Molly Janczyk: Minutes of CORE meeting October 19, 2006

From Molly Janczyk, volunteer scribe for 10/19/06 meeting

I was reminded that Ryan Holderman was nominated and approved to be: CORE's Parliamentarian for his excellence in formulating the CORE Constitution for membership! THANK YOU, Ryan!

**CORE Meeting minutes have been approved and are ready for circulation on the email lists, blog, etc.

The Agenda was followed:

A. CORE minutes from 9/14/06 were read by Mary Ellen Angeletti. These minutes were distributed last month and can be requested from Mary Ellen if you would like to see them again or missed them.

B. Voting for CORE Officers was handled by Ryan Holderman. The vote was unanimous for the following:

Pres.: Dave Parshall VP: Mary Ellen Angeletti Treas.: C.J. Myers Secretary: Glenna Barr (This had no nominations until today so this motion and vote to return to elections came later in the meeting).

Ryan Holderman did a swearing in ceremony for these new officers and all were met with a round of applause as was Ryan for his tireless work on the Constitution.

C. Counting of ballots was unnecessary as all offices had one nominee and they were uncontested and the voting was unanimous.

D. Update of Finances: Dave Parshall, former acting Treasurer reported the current totals and that he posted his largest deposit to date recently. It was attributed to the Uncle Sam flyer posted on the CORE website (www.concernedohio.org) and on Kathie Bracy's blog (www.kathiebracy.blogspot.com) and has also been forwarded on email lists and CORE alert emails. We have had a change from the former $5 dues to asking for contributions to sustain CORE. Any amount is welcome and needed.

If you wish a total , you may contact outgoing Treasurer Dave Parshall or newly elected Treasurer CJ Myers.

Contributions can be mailed to: CORE, PO Box 141358, Cols Oh 43214 where CJ will collect them for deposit. Dave is meeting with CJ tomorrow to go over the books and accounting process. All checks have been noted to date and all bills paid. 3 CORE members oversee the account to ensure proper handling and expenditures usually being mailings , flyers, etc. for election related items or CORE items copied.

E. CORE Website update: handled by Dave Parshall: Currently the CORE website (www.concernedohio.org) contains the CORE Constitution (largely written to Ryan Holderman to whom we are very thankful), the Uncle Sam donation poster, HC information, Caremark contact info.

F. Date for next CORE/Damon meeting: The Chair for this CORE/Damon Committee is President of CORE, Dave Parshall. These meetings are held periodically to go offer ideas and present membership concerns to Damon about STRS. Thus far, Dave Parshall and Mary Ellen Angeletti are attending and ask for volunteers to attend. PLEASE contact Dave Parshall if you are able to attend this meeting at 11am on Tues. 10/31/06. Ideas, concerns are welcome and should go to Dave.

To date questions for Damon/CORE Meeting: 10/31/06: pertain to HC premiums for 15 + and 15 yr. retirees, STRS plans for unfunded liability, contingency plans in case of disaster affecting STRS pension funds, replacement for Steve Mitchell should he leave for any reason, credit cards since we found that 4-5 Board Members are using credit cards for expenses. ((This issue was raised by Leone and is on the agenda for tomorrow : Fri. 10/20/06.

John Curry commented that charges were made and large generic sums ($8000 and $14,000 mentioned) were listed on accounts with no specifics regarding location and names unable to be matched with trips. Ryan added it included STRS staff as well.

It was said that even though there is a $6000 cap on travel, evidently registration fees are not included in this amount. See general STRS minutes.))

G. Announcement of CORE Officers took place earlier due to show of hand vote.

H. Submission of Amendment to CORE Constitution was unnecessary as this is where we had a volunteer for the position of Secretary, motion to return to elections, nomination and vote for Glenna Barr who was elected unanimously as stated.

I. Replacement of Members of board of Trustees: it was planned to nominate and elect replacements for Mary Ellen and Dave Parshall since they assumed the positions of Pres. and VP. Both serve on the CORE Trustees Board as well. However, the 6 individuals who had expressed interest declined for various reasons. It was voted on by the Board that the current Trustees who were elected to CORE positions of Pres and VP could also remain as Trustees for the time being. Mary Thomas, Richland Co. RTA agreed to remain open to fill a future CORE Board of Trustees vacancy.

J. List of Contacts/How to proceed w/ Developing District Reps throughout the state: There is a 39 page roster of contacts in most all counties. It was approved by majority vote to ask for volunteers to handle each district. There are 11 districts and 90 RTA's. This spreads the contacting of counties to the persons electing to take on each district. Typically there are 8 counties in each district.

Discussion: Ques. re: use of lists: Each District Rep would contact individual(s) listed on their district roster for each of their 7-9 counties asking for their continued help in distributing materials/info for CORE. Typically calls have been made to many of the 90 RTA's (unless we have known agreeable email contacts) during elections asking retirees to walk info / flyers into schools and pass to any actives/retirees by email or hand to other actives/retirees they know. Many have retired and or active contacts to forward and distribute materials to local school districts and RTA's.

We have grown immeasurably with this grassroots effort in the past 3 years. Many of those contacted individuals are now hearing us and working for us even though not officially "CORE." Therefore, generally, a phone call begins with introductions and being part of the group who elected Lazares and Leone going on to ask if they would help with the current STRS Board election. This has been done whether for retired or active seats up for election.

New CORE District Reps:
District I: Molly J.
District II: Lynne Bracy
District III: Sam Ridder, Dave Speas: Western VP ORTA, Duan Tron have covered this district extremely well and we hope they will continue. Wm Phillips, Distr. Direc. ORTA, was helpful as well.
District IV: Glenna Barr
District V: Mary Thomas
District VI: Mary Ellen Angeletti
District VIII: Molly will ask Betsy Cook
District IX & XI: Chuck Angeletti will call Tom Curtis
District X: Nancy Boomhower, Chuck Chapman, Lloyd Knudson

K. Sharing Candidate Info regarding views on Education without endorsing as CORE voted not to endorse. It was stated that this is already occuring regarding candidates by individuals .

L. Facilitate Active Teacher involvement: Ideas for developing more active contacts is subject for another meeting. Nancy Boomhower suggested possible pizza gatherings after school for voting during elections to counter OEA's donut parties attracting voters this past election. ((Perhaps, indiv. RTA's/multiple individuals could help offset this cost. m.j.)) We need lots of ideas and ways to promote and gather votes in future elections as well as helping to enlarge CORE membership and circulate current and factual STRS information. Glenna Barr, District IV Director of ORTA, said this is working and she is hearing positive remarks about CORE in areas that have been hard to 'reach.'

M. Suggestions for CORE's consideration:
1. Bob Jones: CORE members raise money to bus members, friends and family to Col. next April 2007 for a kick off campaign to pressure Ohio government officials to pass the employee/employer increase for HC/RX legislation. ((The roster can help contact RTA's throughout the State and perhaps this would be something we can ask ORTA to join with us. Lloyd Knudsen was wondering how we could get combined involvement seeing ORTA representation at the CORE meeting.))

Ann Hanning of ORTA and Herschel Grimm of OFT attended today's meeting.
Dave Parshall said we needed to look into all that went into the 8/2003 Rally at the Statehouse as there were porta potty issues, etc.

2. Ques: from Brad Walton & Janice McConky re: Article IX of CORE Constitution: Who decides the HC needs and which most important for dispersing remaining CORE monies should there be any in event of CORE disperseing one day. This could never be done fairly and the money would be better put into the STRS HC fund.

The Constitution states that any remaining money would go to needy retirees in the unlikely event that CORE ever disperse. It was included to make sure no one questioned what would happen to money should this occur.

There was a motion and approval of this idea: all agreed this would be fine to put any money into the STRS HC fund should there be any and should CORE ever disperse, however unlikely that would be.

The meeting adjourned.

This meeting broke approx. 1pm when Joyce called Nancy Boomhower to say Board Members were returning to the Board. The meeting continued later in the afternoon after public speak and some other Board Member discussion to be reported in general minutes.

Respectfully Submitted to the CORE Board of Trustees for approval, additions &/or revisions.

CORE Trustees in attendance were: Mary Ellen and Chuck Angeletti, Dave Parshall, Nancy Hamant, Ryan Holderman, Alt., and author of CORE Constitution, Nancy Boomhower, Lloyd Knudsen, subbing for Chuck Chapman.* Molly J. voted on behalf of Betty Bell who could not attend.

*Chuck Chapman: I asked about Chuck and was pleased to hear he is resting up and plans to return when he is ready for 'action.' I was concerned that he not feel ANY pressure about meetings for now, as we want him to fully recuperate. Chuck, we miss you and need you for your wisdom and balance. "Our gentleman and scholar." Just heal - these things take time and we all know that. None of us heal as fast as we used to and need time to mend. You are with us in spirit and you are in our thoughts.

Molly Janczyk,
Volunteer Scribe for 10/19/06 CORE Meeting.