Famous Quotes: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Remember these?

Watch this column, as quotes are added from time to time.

"I will consider responding to your records request when and if I have time, and that's not likely to be soon" (Former STRS executive director Herb Dyer, [convicted on ethics charges] responding to Dennis Leone's letter in Dec., 2002)

"The Board decides what's fair and it's the Board members' money to spend as they see fit." (Herb Dyer, letter to retiree Joe Gebhardt)

"It's a drop in the bucket." (Former Board member Jack Chapman [convicted on ethics charges] re: the total cost of his meeting expenses, in comparison to the total STRS assets)

"We don't get paid as Board members, so we deserve these things." (Jack Chapman)

"This is unfair because they don't get paid as board members" (Former Board member Hazel Sidaway's lawyer, H. Ritchie Hollenbaugh, on her day of conviction on ethics charges)

"I think it is clearly overkill.....the system is unfair to people that make an innocent mistake." ~ Attorney H. Ritchey Hollenbaugh, who represented several ex-STRS Board members convicted of ethics charges

"His (Leone's) report is destructive........it contains misrepresentations" (Gary Allen, President of OEA, June 2003)

"_________________________" (ORTA, after Dennis Leone's investigative report came out in May, 2003) (You're right -- they had nothing to say.)

"We could have discovered what Dennis Leone found, but we've been busy doing other things for retirees." (ORTA Executive Director Dave Travis)

"The initials S.T.R.S. are not supposed to stand for Spending, Travel, Retreats and Sculptures." (Dennis Leone, addressing the STRS Board in August of 2003)

"They're like kids in a candy store" (State Representative Michelle Schneider, regarding the spending habits of former STRS Board members and staff members).

"Beware of malcontent retirees." (Former ORTA president and former STRS Board chair, Joe Endry [convicted on ethics charges], departing words in ORTA Quarterly)

"I was doing board business when I attended that Broadway show" (Hazel Sidaway/Joe Endry)

"What would Rome look like today if they hadn't supported the arts?" (Former STRS Board member [forced out by SB 133] Jim Petro, regarding the $869,000 spent on sculptures at STRS)

"I am not against bonus checks at all." (Former Board member [forced out by SB 133] Betty Montgomery, upon learning that some 500 STRS employees received annual bonus checks)

"I really should have been more vigilant." (Montgomery, at Senate hearings)

"Shut up!" (Former Board member & Chair Bob Brown, directed at Leone in public Board meeting, 2005)

"It is questionable whether Leone actually will be on the ballot because it is unclear whether he is working in a school district." (OEA's Gary Hollow, in NEOEA-R newsletter, after Leone filed his Board candidacy petitions in February of 2005)

"You're being intrusive." (Former appointed Board member Judith Fisher [who resigned in August, 2006], about Leone operating budget questions)

"You're micro-managing" (Fisher, about Leone vendor contract questions)

"I agree with Judith on this." (Former appointed Board member Geoffrey Meyers [who resigned 10/26/06], about Leone vendor contract questions, four months after Fisher left the board)

"He's childish, he needs parenting, and if he were a student in my class he'd be suspended from school." (Board chair Conni Ramser, about Leone, in the Canton Repository)

"We just disagree on whether he's a savior or a crackpot." (OEA's Tim Myers, regarding Leone)

"This is a waste of time." (Ex-Board member Geoff Meyers, about Leone question regarding Ferguson contract)

"Any Board involvement in vendor contracts impairs the staff's ability to negotiate" (New Board member Mark Meuser, October 2006)

"See, you don't have to go to Florida to find a good meeting; you can attend one right here in Columbus!" (ORSC President Aristotle Hutras at February, 2007 STRS Board retreat)

"I've never been to Lindey's in my life!" (STRS Board chairman Conni Ramser at a November, 2006 Board meeting, re: a dinner voucher with her name on it) [Her union friends seemed to regard it as a mild memory slip and she was sweetly forgiven; most assuredly, it would have been a different story altogether, from their viewpoint, had a certain other Board member or two made the same denial, then were later found to have received such a dinner with an STRS-purchased credit card.]

"Well, we can't put everything in the booklet!" ~ An STRS rep to a sick retiree calling about a drug that was denied, even though it was on the list of approved medication with prior authorization and listed in the 2006 STRS HC booklet as "approved."

"I have consulted our executive board and they agreed with me that there is no reason to publish an article that will be about 3 or 4 weeks old by the time it is in the hands of our members." ~ Tom Seamon, editor of the ORTA Quarterly, to Dennis Leone, after refusing to publish his March 2007 STRS Report (Keep this quote in mind each time you read your Quarterly.)

"Because we don't have to" ~ Response to Dennis Leone after he asked why the Board wasn't voting publicly, after a secret ballot was taken to appoint Conni Ramser to the STRS Board (to replace Jack Chapman) and Tai Hayden (to replace Michael Billirakis).

"We are looking at it." ~ Marc Dann (4/8/07) after being asked to examine the practice of secret balloting, with regard to its legality, during open Board meetings at Ohio STRS.

“Oh my God,” said state Rep. Michelle Schneider, R-Cincinnati, and sponsor of legislation to reform the state’s five pension systems.

“They just don’t get it. The nightmare continues.” ~ Canton Repository article (by Paul Kostyu), May 12, 2004: STRS workers to get $3.85M in bonuses

State Attorney General Marc Dann, addressing March 2007 STRS Board meeting; from the official minutes of the meeting: "Mr. Dann said he agreed [with Board member Dennis Leone] that it was a conflict of interest for the Attorney General to sit on the Board. Mr. Dann also said he will strongly exercise his independence and that he is only accountable to the people of the State of Ohio. He said he will offer his independent judgment as at first, but if necessary, he will take action against his own clients in order to make sure the law is followed. He said he understands STRS Ohio exists to serve its members, not serve itself and he will certainly be mindful of that going forward."

“You will NOT insult MY people in MY house!” ~ Patricia Frost-Brooks, when Dennis Leone was criticizing the voting practices of certain board members during an OEA-R representative meeting at OEA, where Dr. Leone was the invited speaker; December 29, 2007

".....any motions before the Board that would or could undermine trust and confidence between the Board, Executive Director and Staff, are not in the best interest of the system, and, in fact, may be unnecessary and counterproductive." ~ Patricia Frost-Brooks, December 13, 2007, in a speech before the STRS Retirement Board*

[* Note: Ms. Brooks did not articulate any specific motions to which she was referring.]

"Dennis is an attack-dog." ~ An OEA-R member, January 9, 2008