February 2017 Spotlight

The Board of Governors met on Feb. 24-25, 2017, at SEANC Headquarters in Raleigh to discuss business important to state employees and retirees. Here are the highlights from the meeting.

Highlights Audit Results for 2015 and 2016 SEANC’s financial reforms received a vote of confidence as a representative from Rives & Associates reported findings from the recently completed 2015 and 2016 audits.

The firm gave SEANC’s finances a qualified opinion for 2015 and an unmodified opinion for 2016, the highest possible opinion an audit can receive.

Because of the recent fraud case, Rives & Associates assessed our risk level as “high” and poured a substantial amount of work into the audits. The representative said the audits were “a lot more in-depth” than a normal review.

The auditors reported they found no problems with cooperation from the current management team, and the controls the organization currently has in place were strong.

District 47 to merge into District 42 Effective April 1, District 47 will disband and its members will move to District 42. This comes after a request from District 47 members due to low participation.

Both districts voted in favor of the merger. Members from District 47 will be notified of the change in writing.

Cooper considering new Executive Order on convention leave Executive Director Mitch Leonard and staff met with Gov. Roy Cooper and his senior staff recently to discuss a new Executive Order pertaining to SEANC access and member leave time for convention.

Former Gov. Pat McCrory issued an Executive Order in December 2015 that took away SEANC members’ ability to use administrative leave for convention, among other problems.

SEANC has sent over a draft of an executive order for Cooper to consider. Access to all state facilities and administrative leave for convention with additional days for

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officers and board members were included in the request. We hope to have a final draft of the governor’s proposed Executive Order shortly.

Hurricane Matthew relief funds available SEANC is still seeking members in need from Hurricane Matthew. On top of more than $10,000 in donations from individual members and districts, SEANC has received more than $11,000 from other locals in Service Employees International Union.

Finding members to give the funds to has been more difficult. Some of those in the most need have been displaced and are hard to track down. If you or someone you know were affected by Hurricane Matthew and need help, let us know by filling out an application (click here to access it online). All applications must be filled out

BY THE PERSON REQUESTING ASSISTANCE ONLY. The SEANC Connections Committee, consisting entirely of members, will evaluate the requests and hand out assistance as it sees fit.

Lobby day set for March 29 All members are invited to take part in a lobby day effort at the N.C. General Assembly on March 29. Members who attend will lobby legislators for better pay, health care and retirement benefits at a crucial time in the state budget process.

SEANC launches Engage program SEANC has launched a new website and online initiative aimed at increasing member involvement and education. Visit engage.seanc.org to stay informed on the latest news out of SEANC, state government, the N.C. General Assembly and more.

Members can also use the site to easily find their legislators and take action by contacting them by phone or email.

But the most exciting part of Engage is its outreach features. When a pressing issue like payroll deduction rights or pay raises come up at the General Assembly, we will be able to mobilize our members quickly and easily. We can send alerts by email that will include links to allow members to send emails to their legislators with a click of the button. The messages can even be pre-written.

Guest Speakers

Civil Rights Lamont Goins, the Civil Rights Director for the N.C. Office of Administrative Hearings, spoke to the board on the need for state employees to consider bringing discrimination claims to his office rather than the federal government, which deals with thousands of cases in its Raleigh office alone. Employees will get better service and a quicker resolution by coming to his office.

He also asked SEANC to consider passing a policy platform objective to require state agencies to make employees aware of the function of his department within OAH, so they know their rights and where they need to go with problems.

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Tom Campbell N.C. Spin host Tom Campbell spoke to the board on SEANC’s role in state politics.

He said we are in for many court battles between the Republican-controlled legislature and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

He said a storm is brewing over what to do with surplus revenue. The legislature is set on lowering taxes again, but with that will come budget cuts and, inevitably state employee job cuts. SEANC needs to be at the forefront of fighting for pay raises now more than ever. It’s past time, he said, to pay state employees a livable wage.

People are leaving state government because of non-competitive pay and benefits.

Another issue he sees is the unfunded liabilities with retirement and health care funds. We need to be adamant that we cannot balance those liabilities on the backs of state employees who are already suffering. It’s going to take the best and brightest in the state to solve these problems, and SEANC must have a seat at the table.

Reports

Treasurer’s Report General Treasurer Chevella Thomas reported that SEANC’s finances for the 2017-18 fiscal year remain on track.

President’s Report President Stanley Drewery focused on increasing participation in his report. He asked the district chairpersons to consider getting new people involved in meetings and convention.

He said many folks are “members just to be members.” They are not active. He recalled when he started in the 1980s people seemed more enthusiastic about the organization and wanting to get involved. He strives to return to that.

He promised that this year’s convention would “get back to like it used to be,” and challenged each district to bring at least two new members.

Executive Director’s Report Executive Director Mitch Leonard opened his report by reviewing meetings he recently has had with state political leaders on both sides of the aisle. He, along with Ardis Watkins and Chuck Stone, had a lengthy, productive meeting with Gov. Roy Cooper earlier this month. Along with the executive order highlighted above, the group also discussed a communication plan for working with the Governor’s Office and departments and agencies, pay increases and cost-of-living adjustments and improving benefits.

Leonard and staff also met with the new Director of the Office of State Human Resources Barbara Gibson. He hopes to meet with all the cabinet secretaries once they are all in place.

Leonard has also had several meetings with State Treasurer Dale Folwell to discuss a range of topics dealing with the retirement system and the State Health Plan.

Leonard also attended SEIU meetings in Chicago and Washington, D.C., recently.

First VP Gloria Evans accompanied him on the trip to Chicago, which was a

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convening of locals to discuss the resolution passed by the SEIU Convention to establish or re-establish the SEIU retiree program. The Washington meeting was an International Executive Board meeting the day after the inauguration.

He and the lobbying team are also meeting with legislative leaders often to discuss salary increases, retiree COLAs and funding for pension and health care programs as the Senate begins work on its version of the state budget.

He also asked that members continue to move to Alternative Payment Options.

An additional training for enrollers will be held March 21. Recruitment work in local government is underway and recruitment blitzes are in the planning stages now.

SEANC has also hired two part-time Member Relations Retiree Representatives Benny Brigman in the east and Dennis Hartley in the piedmont and west. Their job is to recruit retirees, keep them informed and help districts plan retiree forums.

SEANC’s IT Specialist Cole Smith came in to discuss email problems some members of the board have been having recently. The assessment of SEANC’s IT needs is currently under way, and the AV upgrade for the conference rooms is complete.

A Human Resources Director position has been posted, and he hopes to fill it by April 1.

Convention Update Meetings and Convention Planner Alicia Miller asked BOG members to please turn in their information for annual meetings as soon as possible.

Convention planning is under way. She plans to make a full report to the BOG in May. This year, we will do registration individually rather than as a full district. We will have a website where members can register for trainings, and desks will be set up in the lobby of the hotel Wednesday-Friday so members can pick up their bags, nametags and convention packets on their own.

Recruiting The Member Relations Department made a presentation on the best ways to recruit and retain members as the organization faces difficult times ahead.

Challenges facing SEANC include the coming dues increase, payroll deduction threats, politics, low pay for employees and more.

Topics included lobbying efforts, EMPAC, using discounts and the PerksConnect mobile app to “make up” the dues increase, Purchasing Power, insurance plans, scholarship and district involvement.

Awards Chairwoman Janice Bass reported that there are no major changes to Member of the Year, Distinguished Service and District Chair of the Year awards criteria. The committee has restructured the criteria for District of the Year to emphasize membership requirements. Awards submissions are due July 21 and scoring will occur on Aug 3.

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Audit Chairman Keith Renner reported that there are two openings on the committee.

The committee has completed creation of audit procedures to add to the operations manual.

He recommended that all chairpersons get financial report each month so they know what is going on, and handed out an audit checklist for each district to follow.

The committee is planning to propose a bylaws change for convention. It has completed audits on Districts 18, 62 and 68. District 68 had the first fully clean audit the committee has found.

Bylaws Director of Operations Chuck Stone reported that a meeting planned for Thursday was cancelled because of illness of Chairman Jimmy Davis. Stone asked all districts to send in their district bylaws as required by the SEANC bylaws. He also discussed district officer bonding, and recommended bonding $50k per officer and covering the whole fiscal year.

Connections In addition to Hurricane Matthew relief efforts (highlighted above), Chairwoman Linda Rouse Sutton reported on possible other purposes for the committee, including helping members with caring for the elderly, retirement planning, social security, legal documents and more.

EMPAC Chairman Tony Smith reported that the EMPAC Statewide Committee met on Jan. 21 to review the 2016 election, where EMPAC had an 85-90 percent win rate, and look to the future. Gloria Upperman was elected Vice Chairwoman.

EMPAC has selected an auditing firm for its upcoming audit.

At the time of the EMPAC meeting, it looked like there might be another election in 2017 because of a court order to redraw legislative districts. Now, though, that seems unlikely, which is good, Smith said, because it gives EMPAC a chance to rebuild and replenish its resources. He’s hoping EMPAC can raise $1 million by the next election and encouraged all BOG members to donate.

He encouraged all members to get involved in grassroots lobbying. EMPAC’s next meeting is April 29 at 10 a.m.

Emerging Leaders Vice Chairwoman Laranda Boone reported that the committee is developing trainings and seminars aimed at younger members along with new delegate training, meet and greet sessions, a luncheon and possibly a mentoring program at this year’s convention as a way to involve a new generation of leaders for the association in keeping with President Drewery’s goals. The committee will meet again on May 6.

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Executive Director Search Committee Chairwoman Martha Fowler reported that the committee met in November and January and is currently getting background information together on the position.

Fight for $15 Chairman Wendell Powell told the board that 1-in-3 state employees currently do not make $31k – the equivalent of $15 per hour. This is not enough to make ends meet, and many have to work 2-3 jobs. With that in mind, the committee has started an effort to get membership on board with Fight for $15 for public employees.

SEANC will focus only on state and local government employees and will not take up the fast food worker demonstrations.

The end goal is to pass legislation to get $2,400 pay raise over each of the next three years for all employees, thus raising all employees above that threshold. If you would like to be involved, please send an email to Ff15@seanc.org

Insurance Board of Trustees Chairwoman Janice Smith reported that the board met with Doug Sutton and Boston Mutual recently to discuss and review marketing information for the Boston Mutual life insurance plan offered by SEANC. The board asked the BOG in November to allow it to produce one of the ads on N.C. Spin for insurance, but has decided to defer that effort until after the legislative session.

United HealthCare Dental has distributed all of its membership cards.

The board is now reviewing all of its products to see if they provide good value (at the request of President Drewery), particularly the auto and home packages.

The board’s next meeting is April 20.

Membership Chairman Ron Fields reported that Districts 1, 19, 25, 21, 26, 41, 40, 58, 59 and 70 are “in the positive” in recruiting for the year, having recruited more members than they have lost.

District 58 won the challenge for recruiting the most new members since the last BOG meeting. Sherry Cherry of District 58 won the new recruiter drawing.

The incentive program paying recruiters $5 for every new member is still in effect, and the department has new materials reflecting the dues increase available.

Member Discount Chairman Dennis Hartley reported that a contest to win a trip to Carowinds has begun and runs through May 20. The member who recruits the most new businesses will win the trip. There will also be a contest in May. And remember, for every five businesses recruited, members get $25.

Public Relations Committee Chairwoman Hiawatha Jones reported on preparations for a lobby day on March 29 in which all members are invited to attend. The main focuses of the lobby day will be the budget, cost-of-living adjustments and health care.

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Policy Platform Chairman Jim Pressley reported that his committee has started working on plans for the policy platform. He hopes to have a social media campaign to spark interest in policy platform ahead of annual meetings. He asked all BOG members to turn in the names of Policy Platform Chairpersons for their district. His committee is also hoping to revise all of the Policy Platform so it is consistent and easy to use.

Planning First Vice President Gloria Evans went over the members of the committee and said its first meeting would be Thursday, May 18, a day before the May BOG meeting.

Scholarship Vice Chairwoman Sherry McFeaters reminded BOG members to pick up their raffle tickets at the meeting. She also said that the board has two vacancies in need of filling – one each in the Piedmont and North Central regions.

Retiree Council Chairman Benny Brigman reported that the council met on Feb. 8 and heard from several guest speakers including State Treasurer Dale Folwell.

Brigman encouraged the districts to consider holding retiree forums. He called on Government Relations Director Ardis Watkins to discuss the retirement system and retiree health care, as well as the possibility of a cost-of-living adjustment this year.

The council has scheduled a lobby day on May 3 to coincide with its meeting the next day.

Standards Review Chairwoman Tara Minter reported that the committee met in January and is in the process of looking at changes to the operations manual. Each member is tasked with reviewing a section. She asked the board to postpone approving the manual changes, and the motion passed.

Training Carolyn Sutton reported that the committee met on January 18. Currently it is studying SEANC’s trainings, especially the District Officer Training. The committee is considering changing that training back to a single event, and is looking for venues that can hold the whole group.

Announcements • Stanley Drewery announced that he will seek re-election as President.

• Gloria Evans announced that she will seek re-election as First Vice President • Darius McLaurin announced that he will seek re-election as Second Vice President • Chevella Thomas announced that she will seek re-election as Treasurer

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Votes PASSED – A motion to approve the BOG minutes from the November 2016 BOG meeting.

PASSED – A motion to direct the SEANC office to investigate an umbrella policy for bonding for all districts.

PASSED – A motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented.

PASSED – A motion to accept the 2015 & 2016 Audit Report completed by Rives & Associates.

PASSED – A motion to postpone the adoption of the SEANC Operations Manual until the May BOG meeting.

PASSED – A motion to approve the merger of District 47 into District 42 to become effective April 1, 2017.

Next meeting: May 19-20, 2017

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