RF&PA GENERAL MEMBEERSHIP MEETING IP: 64.12.117.196 Posted on July 29, 2008 at 03:09:39 AM by Larry Vincent
TO ALL RETIREES,
ON JULY 24TH., WE HAD THE QUARTERLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING. J.J. OLIVA COOKED US ALL A VERY GOOD SPAGHETTI DINNER WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS. AFTER WE WERE FED, WE GOT INTO THE BUSY MEETING. FIRST WE HAD A LADY WHO IS RUNNING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD. THEN PATRICK LYNCH, PENSION BOARD CHAIRMAN, SPOKE TO US ABOUT A PROPOSED ENHANCED COLA FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RETIREES. HE DISCUSSED THE DIFFERENT POINTS OF THE PROPOSED BENEFIT AND FIELDED QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR. BASICALLY, THE PLAN IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL HELP TO RETIREES TO HELP PAY HEALTH CARE COSTS. THE PLAN CALLS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE ACTIVES AND THE MATCHING 1.34% FROM THE CITY TO FUND THE BENEFIT. THE PLAN WOULD NEED FUNDS FROM THE "UNALLOCATED" PART OF THE COLA TO BUILD UP THE NECESSARY MONEY TO BEGIN TO PAY THE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS TO RETIREES. THIS WILL NECESSITATE THE CHANGING OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE. THE PLAN APPEARS TO BE WORKABLE BUT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FINE TUNE CERTAIN BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE BENEFIT. IF THE ENHANCED COLA IS PASSED, IT WILL HELP ALL RETIREES PAY FOR THEIR HEALTH CARE COSTS. MORE INFO AS IT BECOME AVAILABLE.
NEXT, WE HAD SEVERAL CHANGES TO OUR BY-LAWS. THE MAJOR CHANGES WERE TO OUR "DUES" AND TO ALLOWING ALL MEMBERS THE RIGHT TO VOTE, NOT JUST THOSE PRESENT AT THE MEETINGS. UNDER THE DUES SECTION, THEY WERE RAISED FROM $2.00 A MONTH TO $5.00 A MONTH. TO THOSE MEMBERS WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE $60.00 PER YEAR IN DUES, WE WILL ACCEPT YOUR $24.00 PER YEAR WITHOUT AFFECTING YOUR MEMBERSHIP. THIS CHANGE WAS PASSED BY THOSE MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED THE MEETING. THE NEXT CHANGE WAS RELATED TO MEMBERSHIP VOTING. ON ALL FUTURE VOTES ON ISSUES BEFORE THE ASSOCIATION AND THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS, ALL MEMBERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE. A BALLOT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NEWSLETTER SO THAT EVERYONE CAN MARK THEIR BALLOT AND SEND THEM IN TO BE COUNTED. THE ISSUE IN QUESTION WILL BE ON THE BALLOT. MEMBERS WILL HAVE TO MARK THEM TO ACCEPT OR REJECT AND MAIL THE BALLOT BACK TO US. THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE WILL ALSO BE LISTED SO THAT YOU CAN VOTE ON THE OFFICERS. ALL MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO NOMINATE A MEMBER FOR ASSOCIATION OFFICES. MEMBERS WHO ARE IN TOWN WILL BE ABLE TO SECURE AN ABSENTEE BALLOT SO THAT THEY CAN VOTE IF THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING. WE WILL STREAMLINE THE PROCEEDURE AND WILL POST THESE CHANGES IN THE NEXT NEWSLETTER IN OCTOBER. THERE WERE A FEW SMALL VERBAGE CHANGES THAT CLEAR UP THE WAY THE BY-LAWS READ. NEXT, WE HAD THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS. J.R. HUDSON WAS RE-ELECTED AS TREASURER. TOMMY DEPOLIS WAS ELECTED AS A VICE PRESIDENT FROM POLICE AND BOBBY VALDES WAS ELECTED AS A VICE PRESIDENT FROM FIRE. I WAS RE-ELECTED AS PRESIDENT FOR ANOTHER 2 YEAR TERM. WE DID NOT HAVE A CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY. I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER TO SERVE AS SECRETARY. GEORGE DRAGNEFF, RETIRED POLICE, VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE ONE LAST ISSSUE TO RESOLVE RELATED TO OUR DECLARATORY ACTION. THE MOTION FOR SANCTIONS IS STILL PENDING. THE ASSOCIATION AND ATTORNEY FRED CARRINGTON HAS MADE AN OFFER TO SETTLE WITH THE TRUSTEES. WE OFFERED TO SETTLE FOR $5,000.00. THE ASSOCIATION PAYS HALF AND THE ATTORNEY PAYS HALF. THE TRUSTEES WILL CONSIDER OUR OFFER TO SETTLE AT A SPECIAL MEETING ON AUGUST 14TH.. HOPEFULLY THE OFFER WILL BE ACCEPTED AND OUR DEC ACTION WILL FINALLY BE AT AN END. OUR ASSOCIATION WILL BE BUSY THIS ELECTION SEASON AS WE HELP ELECT THOSE POLITICIANS WHO WE SUPPORT. THESE ELECTIONS COST MONEY AND TAKE OUR TIME. WE WILL BE ASKING MEMBERS TO DONATE THEIR TIME IN HELPING ELECT THOSE THE ASSOCIATION FAVORS. WE HAVE MUCH TO DO IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS. WILL KEEP ALL POSTED AS WE CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL RETIREES. UNTIL THEN
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