Conversation on Board travel expenses: Kimmel, Janczyk, Hughes, Leone, Peaspanen

From Jim Kimmel, December 16, 2006

Subject: Re: Additional Thoughts on Travel Expenses
I have worked for the University of Cincinnati where I had to travel (admissions work),The USAF (lots of travel), the Census Bureau, and two major school districts. They had definite standards concerning lodging and expenses. The only time I ever "used" the situation was when I was in the USAF. They gave me an airline ticket at discharge for a trip from Lowrey AFB in Denver to Cincinnati. I cashed in the ticket and took a Greyhound Bus to Cincy. I had enough money left to buy a 1952 Dodge with Fluid Drive which had been a taxi and was yellow on top and green on the bottom. But it never cost the USAF any more than they had allocated. The Dodge cost me $75.00 in 1964 ! I used it to go around looking for a teaching job!

These STRS characters are living in a dream world because if most people had seen how their peers were indicted for impropriety and ethics violations they would straighten up and fly right. But these people -- someone has played on their greed and egos so much it is hard to believe. Or maybe they just are not very smart!!

Jim Kimmel
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From Molly Janczyk, December 16, 2006

Subject: Re: Additional Thoughts on Travel Expenses
You know, Board Members, THIS is what membership feels about you and every time you ask for more or spend needlessly, you are adding painful reminders of our state of affairs. People are suffering and severely strapped unable to pay for meds and treatments while you sit at Lindy's eating enough to pay for 2 RX's they may not be able to. Some of you have just been in the entitled arena far too long to remember less fortunate times or needy ones among us who wonder why you don't remember them at such times. BUT THAT is the stuff LEONE AND LAZARES ARE SO APPRECIATED AND BELOVED FOR AND WHAT YOU ARE UWILLING TO ACKOWLEDGE!

The difference between them and you is they would feel far too guilty eating extravagantly when others suffer.

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From June Hughes, December 16, 2006

Subject: Re: Additional Thoughts on Travel Expenses

Even $20 is too much! They aren't royalty even though they might think they are!!!!!! The last time I ate that expensive meal was for my birthday and it was all different kinds of crab, including King Crab! What is the matter with these people? They need to be put on an allowance and that's it!!! June On Dec 16, 2006, at 1:22 PM, molly janczyk wrote:

When lunch and breakfast are provided, $60 is extravagant for dinner. If one HAD to purchase breakfast , lunch and dinner, it would be understandable for $40-50 daily. But, bagels, juice and coffee are always available , I am sure for breakfast and lunch provided on us already. So $20-25 for dinner is more than adequate. We do NOT wish to provide for appetizers, soups , drinks, desserts. Dinner. Most moderate dinners are from $10-15 so that includes tax and tip at most mid range restaurants. I eat at Brio's at Easton where many dinners are around $10-12 and are enough to fill anyone. Lindy's is upscale and I have been there many times for special occasions. A Board Meeting is NOT a special occasion and it is pricey there though one could eat for less than did Ramser.

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From Dennis Leone, December 16, 2006

Subject: Additional Thoughts on Travel Expenses

Very well stated, Molly, on all points. You have summarized my feelings precisely. All of this should be common sense stuff. Since, for example, Board policy sets a total limit of $60 per day for Board member meal reimbursements, this means, translated literally, that I could have stopped at Lindey's after the Board meeting ended Thursday and spent $60 on a dinner. Since I passed on breakfast and since STRS gave me pizza during lunch on Thursday, I still had $60 to "spend". This has to change, as does the ability for Board members to decide, on their own, if they wish to spend the night in Columbus after Board meetings end, because they have "business" to take of the next day.

Board policy also permits Board members, for example -- if they attend a meeting in Orlando that ends on Friday -- to stay over (courtesy of STRS) on both Friday night AND Saturday night. I think I can accept Friday
(if a late afternoon flight is not available) but I simply cannot accept Saturday night for any reason.

Conni Ramser's exact words Thursday when I questioned why STRS bought dinner for her and Debbie Scott at Lindey's, were: " I have never been to Lindey's in my life." I have proof to show otherwise and will publicly ask her a second time at the next STRS Board meeting. I wonder if McGreevey, Hollow, Leibensperger, etc., will publish her comment from Thursday, and the truth when it comes out? And why haven't we seen anything in OEA publications about STRS money spent on credit cards, home fax machines, and personal long distance phone calls for board members? I wonder if we'd seen anything written by OEA if it turned out that I was the only Board member with such expenses. Hmmmm. Maybe the difference is that the names are Ramser, Billirakis, Chapman, Flannagan, and Puckett. These 5 would be dead ducks if they were members of school boards, and teacher unions would be the first to complain about them.

Dennis Leone

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From Molly Janczyk, December 16, 2006

Subject: Allowances for expenses: computers

Separating time for STRS business vs. personal as some want to claim that. I use this computer 90% for STRS business. So what. If they have a computer and use it for some STRS business, write it off. It is beyond cheap to try to claim such a small portion of it.

OR again, give a universal allowance of 3-4 days per month charge. If someone uses it more or less , their choice and pay for it.

Give allowance ck for moderate hotels/motels. If someone wants better, pay for it. Why would you allow one Red Roof Inn and one Hyatt?

Allow $80 per night with AAA discount or some discount and then with tax, it will be about $80 per night. Not worst/not best. Choose hotels with internet service provided and parking.

This is a service responsibility, not a luxury for yourselves.

Mooney said no calls were even being allowed for stays away anymore with OFT. People had to use their personal cells and pay for them. Most have free long distance in plans. Mooney said this stuff just looks bad and a cooling off period is needed and standards set. We talked of allowances. No one should get more than another. With allowances, all get same and if choose better restaurants and hotels, they can use the allowance and pay for addt'l.

This situation needs standards vs. such loose parameters decided by the individual. STRS is debating this stuff when needy retirees are suffering. Stop thinking about yourselves and all you think you do and think only of your duty to retirees . Put that extra money for Lindy's into a needy retiree fund or find a needy retiree and pay for some RX's. Give me a break. It sounds to us like spoiled children fighting for perks and not wanting to do the work to oversee contracts using legalese to attempt to offset members. It is beyond comprehension that any board member thinks not looking over a document before signing it is stepping on toes or blocking contracts. AS IF! It is your job to look over documents to see if staff has included anything not known by you as our representatives and we couldn't care less if some get offended. If they do, then something is wrong with the document. Otherwise, they are happy to freely show all work and contracts. Let them negotiate. YOU read it before approving. WHAT would YOU ever sign without looking it over for yourselves. WHY do you NOT get that you are there repping US in that same regard. Pretend you are US every day you SERVE US and never, ever, do less than that.

Use books for reference but we are not so easily duped this time around. We trusted and now we are hurt forever. We will never recover. We fight for younger educators and hope for a bit of relief for ourselves. Use commom sense in protecting membership.

EVER HEAR TOM MOONEY in your conscience: NEVER SIGN DOCUMENTS WITHOUT READING IT! NEVER TRUST WHAT IS IN IT! OF COURSE STRS AND ATTORNEYS WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO FEEL AND KNOW! THINK OF THE RIGHT THING AND IF YOU ARE NOT SURE: QUES: QUES: QUES: MULTIPLE SOURCES AND BE SURE TO DO AS HE PLANNED MONTHLY! Speak with each other and hear every point BEFORE coming to the table only thinking your way or a slanted way. Think membership only! Never sign or approve anything unless you are fully prepared by speaking with all to gain insight into reasoning and ask yourself: WHAT WOULD MEBERSHIP WANT AND WHAT IS PRUDENT FOR MEMBERS!

How can you be so wasteful to want personal laptops purchased for you when it is so unnecessary and all don't agree. You have paper and pencils to jot notes. You can use your own computers to do research. You pay for your computers and line charges regardless. Using it for STRS here and there costs you nothing more. You can copy at schools and STRS for free and receive emailed info free. IT IS NOT LIKE ANY OF YOU BEYOND LAZARES AND LEONE EVER USE COMPUTERS TO COMMUNICATE WITH US AND IF YOU HAVE EVER: IT IS RARE!

THEY COMMUNICATE WITH US ALL THE TIME AND ASK FOR NOTHING FOR IT VIEWING IT AS PART OF THE TERRITORY! That board sure could benefit from lightening the load on it by a lot! We'd get further and get a heck of a lot more done.

What a board it could have been in a perfect world with Lazares, Leone and Mooney on it. It never would have happened but the next best thing was beginning with open communication among them and moving forward. HE said it NEVER should have taken so long to get NO CONTRACT: NO VOTE accomplished.

Mooney said all the time: I don't understand the problem anyone has talking with Dennis on that board. I have absolutely no problem and he agreed with Dennis and John on all points I discussed with him and I think we talked about all of them except he did see where some limited travel for conferences was acceptable if nearer like conferences were not available on pension systems offered in sites not Ohio. Never run around. Just asked and answered ques. and you could always come to decisions with him. I found the 3 of them quite the same in terms of how they would communicate with a person. Direct, succint and with solutions in mind. No endless putting off chatter talking around stuff like Ramser did with Leone on Thurs. 'Well, do you mean this type of overnight stay or that type of overnight stay or ...........'

Leone means NO UNNECESSARY OVERNIGHT STAYS! It's simple. We all get it and we aren't board members in this silly, silly, endless attempt to undermine. It just makes you look foolish to ask questions like that.

Let's see: I have a 4 hour drive so I can prob. feel fine about staying the night before a meeting in a moderate lodging with my allowance reimbursement. If I want to treat myself, I will use my allotment toward a higher priced place. I will need dinner and use my allowance either to pay or pay towards a higher end place if I choose to treat myself to one on the nicest restaurants in Cols., Lindy's. ((Great food and ambiance)).

OR give all a ck for $100 for prenight stays for lodging and food. If you choose not to use it, let it pay for your time coming here or give it to a needy retiree for a couple of RX's they deny themselves. I am sure in our communities, we can find needy retirees easily enough. Each board member gives a determined:

- cents per mile - $80 AAA room or towards a room of your choice -food allowance: $25 per day ($25 dinner/modest lunch is in Exec Session/breakfast: bagels, juice, coffee at STRS).

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From Judi Peaspanen, December 15, 2006

Subject: Re: computers

Why can't the Board members use their own computers for STRS business, as I'm sure they all have them. their own public library in their town would have one available or the school each taught at could allow them to use them as all educators would benefit from their use. Most teachers if not all have their own home computers.

Judi