AG Dann makes the sun shine brighter at STRS

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From John Curry, September 27, 2007

Subject: AG Dann makes the sun shine brighter at STRS
It was not that long ago (April 8, 2007) that the letter below was sent to Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann in reference to STRS's "secret balloting" that had been used in one of their recent "open" meetings. Many fellow CORE members felt that this secret balloting was in violation of Ohio's Open Records Act! I, and others, wrote AG Dann requesting his examination of this secretive process.

On this same day (April 8) AG Dann sent a terse reply to me (in the letter immediately below) which stated, and I quote, "We are looking at it." Well, he did and you can see from the scanned copy of the August STRS Board meeting that he also DID something about it! I was unaware of this mandate by Dann to the STRS until I opened my mail and read page "X" of the August 2007 STRS Board Meeting minutes. Page "X" of the Board minutes is the scanned copy that you will see below my letter and reply from AG Marc Dann. Thanks to AG Dann...we now have more sunshine than we used to at STRS!

John - today, a very proud CORE member

Response from Marc Dann (to letter below): We are looking at it

From: John Curry, Sun Apr 08 18:37:35 2007 Subject: secret balloting practice

April 8, 2007

Attorney General Dann

State Office Tower

30 East Broad Street, 17th Floor

Columbus, OH 43215-3428

Dear Attorney General Marc Dann,

Recently, the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio conducted several “secret” ballot votes in public sessions to appoint replacements for open seats on the Ohio STRS Board.

In light of your “reform stance” concerning actions of Ohio governmental agencies and the desire to ensure that the Ohio Open Records Act is followed in both the spirit and the letter of the law, I am requesting that this practice of secret balloting in an open meeting be addressed by you. I do understand that sometimes the administration at STRS has stated that Ohio STRS is a quasi-governmental body and as such is not subject to certain statutes of the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code. By the same token, the Ohio STRS is funded by public tax monies in the form of employer contributions from over 600 public school systems in this state.

Would you please examine this practice of secret balloting during open meetings at Ohio STRS and inform thousands of Ohio STRS retirees as to the legality of this practice? I and my fellow retired brothers and sisters are eagerly awaiting your answer to a practice that we feel is not in the best interest of open government in the State of Ohio. Thank you.

Sincerely,

John Curry
30 year retiree of Ohio’s public schools
Member of Concerned Ohio Retired Educators (CORE)