City of San Diego Retired Employees Association

November 9, 2021

General Meeting Minutes

Meeting held via Zoom

President Dick Wilken explained that a City-sponsored event pre-empted our use of the War Memorial Building, but that our January meeting will be in-person, barring any new restrictions due to an upsurge in COVID cases. Attendees will be required to provide proof of vaccination; masks will be optional.

He also reminded members that we will be holding our annual Holiday Party at the Bali Hai on December 14; again, proof of vaccination will be required.

The Nominating Committee developed a slate of candidates for the Board of Directors, all of them incumbents: President – Dick Wilken; Vice-President for Programs – Dave Twomey; Vice-President for Advocacy – Mike Bresnahan; Directors – Mary Ann Stepnowsky and Chris Brewster. There were no nominations from the floor. The slate was approved by show of hands/voice, with no opposition.

Cynthia Queen of SDCERS announced that both the Annual Supplemental Benefit check and the Corbett check were approved. She also informed members that there are two Active Member positions open on the SDCERS Board and the election to fill those seats is underway.

Gregg Rademacher of SDCERS informed members that SDCERS’ lease is running out but that the new owner of the building made a great offer on a ten-year lease on a different floor that will have to be reconfigured. The move to the new office space will probably occur in mid-2022.

PROGRAM

The program was our annual visit from Dr. Carl Luna, whose presentation was “The Fragility of Democracy.” He noted that red states are getting redder and blue states are getting bluer; non-partisan voters are increasingly moving both left and right; and that there is a real urban/rural split in the country. He pointed out that the current battle isn’t over policy, but making sure that the demonized “other” doesn’t win. Dr. Luna also pointed out that the calls to return to the values of the 1950s are being made by people who are too young to have experienced that decade. He ended with a suggestion that perhaps REA could partner with another local organization to help prevent the national level of incivility from occurring in San Diego politics.