John Curry: Some questions for STRS about those charging stations (for STRS associates' electric cars) in the parking garage

From John Curry

January 2, 2020
Some open questions to an active participant of this Facebook forum page AND ALSO AN STRS BOARD MEMBER - Dale Price.

Dale...I want to commend you for being communicative on this Facebook forum with our members....especially since there are other STRS board members who are also members of this Facebook page but have remained deathly silent since they have joined us.

I am asking these questions so that our Facebook forum page members will become better informed re: the recent installation of electric charging stations in "our" parking garage at STRS for STRS associates who drive electric cars to work.

I have been unable to attend STRS board meetings since I have to work to supplement my STRS monthly pension check since I lost my COLA about 5 years ago. Had STRS made board meeting podcasts available maybe I wouldn't have to ask you these questions in the first place as I could have satisfied my curiosity by simply viewing and listening to these meetings on my computer...like teachers in California and Texas teachers retirement systems do.

Here are my questions:

1. How many charging stations are there?

2. What was the cost of the installation of these charge stations?

3. Are STRS contributing active teachers or retirees allowed to use these stations?

4. Are STRS associates billed for the electricity that they receive from these stations?

5. Is this rate (if charged) comparable to rates charged by other nearby non-STRS charging stations?

Thank you for considering these questions...thousands of our members will be awaiting an answer.

John

Blogger's note: All members of STRS Ohio who have Facebook accounts are eligible to become members of a closed group called Ohio STRS Member Only Forum on Facebook, which currently has over 8,000 members and growing every day. Go to that page to request membership.

2018 Salaries and Bonuses of STRS Investment Staff

(Source: STRS, thanks to Jim Stoll)

Click images twice to enlarge. 

Podcast STRS Board meetings? Why not?

From John Curry

December 28, 2019

PODCAST - IF our Ohio State Board of Education meetings can be podcast to all why can't Ohio State Teachers Retirement System board meetings also be podcast to all? This way all STRS stakeholders can see their elected officials in action and not have to drive through the ice and snow to the meetings. Or, for that matter, fly thousands of miles just to see how their retirement system is being run! They could (and should) be able to see this information in the comfort of their own homes. Here is a link to those Ohio State Board of Education meetings podcasts: https://www.ohiochannel.org/collections/state-board-of-education?fbclid=IwAR1cyLSyhlohgibMWtlahF8JTyNdl2DEhsxVCTC1wdABGTF6Elk1gnYlrEI

From another retiree:

Ask Mike Nehf why STRS refuses to video board meetings. Answer: We can't afford it. How many poor school district and municipalities provide video? Mike Nehf says we want to be transparent, but refuses to release salaries to Ohio Auditor website. And now they are discussing limiting topics members can speak when addressing the board.