Proposed change in STRS election procedures and......a little more sunshine!

From John Curry, April 30, 2008
Subject: Fw: Proposed change in STRS election procedures and......a little more sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ryan and others....do you suppose that this proposed change just might have something to do with Dr. Leone's questioning of the old STRS "way of doing business" and CORE's Kathie Bracy's letter to the Ohio Attorney General which led to the AG issuing an opinion that secret balloting at an open STRS board meeting was not acceptable? Below is Kathie's 2007 letter to Marc Dann. Isn't it humorous that an organization that is undergoing reform, thanks to Dr. Leone and John Lazares, is finally getting around to finally changing their wording to what should have been the proper practice in the first place? Oh well, better late than never!

John

P.S. I wonder why ORTA and the OEA didn't push for this reform....they had the opportunity, didn't they?

Kathie Bracy to Marc Dann, April 6, 2007
Subject: STRS and the Sunshine Law

Dear Mr. Dann,

Thank you very much for going after offenders in the PUCO with regard to the Sunshine Law. I would like to know if the Sunshine Law also applies to Board meetings at the State Teachers Retirement System.

Secret ballot votes were taken to appoint Conni Ramser to replace Jack Chapman (who was forced out because of his conviction on ethics charges) and Tai Hayden to replace Michael Billirakis (same reason). The names are not particularly relevant here; the real issue is the process used: a secret vote.

When Board member Dennis Leone asked why they weren't voting publicly, the response he received (I can't recall offhand who said it) was "Because we don't have to."

Something's not right about this picture; I would now like to know if the STRS Board is also subject to the Sunshine Law. For that matter, is STRS Ohio itself subject to that law?

Many thanks.

Kathie Bracy
http://kathiebracy.blogspot.com

From Ryan Holderman, April 30, 2008
Subject: Proposed change in STRS election procedures.
Dear One & All:

There's an interesting change to the STRS election process being proposed at a hearing scheduled on June 3, 2008. It would change the way voting by the Board is done when a vacancy occurs on the state teachers retirement board. Rather than a secret ballot, the vote would be a public vote.

The exact wording is available on the last page of the PDF document linked below.

Later, Ryan

Public Hearing Notice for June 3, 2008

The State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 3, 2008, at 4 p.m. at 275 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, to consider:

Adoption of proposed new rule:

3307-2-02 Election of successor member when vacancy occurs on the state teachers retirement board.

The proposed rule sets forth the procedure for filling a vacancy in the term of a member of the board of the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio. The rule is proposed in accordance with Section 3307.075 of the Ohio Revised Code as enacted by Sub. S.B. 133 of the 127th General Assembly.

All interested parties will be given an opportunity to be heard. Any interested party unable to attend the public hearing may submit written comments to the undersigned prior to the public hearing.

Click here to view a PDF of the full and complete text of the proposed rule. It is also on file in the office of the Secretary of State, the Legislative Service Commission and the office of the Joint Commission on Agency Rule Review.

Dennis Leone to Sen. Marc Dann: ORC 3307.15

From: Dennis Leone
To: Sen. Marc Dann
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Subject: ORC 3307.15
Dear Senator Dann --
I, like John Curry, hope you are elected as AG. I hope, when you have a minute, that you review 2 things: (1) ORC 3307.15, which lists the statutory responsibility of all STRS Board members to make decisions that are only in the best interest of STRS members and their beneficiaries; and (2) The new pension reform language contained SB 133 -- passed on June 16, 2004 -- which mandates that the AG to enforce ORC 3307.15, and pursue civil charges, removal, and restitution against pension board members who engage in misconduct.
I am the person who (in May of 2003) discovered and published the terrible misspending practices of the former STRS executive director and former STRS Board members. At the urging of retirees, I ran for the STRS Board and was elected on May 7, 2005. It bothered me greatly in 2003 and 2004 when neither Betty Montgomery or Jim Petro had the fortitude to enforce the spirit of 3307.15. They wouldn't do it, simply put, because they were part of the Board that was engaged in misconduct. SB 133 removed them from the Board, which has eliminated the ridiculous conflict of interest that existed.
I look forward to working with you.
Dennis Leone