Betsy Cook's speech before the STRS Board, November 16, 2006

Good afternoon, I am Betsy Cook an STRS retiree from Marietta, Ohio. It is a 2 hour drive each way to attend these STRS Board meetings. Since this is not what I want to do with my retirement time, I vote to elect Board members, such as you, to represent me. I thank you very much for your willingness to serve on the STRS Board. In a representative organization, the elected officials, yourselves, listen to your constituents, in this case active and retired educators, and represent their views and interests.

As an educator from Southeastern Ohio, where school districts are underfunded and personal income is below average, some of you are not representing us. A Board that was representing me would continue to reduce the budget. The small percentage you are cutting out of the budget is not adequate. Is the childcare center self-sustaining yet? Do you look for other ways to pay expenses such as employee legal fees, before you use my money? Are you trying to consolidate departments to vacate areas of the building so they could be leased out for future income? A Board that was representing me would act as an oversight body. Allowing the director to spend $100,000 before needing approval is not good oversight. Making decisions without contracts and documents to study makes for poor oversight. Asking questions and reviewing contracts carefully is the major responsibility of a Board. A Board that represents me would act in ways that develop trust and respect. I find it difficult to trust a Board that renews the director’s contract without putting it on the agenda for public notice. Why I ask myself? Mud slinging and being rude to others on the Board does not earn respect from those you represent.

The members of STRS have spent three years changing the Board members in hopes of having representatives that will be ethical, spend our money carefully, invest wisely, renew trust in our pension system and provide the health care we were promised. Was the Board being ethical when it renewed the director’s contract behind the backs of the membership? Was the Board spending our money wisely when they acted on contracts without reading them or allowing spending up to 1 hundred thousand dollars without approval of the Board? It appears you are investing wisely, so thank you. This new Board has not rebuilt my trust in STRS. I can only hope that you are working diligently with staff and the legislature to save our health care.

It disturbs me every time I come to this building. I am appalled that my hard earned money was spent on such a lavish facility with grand furnishings when I wonder if I will have health care should I become ill. My money subsidizes the child care of people that earn
2,3,5 times my income. When will this stop?

There are two Board members that have continually been in the minority when they vote. I thank Mr. Leone and Mr. Lazares for representing me as they try to change the status quo. I ask you to join Dennis and John in their effort to cut spending, practice effective oversight and listen to the STRS membership.