Friday, July 14, 2006

Jim N. Reed to Gov. Taft: Tom Hall has 'the right stuff' for the job

July 13, 2006
Governor Taft, recently, a resignation in a STRS Board chair has opened the door to hope for many retirees who have suffered due to an out-of touch mentality on that board.
An attitude of entitlement has placed tens of thousands of retired professional educators and their families jeopardy. ORC 3307.15 has been abused by Board members and Executive Directors who have little understanding of their constituents' plights brought on by a horrendous accounting of STRS assets over the last decade.
The roll call of the obscene financial decision-making is surreal. Some of the misspending is pure negligence toward the stakeholders. Some is boardroom greed and arrogance. Accountability to the retirees has been shuffled to the back burner while corporate greed and corruption has moved front and center.
One of the culprits is a lack of qualification for this critically important position. Far too many board members have come to their chairs without the necessary credentials. The position has become one of social status and that has turned into a loss of purpose as written into law.
Dr. Tom Hall of Miami University is genuinely qualified for the position to be filled. One only has to review his credentials. Dr. Hall was by far the most prepared candidate in the recent STRS Board election for an active teacher seat. Unfortunately, for actives and retirees Dr. Hall's 13,000 votes came up short.
This is an opportunity for you to put your signature on the current Board that is struggling through a Renaissance but corrections are being made. Dr. Hall would mean that more help is on the way.
Please consider Dr. Tom Hall's appointment to the STRS Board.
Jim N. Reed
41-year professional Ohio educator
Larry KehresMount Union Collge
Division III
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