nancy Boomhower illustrated very clearly the problem with the child care center. We have been promised for years that it would become cost neutral. Not much has happened. I am not against a child care facility but I am hurt that my health care money is being used to maintain the facility. Please either reorganize it to make a profit or close it.

May I urge you new members to the Board to remember ORC 3307.15. The Board and other fiduciaries SHALL discharge their duties solely in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries.

I do not see how you can support rehirees utilizing STRS Health Insurance. Should it take four years to solve the problem? It doesn’t take four years to change my health care costs. I do not see how you can vote on contracts or settlement agreements without having a chance to study them and have them before you.

I applaud you for making some cuts in staff fringes; Eliminating the adoption policy effective December of this year. Reducing sick leave and unused sick leave pay out days: reducing health insurance availability for part time employees: reduce maximum amount staff members can receive per year for college courses.

I am not happy with the Board’s reaction to service awards. Thank you for reducing the amount reimbursed per year but it still sounds like a bonus or a 13th check.

I want to make it perfectly clear that I am and have always been proud of our staff but it is time that we share in the cuts that must be made.