Jim N. Reed to House Speaker Husted: Please send us a qualified and in-touch replacement for Meyers

Jim N. Reed to Jon Husted, October 27, 2006

Subject: A Qualified and In-Touch Board Replacement

Mr. Speaker, I have just read your e-mail to a CORE friend about the resignation of Geoffrey Meyers as the General Assembly's representative to the STRS Board. After witnessing and hearing the exchange with Dr. Dennis Leone at the October meeting I must admit I am relieved to know Mr. Meyers will no longer be a member.

It was shameful and an embarrassment for all and certainly lent credence to the age-old question among some non-educators as to whether our vocation is a true profession. Unfortunately, this was only one incident. It's become a recurring scenario at the Board meetings.

As a public school educator for 42 years I must admit to being too trusting, too apathetic, and too uninformed for too long regarding the behavior of my retirement system. For the past year I have become more STRS-literate thanks to my own homework and that of Dr. Dennis Leone and Mr. John Lazares whom I feel genuinely represent me and many other retirees on the STRS Board.

Unfortunately, the majority of the leadership in the Boardroom is so disconnected with the average retiree that "business as usual" is not even recognizable to its constituents. Mr. Meyers was the quintessential corporate talking head who was out-of-touch with those stakeholders he was to be serving and whose contributions he was be protecting.

I don't know that a transcript of the Meyers-Leone exchange regarding the propriety of a questionable STRS contract with a real estate talent scout firm is available but it certainly should be for everyone to review, including the Honorable House Speaker and the Honorable Senate President.

I don't know that I can adequately express the anxiety thousands of STRS retirees sense at this critical time in our retirement system's history. So many of our older active colleagues have been forced into nightmarish anguish over whether retirement is a goal or a deadline. Those retired are scrambling to make decisions among physician-directed treatments, purchasing meds, hanging on to their homes, and otherwise struggling to find the security to enjoy a well-deserved retirement for themselves and their families.

I cannot believe there is not a qualified candidate for your appointment to the STRS Board who has the credentials and the caring to join Dr. Leone and Mr. Lazares in their efforts to bring a Renaissance for Retirees. I ask you, Mr. Speaker and your fellow-leader President Harris, to search for someone who can make a genuine connection to Ohio's retirees, someone who can understand their plight by getting on the same level with the legitimate concerns we have.

Not being a politically savvy educator I'm not certain of the protocol at this juncture but I would submit that it would be a common sense and reasonable decision to request some input from the stakeholders. It would certainly be a breath of fresh air, a signal of hope, and a sign of legislative good faith to have a listen to Concerned Ohio Retired Educators.

CORE members would certainly be grateful just to know that our design to hold the Board and Administration strictly to ORC 3307.15 is recognized and supported by our lawmakers.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and carefully considered appointment.

Jim N. Reed

Professional Educator

CORE Member