Notes from Mary Ellen Angeletti: Connie's $60.00 bill at Lindey's; notes on December Board meeting

Mary Ellen Angeletti to Molly Janczyk, December 15, 2006

Subject: Fwd: Additional Info. from yesterday's STRS & CORE meetings

I forgot to mention the go around between Dennis and Conni regarding expenses. In discussing the travel policy item by item, Conni innocently referred to one group of expenses and Dr. Leone said that since she was the one who brought it up, he would like to ask her why it was necessary for her to claim a $60.00 dinner at Lindey's. She shot back that she never had eaten at Lindey's whereas Leone reminded her that she should then talk to Dr. Asbury since it was on Asbury's list of expenses.

On Dec 15, 2006, at 5:06 PM, Mary Ellen Angeletti wrote:

I really do not have much to add as the STRS Email News had most of the STRS meeting highlights. To it, I would add that when the list of projected expenses was discussed, Dr. Leone challenged the necessity of spending $100,000 for an appointed counsel to oversee Health Care. He was told that the other pension system,OPERS, would also share this counsel. Regarding the upcoming attendance of 5 STRS Board members to some sort of a training comference, Dr. Leone commented that he was very glad that it was being held in Columbus and because of the choice of that location, it should be Hayden, Meuser, Puckett, & Johnson who attend it. He said that Lazares, Leone, Chapman, Cervantes, and Ramser should NOT be attending since they live out of town and would cost the STRS system more money for these 5 to go. However, this suggestion was not even considered and the vote allowed the preferred original list to attend. (I didn't hear who but guess it is definitely Ramser & Chapman)

Regarding the Revisions to the Travel Policy which Dr. Leone suggested last month, it was decided that Dr. Leone and Laura Ecklar would get together to formulate the policy with more exactness. The Bd. will then revisit this issue at the Jan. STRS meeting.

The issue of the STRS Bd. members having laptops at their homes, Dr. Leone was very much against this idea as was John Lazares. Jeff Chapman and Conni Ramser were very much in favor of this idea. Due to their concerns and the lack of consensus, this issue will be considered again at the Feb. Retreat. However, the Informational Technology Dept. at STRS was given the go ahead to prepare a comparison of the expense of furnishing the laptops to each Bd. member with the expense of providing paper memos, contracts, etc. as it is currently being done. I think this Dept. will share this info. at the Retreat also.

Public Speaks: Three speakers ONLY.
1. Lloyd Knudsen - Made a formal request (motion) for STRS to provide telecasting of the STRS Board meetings so that teachers (retired & active) could see firsthand what transpires at these monthly meetings.

2. Jim Reed - Presented a beautiful eulogy praising deceased OFT leader, Tom Mooney. It was eloquent and so very timely, and we all were moved and appreciative of his words. He reiterated how Tom had believed that the answer to STRS problems rested in bringing together all of the interested parties and reaching consensus on each issue. Mr. Mooney shared these same thoughts with CORE when he spoke to our group. Mr. Mooney was in the process of setting up monthly meetings with Dr. Leone, John Lazares, Dave Parshall, and Mary Ellen Angeletti the Saturday before his untimely death on Sunday. What an enormous loss this was for all of us!

3. Dave Parshall - Thanked Dr. Asbury for providing the CORE group with the promised information regarding the STRS Bd. members' credit card issue. Paid respects to the passing of Tom Mooney. Wished all happy holidays.

I have made corrections to Glenna's minutes and she is still in the process of getting Trustee input so I will not report on the CORE meeting. She will cover that.