Late breaking news from Dennis, September 14, 2006

So you know -- Late in the afternoon at today's STRS Board meeting (9-14-06), the Board went into executive session to review some matters with legal counsel. After returning to public session, the following occurred:

Motion by Leone, second by Chapman, for the Board to "waive its executive session privilege for the Board meetings on May 17 and August 18." Voting yes were Leone, Chapman, Lazares, Cervantes (Flannagan), Puckett, and Ramser. No one voted no. Meuser abstained, properly in my opinion, due to his lack of background on the matter.

The purpose of this action was to give staff members from Betty Montgomery's office the legal ability, at will, to individually interview all current and former board members about the discussions that took place about the payment of legal fees for STRS employees during the two executive sessions. Without the waiver, Board members could legally choose NOT to speak about anything that was discussed during the executive sessions. Now, Betty Montgomery's office will have the ability to determine what really happened on this issue.

I am also aware that Betty Montgomery has made a public records request of STRS for all documents pertaining to the issue. Further, Betty's staff members will be interviewing certain STRS employees on the matter.

Dennis Leone