City of San Diego Retired Employees Association
August 8, 2017
General Meeting Minutes

The minutes for the July 2017 meeting and the July Treasurer’s Report were approved. Charlie Hogquist, our representative on the SDCERS Board, reported that the City paid its full contribution of $369 million on July 3. The retirement fund is $7.8 billion.

Cynthia Queen of SDCERS announced that Valentine S. Hoy is the new President of the Board; he is very good at representing retirees and active members.

Advocacy Vice- President Mike Bresnahan announced that the new insurance options resulted in over 60 new members joining REA; our membership is now over 1500 for the first time. He also announced that Board member Joan McNamara is coordinating some fun, low-cost outings for REA members. First up will be a behind-the-scenes (literally) tour of the Old Globe on November 13; more details will be announced. (Editor’s note: SEE BELOW for some DETAILS)

President Jim Baross announced that all current Board members whose terms are about to expire have agreed to continue their service; nevertheless, the Nominating Committee is still looking for other candidates.

PROGRAM

Our speaker was City Attorney Mara Elliott. She stated that she ran for office in November as a career civil attorney, not as a politician, and intends to keep politics out of her office; she will advise the City Council, not make policy. She is bringing the Family Justice Center back to the City Attorney’s office after several years at the Police Department, and is focusing on providing ways to keep people out of a lifetime in the criminal justice system. She has increased staff in her Domestic Violence Unit, and is taking a regional approach (along with the District Attorney and law enforcement agencies) to dealing with domestic violence. Elliott said she and her staff also go to community meetings to hear directly from residents about their concerns and issues. While offering no opinion about the merits of Prop B and the lawsuits it has spawned, she said that the California Supreme Court’s acceptance of the appeal is significant as they only accept 5% of the cases brought to them. She also briefly touched on the issues of homelessness, short-term vacation rentals, keeping firearms from people with dementia, and the proposed Soccer City development.

In November: Social and Educational EVENT!
Organized by Joan McNamara
Balboa Park’s Old Globe Theater Behind the Scenes Tour

Discover how the magic is created with a Behind the Scenes tour of The Old Globe including a backstage look at the Globe’s theatres. REA has arranged for a private 90-minute tour for our members on Monday, November 13, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. The cost is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students and seniors 65 or older. Learn how the spectacular costumes are built; how the Scene Shop can make simple plywood look like fine drawing room paneling or an old barn; and how they built impressive sets to look like a stone castle, the “Grinch” storybook scenes by Dr. Seuss, or a remote island surrounded by water. Learn about the simulated food, statues, puppets and elaborate, fanciful headgear created by the Properties Department. In addition, you’ll learn something informative about each of the current plays running, whether it’s a well loved classic, a contemporary Tony Award-winning play, or an exciting new musical. Details on signing up for the tour will be provided in our October newsletter.

Hope you join REA at the Globe on November 13th. Save the date!