Duane Tron: Congratulations and some insights for newest Board member, Dr. Tom Johnson

From Duane Tron, September 17, 2006

Subject: Congratulations!

Dear Dr. Johnson,

Congratulations on your recent appointment to the STRS Board. My name is Duane Tron and I am Immediate Past President of the Champaign County Retired Teachers Association. I presently serve as Legislative Liaison. It is our sincere hope that you will vigorously pursue the intent and purpose of ORC 3307.15 while representing us.

We sincerely hope you will find common ground with Dr. Leone and Mr. Lazares in demanding fiscal accountability as to how OUR funds are managed and appropriated. The membership believe that Dr. Asbury should NOT have the authority to enter into contracts, and agreements, without prior approval from the STRS Board. No self-respecting governing board allows a director the latitude to make deals, and enter into contracts, without first reviewing them as a matter of prudent business.

I am a retired school principal who has been rehired to operate an after-school program for at-risk first and second grade children from the inner city. Even in my capacity I have to seek prior approval to encumber funds from the operating budget for our program. There seems to be a mentality among several STRS Board members that they don't need, or want, to know the internal business at STRS. They have made statements that they view such oversight as "micromanagement." This is plain wrong and represents a very dangerous mindset with people entrusted to oversee and protect the funds of others!

This same kind of mindset is what culminated in the indictments and convictions of previous board members on ethics violations. We believe that prudent and responsible supervision of ALL monies in the STRS system is a necessity, and requirement, for sound fiscal management.

The retired membership worked very hard to get Dr. Leone and Mr. Lazares elected to the board to try and stop this type of irresponsible management, involving hundreds of millions, in money belonging to Ohio's retired educators. We trust you are a prudent and reasonable man. In speaking with others we have heard that you are a very honest man and to that end we are thankful. All we ask is that you help restore some of the reasonableness, and prudence, to the STRS Board.

We also want to point out that Dr. Leone and Mr. Lazares are NOT unreasonable men as some on the board try and portray them. They are working on behalf of ALL active and retired educators to stop the reckless management that has become commonplace at STRS during the past decade. Fiscal prudence isn't something that is only exercised during difficult financial times, downturns, but at ALL times across the economic landscape. We hope you will support us on these issues! In turn we will support you! All we want is the job done right, honestly, and fairly.

Sincerely,

Duane E. Tron, Immediate Past President

Champaign County Retired Teachers Association

Presently Legislative Liaison