A bulletin distributed after each Board of Governors’ meeting for use in district newsletters, websites and meetings. For more information, contact the SEANC Communications/PR Department at 800-222-2758 or 919833-6436. The Spotlight can be found on the SEANC website, www.seanc.org, under “News/Publications.”
TheBoardofGovernors(BOG)metonOct.28-29,2011,todiscussbusinessimportantto stateemployeesandretirees.
Officer Candidate Announcements:
ThefollowingmembersannouncedtheirintentiontorunforSEANCofficeforthe20122013year:
SandraJohnsonofDistrict44forSecondVicePresident JimmieHortonofDistrict63forTreasurer
Regional Representative Election:
TheSouthCentralRegionalRepresentativestotheExecutiveCommitteewereelectedby theirpeersattheBOGmeeting.ThenewrepresentativesareDistrict39ChairmanArt AnthonyandthealternatewillbeDistrict62ChairmanLewisSasser.
Treasurer’s Report:
MarilynJeanMartinreportedthatSEANC’sfinancesaredoingextremelywell.Staffwas conservativewiththeSEANCbudgetandbeatbudgetprojectionsby9percentwith $303,000unspentand$2millionincashonhandattheendofthefiscalyearonSept.30. ThisisthethirdyearinarowthatstaffhasmetallSEANCobligationsunderbudget.
AsofOct.31,thebalanceontheSEANCCentralOfficebuildingis$307,000andthe associationisprojectedtomakeitslastmortgagepaymenton1621MidtownPlacein January2013.
Special Visitors from SEIU International:
SEIUInternationalPresidentMaryKayHenryspoketotheboardaboutherthreepriorities inthecampaignto“FightforaFairEconomy.”
1.Goodjobsnow
2.Nomorecuts(toMedicaid,MedicareorSocialSecurity)
3.Everyonemustpaytheirfairshare
TheSEIUcampaignto“FightforaFairEconomy”isechoingtheseprioritiesatthenational level,muchliketheSEANC“TakePrideinCarolina”campaignearlierthisyear.Asan advocateforqualitypublicservicessheasked,“Whatdoesitmeantohaveacommongood inthiscountry?Goodmeansthatweareourbrother’skeeper.”
HenryaskedboardmemberstoidentifytheirchiefconcernssothatSEIUInternationalcan beofassistance.Boardmembersrespondedwithtwokeyareas:
1. Fightprivatizationofprisons
2. PreserveSPAprotectionsforuniversityemployees
EileenKirlin,InternationalExecutiveVicePresidentforthePublicServicesDivision,was presentatthemeetingandpledgedtofightforbothoftheseconcernsnationally.
Henryalsopointedoutthatdifferentlocalsaroundthenationaredecidingwhetherthey willendorsePres.BarackObamainthe2012election.SheacknowledgedthatSEANChas decidedtoremainneutralinpresidentialpolitics,asisstandardintheassociation’shistory.
Briefing from State Treasurer Janet Cowell:
StateTreasurerJanetCowelladdressedtheboardwithupdatesabouttheretirement systemandtheStateHealthPlan(SHP).TreasurerCowellfeelsgoodaboutthenew governancestructureofSHPwithaboardoftrusteesconsistingofeightmembers–four stateemployeesandfourexperts. Thisboardwillhaveoversightofcontracts.Cowellwill serveontheboardbutwillonlyvoteininstanceswhereatie-breakerisneeded.Theboard members’termswillbegininJanuary.District22ChairwomanMicheleShawwillserveon theSHPboardoftrustees.
CowellaskedtheBOGforinputtopassalongtothenewtrusteesandnotedthatshewill embarkonalisteningtourabouttheSHPinNovemberandDecember.SEANCExecutive DirectorDanaCopesuggestedthattheSHPboardfocusonthedesignandprioritiesofthe planitself.BOGmembersaskedCowellforarankingofhowNorthCarolina’sSHPcompares toothersacrossthecounty.BOGmembersalsoaskedfortheboardtogoafter overpaymentsmoreaggressivelyandconsidertransitioningtheSHPtoacalendaryear structure
AfterremarksfromCowellandShaw,SEANCPresidentCharlesJohnsonsaid,“Weare encouragedandwewilldoeverythingtosupporttheStateHealthPlan.”
Executive Director’s
Report
:
ExecutiveDirectorDanaCopereportedthatstategovernmentadded2,600jobstothe SeptemberpayrollaccordingtoarecentWRALreport,ashiringmanagerswereallowedto fillvacancies Unfortunately,newsfornextyear’sstatebudgetisnotgood.Already,the stateMedicaidfundingis$200million-$300millionintheholeandtheeconomyisnot expectedtoimproveinthenearfuture.
Asaresult,SEANCwillfocusonthestatebudgetandinevitablecutsthatwillcomefromthe Congressionalsupercommitteetacklingthefederaldeficit.Theresultinourstateislikely
tobelessmoneyforgovernmentprograms,butacontinuedmandatetoprovidethose services(ex.Medicaid).CopetoldtheBOG,“Nowisthetimetogetintheboatandrow togetherandfocusonthethingsthatreallymatter:whatcomesoutofthelegislatureand theoutcomesoftheelection.”
Convention update: Copereportedthatconventionevaluationswerepositive.Directorof Communications/PublicRelationsToniDavisprovidedanoverviewonthe2011-2015 contractwiththeKouryConventionCenterasitwasvotedonbytheBOGonSept.9,2009 Roomratesin2012willbe$130plus13.75percentstateandlocaltaxesandnooneis requiredtopurchasebuffettickets.
Lawsuit against employee dismissed: InJuly,theBOGapproved$5,000infinancial assistancetoaidthelawsuitofDistrict42memberJosephVincoli.Thememberwasbeing suedbyN.C.BaptistHospitalforblowingthewhistleonBlueCrossandBlueShieldofNorth Carolina’soverpaymentstotheSHP.OnOct.28,theWinston-SalemJournalreportedthat BaptistHospitaldroppeditslawsuitagainstVincoliafterastateauditor’sreportconfirmed Vincoli’scomplaintswerevalid.
Member Discount Committee:
ChairwomanJanetBunchreportedthatthecommitteerecruited21businessessinceAug.1. Forafulllistofdiscounts,visittheSEANCwebsiteandlogintothemember-onlysection
Member Strength Committee:
ChairwomanAngelaLyghtreportedthatthecommittee’sgoalistohave4,860ofour 55,000membersattendamemberstrengtheventthisyear(ex.training,conference, GeneralAssemblylobbyday,etc.).
LyghtalsoreportedthatMemberStrengthTEAMtrainingwilltakeplaceFeb.1-3atthe GreatWolfLodgeinConcord,withagoalofcontinuingtoconnectSEANC’spassionsto actionwithintensiveleadershipdevelopmenttraining.PresidentJohnsonsetagoalof300 memberstoattend.
Districtswillpay$100perperson,doubleoccupancy,tosendmemberstotheconference. Districtswillberequiredtopayformealsandtravelcoststoandfromthetraining.
Insurance Board of Trustees:
ChairwomanPamHaileyreportedthatthevacancyontheboardfromthePiedmontregion hasnowbeenfilledbyDistrict19memberMarthaFowler.
SheinformedtheBOGofarateincreaseforMetLifedentalinsuranceeffectiveJan.1,2012. Themonthlypremiumswillincrease17percentforthehighoptionplanand7percentfor thelowoptionplan.Haileycitedlowparticipationbuthighusageasamajorfactorinthe costincrease.Despitethecostincrease,theplanisdescribedasaCadillacplanwitha $3,000benefitwhenmostplanshavea$1,250benefit.
Membership Committee:
ChairmanSpillmanGricekickedoffasave-the-datemembershipchallengeinOctoberwith 30districtsparticipating Over225membersjoinedat30events–soabigthankyougoes outtothedistrictsthatparticipated.District70memberDouglasWilsonwon$100for recruiting30newmemberssinceconvention.Gricereportedthat14districtshavestarted offtheyearwithmoremembersgainedthanlost.Thosedistrictsareasfollows:2,6,16,20, 22,24,25,27,47,57,63,66,68and69
Policy Platform/Personnel Benefits Committee:
MembersassignedtothePolicyPlatformcommitteearebeingaskedtoadvisethe associationinadualcapacitybyservingasthePersonnelBenefitscommittee.APersonnel BenefitsCommitteewillberesponsibleformakingrecommendationstoSEANCabout personnelbenefits.Thiswasvotedonatconventionbutnofundshavebeenprovidedfor thecommittee.
Retiree Council:
ChairmanBobHopperrecommendedmovingtheSHPtoacalendaryearstructurein2013, inanefforttoassistMedicare-eligibleretirees.Thereiscurrentlya$63millionsurplusof incomeintheTeachers’andStateEmployees’RetirementSystemandHopperadvocated thatitbeusedforaretireecostoflivingadjustment.Theboardvotedtoapprovebothof theseideas(seevotes).
Scholarship Foundation Board:
ChairmanGeorgeThiessenreportedthattheboardmetearlierintheweekandpasseda budgettoaward36scholarshipstotaling$30,000. Scholarshiprequirementshavechanged thisyearandthenewformsandscoringsheetswillbedistributedelectronicallywhenthey becomeavailable.
Thiessenalsoreportedthatthescholarshipboardisrafflingasetofgolfclubsat$1per ticket.Ticketsweredistributedtodistrictchairpersonsandmustbereturnedwithmoney totheFebruaryBOGmeetingforachancetowin.ThedrawingwillbeheldattheFebruary BOGmeeting
EMPAC:
ChairmanWayneFishreiteratedthatEMPAChassetagoaltoraiseatleast$1millionfor thenextelection.Thusfar,$311,561isinthebankandatotalof$800,000isprojectedto beraisedbytheelection.
Important Dates:
Dec. 3 – EMPACareainterviewtrainingfor2012elections,openinguptoalldistrictsand allchairpersonsat10a.m.
Feb. 1-3 – MemberStrengthTEAMtraining,GreatWolfLodgeinConcord
Other Updates:
PresidentJohnsonannouncedthatthebylawsadvisorycommitteewouldleadthedelegate selectionproceduresforthenextSEIUconventiontobeheldinMayinDenver,Colo.
District44ChairwomanSandraJohnsonreportedthatherdistrictisparticipatingin fundraisingfortheRacefortheCuretobenefitbreastcancerresearch.Donationsare requestedtohostatentattheRaleighracenextyear.Formoreinformation,emailSandra atsjohnsonlemonseancd44@aol.com.
VOTES:
PASSED – amotiontosupportthemovementoftheSHPtoacalendaryearstructurein 2013,inanefforttoassistMedicare-eligibleretirees
PASSED – amotiontosupportan8.33percentemployercontributionforthestate retirementsystemfor2012-2013,whichwouldresultina1.9percentcostofliving adjustmentforretirees
PASSED – amotiontoaccepttheMetLifedentalrateincrease
PASSED – fundingof$54,000topurchaseanofficescanningsystem
PASSED – transfer$67,000fromreserveaccountforMemberStrengthTrainingFeb.1-3
FAILED – amotiontorestrictstaffinvolvementinelectionsandappointments
The next BOG meeting will take place Feb. 17-18 at the SEANC Central Office in Raleigh.