February Spotlight 2018

The Board of Governors met on Feb. 23-24, 2018, at SEANC Headquarters in Raleigh to discuss business important to state employees and retirees. These are the highlights from the meeting.

Highlights Annual Convention to remain in Greensboro The board approved a motion to direct staff to enter negotiations with Sheraton Koury Convention Center on a new three-year contract to keep the annual SEANC Convention in Greensboro. Though there are security concerns at the hotel, board members cited the fact that it is the only venue in North Carolina that can house the entire convention under one roof as the basis for the decision.

Leadership training announced SEANC will offer leadership training on April 18-20 at Camp Caraway in Sophia, N.C. Districts are encouraged to send at least one person who they have identified as a leader. The cost to the district is $50 per attendee, and an additional $25 if the member would like a single room.

Registration ends March 29. Please send names to Tiffany Woodard at twoodard@seanc.org as soon as possible.

EMPAC launches website for donations EMPAC has launched an easy and secure way for members to make an initial investment or increase their monthly investment. Visit empac.seanc.org to invest in EMPAC today!

Reports Executive Director’s Report Executive Director Robert Broome thanked the members and staff for working hard to ensure a smooth transition after he joined the staff on Jan. 1.

Broome outlined four goals for his first 90 days on the job: ● Develop relationships and gain insight into the organization’s culture ● Build credibility with members and staff ● Climb the organizational learning curve

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● Identify any policies and practices that could lead to vicious cycles, and begin retooling them to create virtuous cycles.

To those ends, he met with staff from each department and members of the Executive Committee to ask three questions: What should we start doing, what should we keep doing, and what should we stop doing?

Broome has already visited several district meetings and plans to visit many more in the coming months.

There have been a few staffing changes. Broome asked Mitch Leonard to stay on as acting Director of Operations until his contract expires in March. Tiffany Woodard was promoted to Executive Assistant/Meetings and Convention Planner.

Two temporary positions were converted to full-time status. They are Human Resources Director Tracy Herron and Accounting Specialist Felicia Grimes.

Broome attended SEIU’s International Executive Board meeting in Miami in January, but was not allowed to assume SEANC’s position on the board because of a misinterpretation by SEIU of our contract. That issue has now been resolved, and he has been seated as a voting member.

Broome reported that 852 new members have signed up since the last BOG meeting, but we have lost more than 1,100 members in that same time. He encouraged board members do everything possible to assist the Member Relations staff with recruitment and retention efforts in their districts.

President’s Report At the November board meeting, President Stanley Drewery challenged every chairperson to visit every agency in their district this year. He started his report by asking for volunteers to tell where they have visited in the last three months.

Chairpersons highlighted trips to agencies at Christmas, blitzes, returns to agencies that had been closed to SEANC in recent years, efforts to get new members involved and more.

Drewery was encouraged by the responses, but asked board members to keep working hard. Along with that, he requested that they ask more of the members who are active in their districts as well, saying “I’d rather have 400 people at convention who want to be there than 300 more that don’t care.”

He called on Retiree Council Chairman Benny Brigman, who showed off a quilt hand-stitched in honor of Sgt. Meggan Callahan by Stephanie Dees of Naples, Fla. Brigman met Dees by chance at the hotel during the last board meeting and shared Callahan’s story with her. She is a quilter and decided to make the quilt on her own and would not take payment. The board decided to send her a plaque recognizing her efforts. Brigman presented the quilt to Meggan’s parents as a gift from Dees and SEANC. Drewery finished by asking board members to consider spacing out annual meetings so more officers can attend them.

Treasurer’s Report General Treasurer Kirk Montgomery reported that SEANC finances are on target for the year. The association is now just $200,000 shy of having enough money in reserves to fund the organization for six months, which is rare in the nonprofit

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industry. Fewer than half of all nonprofit organizations have a six-month operating reserve, and some associations have no reserve at all.

Audit Chairman Keith Renner reported that the committee had recently conducted an audit of all travel-related expenses incurred by staff and members last year. It has also conducted audits of two districts. The committee also updated its procedures manual, and strongly recommended that SEANC should hire a Chief Financial Officer as soon as possible.

He reminded the board that no district is allowed to use any district funds to pay for EMPAC business, including travel expenses.

The committee’s next meeting is April 5 at 10 a.m.

Awards Chairwoman Janice Bass reported that the committee met Feb. 8 to go over criteria for the year. She encouraged everyone to participate, and said that only 31 districts currently have awards chairpersons. The next meeting is Aug. 2.

Bylaws Committee Bylaws Committee Jim Pressley reported that the deadline for submissions is July 15. The state meeting will be July 18 at noon, with the advisory committee meeting at 9 a.m. He still needs district bylaws chairperson information for Districts 12, 25, 27, 37, 40, 63 and 67.

Emerging Leaders Chairwoman Sonya Akbar reported that the committee will continue new delegate training at Convention. The next meeting is March 24.

EMPAC Chairman Tony Smith reported that the PAC is gearing up for the 2018 election.

In preparation for the May 8 primary, and the General Election on Nov. 6, we need all members to invest their time, energy, and resources in EMPAC to make a difference.

The committee has finalized a standard operations manual and will give out the Gloria Upperman award at convention to a member who has shown dedication to the PAC. Smith invited the board to attend the next meeting on March 10, which will kick off EMPAC’s 2018 election activities.

Insurance Board of Trustees Chairwoman Martha Fowler recently surveyed SEANC’s Auto & Home Insurance customers to get their opinions on the programs we provide. Out of 1,041 surveys sent out, 149 customers responded. Among the highlights: - 42 of 48 Liberty Mutual customers said they would renew their plans if everything remains the same.

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61 of 82 MetLife customers said they would renew their plans if everything remains the same.

- 17 of 19 Travelers customers said they would renew their plans if everything remains the same.

- Overall, comments were mixed. Some complained that their plan was too expensive. Some commented that they have received great customer service.

Fowler then told the group that starting in June, SEANC will offer Accident, Whole Life and Critical Illness plans through Boston Mutual. More information will be available in April.

She also said to be on the lookout for the Insurance Insider, a new email newsletter from the department that is being sent to insurance chairpersons and district chairpersons. The board’s next meeting is May 9.

Member Discount Chairman Dennis Hartley announced that the committee is conducting a contest.

The member who recruits the most new businesses before May 17 will win one night of hotel accommodations and four Carowinds tickets. The next committee meeting is planned for May 16.

Membership Committee Chairman Cliff Johnson recognized Districts 7 and 21 for successful recent recruiting events. He stated that SEANC’s total membership had now dipped below 50,000 mark, and only Districts 7, 9, 19, 25, 21, 37 and 39 are in the positive for the year. He encouraged all chairpersons to work hard to recruit new members.

Personnel Manual Review Committee Chairwoman Doris Greer expressed frustration over the decision to cut the committee. The matter was discussed in closed session.

Policy Platform Chairwoman Betsy Lee Hodges asked board members to review Policy Platform Objectives, especially the ones up for deletion, before the committee’s meeting on July 19.

Retiree Council Chairman Benny Brigman reported that Treasurer Folwell came to the last meeting to give an update on the retirement system, the State Health Plan and other topics. The council’s next meeting is on May 10, and a Lobby Day is planned for June 5-6.

He commended District 17 for holding a recent retiree forum that included Rep. Jonathan Jordan, and District 21 for recently holding a successful retiree forum on short notice.

Scholarship Foundation Chairman Mike Bell reported that raffle tickets have been distributed to all districts. He reminded chairpersons to bring all tickets – sold and unsold – to

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convention, and be prepared to submit an affidavit if some are lost. Judging for this year’s scholarships will be held on May 22-24. The Foundation will give away a total of $40,500 this year, and winners will be announced on June 1. A total of $103,600 was given at state and district levels last year.

Standards Review Committee Chairwoman Tara Minter reviewed major changes to the Operations Manual, which includes the official creation of the Bylaws Advisory Committee, a new disciplinary procedure for members that includes a trial, clarifications in financial management policies and updates to the facility and vehicle use policies, among other updates. The board will vote on approval of the manual by online poll once recommended alterations can be made.

Training Chairman Steve Lawson announced that in addition to the Leadership Training planned for April 18-20 (see Highlights section), District Chairperson and Treasurer Training will be held Aug. 9-10 at Camp Caraway. Districts should tell Tiffany Woodard how many will attend by June 6, and deadline for names is July 23.

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Announcements Second Vice President Chevella Thomas announced that she will run for General Treasurer.

General Treasurer Kirk Montgomery announced that he will run for Second Vice President.

Insurance Board of Trustees Chairwoman Martha Fowler announced that she will run for First Vice President.

Audit Committee Chairman Keith Renner announced that he will run for President.

First Vice President Jimmy Davis announced that he will run for president.

Mark Dearmon announced that he will run for EMPAC Chairperson.

EMPAC Chairman Tony Smith announced that he will run for Western Region Representative to the Executive Committee.

District 10 Chairman Dennis Hartley was selected to be the Alternate Regional Representative for the Piedmont Region for the period through the end of September. Hartley is replacing Kirk Montgomery, who was appointed to serve as General Treasurer for the remainder of this SEANC year.

Votes PASSED – A motion to keep the annual convention contract in Greensboro.

PASSED – A motion to lift the freeze on all vacant SEANC staff positions except the CFO position.

PASSED - A motion to accept and approve the recommendation from the Executive Director to hire a Financial Director, which will be a new position.

The CFO position will remain vacant.

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PASSED - A motion to set a policy that if a SEANC member has an issue with a SEANC employee, that information should be directed through the regional representative for the district of the member, and then the regional representative will forward on the concern to the SEANC President to discuss with the Executive Director. If a SEANC employee has an issue with a SEANC member, that employee should take the concern to the Executive Director, who will discuss it with the SEANC President.

PASSED - A motion to vote on approval or disapproval of the proposed Operations Manual, as amended at the February 24, 2018 BOG meeting, by email after the document is finalized and emailed to voting members of the Board of Governors.

PASSED - A motion to have a plaque made and sent to Stephanie Dees of Florida, in appreciation of her gift of a specially designed hand-made quilt to Wendy and Zachary Callahan, in memory of Sgt. Meggan Callahan, who died as a result of an inmate attack at Bertie Correctional Institution on April 26, 2017.

Next meeting: May 18-19

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