City of San Diego Retired Employees Association
January 14, 2020
Board Meeting Minutes
NOTE: All votes were unanimous unless otherwise noted
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Jim Baross at 9:30am.
Board Members Present: Jim Baross, Mike Bresnahan, Karen Butler, Shirley Hall, Charlie Hogquist, Brad Jacobsen, Joan McNamara, Mary Ann Stepnowsky, John Tsiknas, Dave Twomey, Dick Wilken, and Janet Wood
Guests Present: Chris Brewster, Joe Flynn
AGENDA: There were no additions or changes to the agenda.
MINUTES: The minutes of the November 2019 Board meeting were approved.
COMMUNICATIONS: Ty Rogers notified Jim that he is resigning his position as REA/MEA liaison; Jim will ask him if this means that he is also resigning from the REA Board. Michael Zucchet will be contacted about finding a replacement liaison.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Karen presented a combined December 2019 report and the 2020 proposed budget. There was a discrepancy in the 2020 budget between what was being collected in dues vs what amount was going to the Legal Fund.
The proposed 2020 budget does not show a zero balance; adjustments to Advocacy, Newsletter Mailing, and Fees/permits were suggested
M/S/C to defer acceptance of the December Treasurer’s Report and the 2020 Budget until the February Board meeting.
John reported that our investments had another good month. However, our funding ratio is now 4% out of balance. We will adjust this when the funding ratio 5% out of balance.
M/S/C to accept the Investment Committee Report.
RETIREMENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVE’S REPORT
Charlie reported that there will be a SDCERS Board retreat in preparation for the March meeting. He informed the Board that there are only 5757 current City employees in SDCERS
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
1) Brad is unable to attend the General meeting; Mary Ann volunteered to take minutes/notes.
INFORMATION ITEMS:
1) Dave reported that he is still looking at opportunities for REA to participate in events that will raise a positive profile of retired public employees in the general public. The 15th annual “Restoring Respect” program will be in early April with Cindy McCain as guest speaker; we have seven people already signed up as volunteers for the event. Other possible projects are Vince Hall’s “Feed San Diego” that delivers meals to schoolchildren during summer break, and the League of Women Voters’ celebration of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in August.
Facilitator Trudy Sopp and PR consultant Denise Price will help the Advocacy Committee focus on goals at the committee’s January 23 meeting.
2) Joan McNamara reported that the next REA outing will be a rehearsal of the San Diego Symphony on February 21.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Advocacy: The next Advocacy Committee meeting will be January 23 at the Mission Valley Library. It will feature the second workshop with Trudy Sopp.
Retiree Issues Task Force (RITF): Chris Brewster gave an update on the various court cases about the California Rule that are moving through the legal system. The case with the most interest for us is Alameda, which the California Supreme Court wants to hear and which would uphold the California Rule.
Retirement Security Roundtable: No report.
Other Retired Public Employee Associations: No report.
Active Employee Associations: No report.
Membership: Membership is 1617.
Sunshine: No report.
Newsletter: Deadline for the next issue is January 20 or earlier.
Website: No report.
General Membership Programs: There are some communication/commitment problems with the proposed February speaker. Dave and others are looking into resolving this problem or finding and alternate speaker.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:35am.
Respectfully submitted,
Brad Jacobsen
Secretary