Dean Dennis: Questions surrounding the recent Board election are creating suspicion among STRS members

Dean Dennis' speech to the STRS Board

May 18, 2023 

May 18, 2023 -  Dean Dennis, Retiree from Cincinnati Public Schools

To the properly seated members of the Board, how are you going to conduct business when every vote you take can be challenged as to its validity? You certainly need to hire your own independent legal counsel. You also need to make sure the person who ratted out and slandered Board Member Steen isn't employed by STRS. Our members just voted, providing you with a mandate for reform, then some coward using their political power ran to the Governor's office to usurp their will. This person could be anyone, but you need to make sure it isn't a person you supervise. If you find that it is, they need to be terminated. Someone went behind your back and blatantly lied to the Governor's office.  Wade Steen did not miss 3 meetings in 6 months. The minutes make that clear. Someone is making the Governor look like a fool. Let's make sure we aren't paying their salary.

The Governor has enough problems with misinformation. Mr. Steen didn't serve the Governor at will; therefore, the Governor cannot simply replace him. Board Member Steen is serving an appointed four-year term. Ohio codes are not ambiguous.

Board members, here is another issue. Concerns are being raised that we have a part-time, paid lobbyist (one that has earned a quarter-of-a-million dollars from STRS over a four year period) and this lobbyist at one time was a lobbyist for a charter school. Apparently, this lobbyist also lobbied for First Energy during the time period when the news media was trying to tie the Governor to the First Energy scandal. News accounts state that the Governor appointed this lobbyist, our current lobbyist, to a committee. Your concern should be this: members are asking if this lobbyist went to the governor on behalf of STRS to unseat your colleague, Wade Steen. Regardless, what has this lobbyist done for members? 

Lastly, the governor is making press releases stating he replaced Mr. Steen before the Saturday, May 6th election results in order to prevent the appearance of election interference. So, members of the Board, I think it is only fair to members to have management document as to when the votes were counted. Were they counted on May 6, or prior to May 6? Thank you. A lot of members are suspicious. Find out.