Minutes: March CORE meeting

Minutes of the March 18, 2010 CORE Meeting

President Dave Parshall opened the March 18th meeting of the Concerned Ohio Retired Educators (CORE) , held on the second floor of the STRS Building in Columbus, at 12:05. Alice Faryna moved to dispense with the reading aloud of the February minutes since they’d been available on-line, as well as on the table inside the door of the Sublett Room. Mary Ellen Angeletti then made a motion to accept the minutes; John Curry seconded it. Members accepted the minutes as written.

Due to the absence of Herman Fisher, Dave functioned as our temporary treasurer stating that the group’s bank balance was fine. Dave then read the recent e-mail from Dennis Leone, explaining his return of the retirement cash-gift from CORE. Since Dr. Leone considered his years on the STRS Board to be a public service, he thanked the CORE membership for the gesture and was grateful for the thoughtfulness, but felt he had to decline the gift.

Dave continued his role as “treasurer” stating that CORE will be paying for Jim Stoll’s e-mail purveyor’s work. (Even though almost no one in attendance had seen the candidate’s e-mail flyer/bulletin yet, it was to have been sent to actives “A”-“K” as of Thursday.) CORE received a thank you note from active candidate Dale Price. He thanked the group for hosting him last month and appreciated the CORE membership endorsing him for the STRS Board.

President Dave announced candidates, Jim Stoll and Dale Price, as well as our endorsement would soon be placed on the CORE website.

The COLA’s possible reduction once again was addressed. Nancy Boomhower developed an idea she felt might be a solution to the unfair ideas currently being discussed. Nancy’s solution involved revamping the formula for computing the COL, which she thought would be more equitable. She planned to address the Board in the “Public Speaks” section later in the day.

Bob Buerkle also had COLA concerns. He, too, had worked on theories and handed out examples of a variety of COLA percentages. He also will speak during the afternoon session. Once again President Parshall stressed that he will depart as president in the fall. If no one wants to succeed Dave as president, perhaps a different form [for the structure of CORE] needs to be considered. Keeping in mind the future of CORE, he wants members to think about a possible reorganization as a lobby-type group; still attending monthly STRS meetings, but having fewer regular CORE meetings.

Alice Faryna, MD, retired faculty member from the Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, spoke about her concerns with health care. She is certain that insurance premiums will escalate whether the health bill passes or it fails. She also explained her belief that we are currently in a bubble which will burst. To that end she discussed the draft of a letter prepared by herself and Deb Silverstein. Her group would like to have CORE consider supporting them and their suggestions when she presents it to the STRS Board later in the spring. The CORE Board of Trustees will consider supporting the letter and will report to the membership in April.

The CORE meeting quickly ended when the Board reconvened upstairs at 1 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Marie M. Fetters
CORE secretary