A letter to Jeff Chapman: Two Boards and Doing the Right Thing

From Kathie Bracy, April 30, 2007
Subject: Two Boards and Doing the Right Thing

Jeff --

I heard about the commotion that occurred at last week's ORTA board meeting with members confronting the board over its refusal to publish Dennis Leone's March 2007 STRS Report to ORTA in the Spring Quarterly, despite the need for thousands of retirees to have access to critical information it contained; and ORTA president Don Bright's silence when confronted with a contradictory statement he had made to one of the members regarding the reasons the report was rejected.

I understand you also canceled your afternoon appearance to speak to the ORTA board that day due to circumstances surrounding ORTA's initial invitation to you. Jeff, you did the Right Thing, and I want to thank you for that. I also want to thank you for standing up with Dennis at the April STRS Board meeting in opposition to the huge salary/wage increases for staff Damon was asking for (I believe it was $1.5 million, nearly a 14% increase), in addition to adding nine new positions, knowing the position titles, but NOT why they are needed, what they are going to do and how much they will be paid!

Jeff, this is the Old Board all over again!! They are rubber-stamping Damon exactly as the Old Board rubber-stamped Herb Dyer!! What in the world has happened to common sense?!! I thought things were improving with the new Board, then THIS happened! Thank you, Jeff, for having the smarts and the guts to stand tall. Please keep up the good work. I hope the others will wake up and pay attention and acquire enough sense to follow your example.

Kathie Bracy