In mid-March, SEANC officially settled a lawsuit filed against the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer in 2008 over public records requests pertaining to investment decisions made with the state pension fund by then-Treasurer Richard Moore.
SEANC agreed to settle the suit because it determined that current N.C. State Treasurer Janet Cowell has sufficiently satisfied the association’s public records request.
“This is a victory for anyone who believes in open government,” SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope said. “We fought to ensure that our members’ pensions weren’t being used to further Richard Moore’s
political ambitions. While we do not believe we received all the records we requested, we feel confident we have now obtained sufficient records to address our concerns, and at the end of the day it indeed seems like there were questions about some of Moore’s activities.”
The suit stemmed from records
requests filed by SEANC in March and October 2007 after an article in Forbes magazine suggested that Moore had engaged in “pay to play” tactics regarding investments he made with state employees’ pensions.
The contentious legal battle culminated in June 2010 with the state Supreme Court overturning a trial court’s dismissal of the case, stating by unanimous decision that under public records law, SEANC had stated a valid claim for production of records held by Moore.
“State employees, retirees and taxpayers are now vindicated by the successful conclusion of this ugly holdover from the 2008 Gubernatorial Primary,” Cope said.
jowens@seanc.org
Vote Linda Coleman for Lt. Governor on May 8
There is only one politician that SEANC refers to as its hero, former state representative and Office of State Personnel Director Linda Coleman. Coleman earned the title SEANC Hero back in 2006 when she single-handedly held up the state budget in support of vital public services and the people who provide them. No politician has done that before or since
See page 3 for EMPAC’s legislative endorsements
for state employees. In 2008, Coleman was awarded the first EMPAC Legislator of the Year Award for her efforts to secure pay raises for state employees.
As director of the state personnel office, she has led implementation of Executive Order 45 which provides a partnership between managers and employees to produce cost-efficiencies, improves morale and strengthens communication in state agencies. Her door is always open for state employees because she is a champion of those who need one—the working families who make up the 99 percent.
Because she’s had our back for years, we have the chance to return the favor now and endorse Linda Coleman for Lt. Governor of the great state of North Carolina.
We Must Stand Together in this Election ExEcutivE DirEctor’s MEssagE
If you’ve ever heard me speak at an annual district meeting or our convention, you’ve likely heard me say, “We have no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent issues.”
I repeat this message because I believe it. As an association dedicated to working with the General Assembly and other officials in state government, we cannot afford to be partisan. We must dedicate our energy to fighting for what is right and fair for state employees.
This stance has served us well in recent years as we have seen the General Assembly change hands. We have been able to present a united front when pointing out to the new leadership that state employees are an invaluable asset to this state.
In making this year’s round of legislative endorsements, our district and statewide leaders have selected the candidates who will continue to support what we feel is right and fair for hardworking state employees.
Outside of the General Assembly, the only statewide race we chose to speak on in the primary is the lieutenant governor’s race. Our support for Linda Coleman as the Democratic nominee is a no-brainer. Coleman has been a strong advocate for state employees since her freshman year in the N.C. House.
Coleman has fought hard for raises for state workers. She understands that SEANC members provide vital public services that keep this state safe and moving forward, and that the state must look after this precious asset in order to continue to grow.
Coleman has also become somewhat of a regular at our conventions and other gatherings, and has always made it a point to listen to our members’ concerns. Throughout her career in state government she has stood up for working families, while her opponent in the primary has always stood firmly with the upper one percent.
It’s easy to get caught up in partisan bickering in any election, but in this economy it is time to vote with your wallet in mind. With so many of our key issues on the table in coming years — privatization, pay raises and the State Health Plan to name a few — it is important that we remain strongly united and make sure our voices continue to be heard.
by Dana Cope seanC exeCutive DireCtor
“We have no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent issues” Cope
Please join me in supporting the candidates we have endorsed. Working together toward common political goals, we can determine our own destiny and ensure that we get what is fair for all state employees.
dcope@seanc.org
The Reporter, USPS 009-852 (ISSN 1069 2142), is published nine times a year in the months of February, March, April, May, June, July, September, November and December for $2.50 per year, per member, by the State Employees Association of North Carolina, Inc., P.O. Drawer 27727, Raleigh, NC 27611-7727. Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh, NC, and additional offices.
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to: THE REPORTER P.O. Drawer 27727 Raleigh, NC 27611-7727
2012 Primary Endorsements
EMPAC, the political arm of SEANC, announced on April 2 its support for a bipartisan slate of General Assembly candidates for the 2012 primary. The endorsements resulted from recommendations by SEANC members at the district level, which were then confirmed by a statewide committee on March 31. Only candidates in contested primary races were endorsed.
N.C. House Candidates
N.C. Senate Candidates
H4
Jimmy Dixon (R)
H5
Ann Mobley (D)
H7
Angela Bryant (D)
H27
Michael Wray (D)
H32
Dollie Burwell (D)
H38
Yvonne Holley (D)
H50
Valerie Foushee (D)
H33
Rosa Gill (D)
H39
Darren Jackson (D)
H54
Jeff Starkweather (D)
H60
Marcus Brandon (D)
H69
Jeff Gerber (R)
H71
Everette Witherspoon (D)
H72
Edward Hanes (D)
H109
Wil Neumann (R)
H95
Robert Brawley (R)
H117
Chuck McGrady (R)
S5
Don Davis (D)
S10
Brent Jackson (R)
S21
Larry Shaw (D)
S22
Mike Woodard (D)
S25
Gene McLaurin (D)
S26
Phil Berger (R)
S32
Earline Parmon (D)
S33
Stan Bingham (R)
S45
Daniel Soucek (R)
S48
Tom Apodaca (R)
Delegates Chosen to Represent SEANC
SEIU Convention scheduled for May 28-30 in Denver
District Delegates
District 1 – Bryan P. Cooke
District 2 – Wayne Fish
District 3 – Doris Greer
District 4 – Jimmy Davis
District 5 – Tony Smith
District 6 – Wayne Freeman
District 7 – Henry Belada
District 8 – Leonard Reynolds
District 9 – James Burgess
District 10 – Kim Martin
District 11 – Anthony “AD” Hall
District 12 – no candidate
District 13 – Mary Sue Eldridge
District 16 – Carolyn Perry
District 17 – Wayne Talbert
District 18 – Pamela Locklear
District 19 – Angela Lyght
District 20 – Tammi Blake
District 21 – Janice Bass
District 22 – William Spade
District 23 – Harold Faulk
District 24 – Katrina Davis
District 25 – Jonathan Stephenson
District 26 – Stanley Gales
District 27 – Janet H. Bunch
District 36 – Dianne (Dee) Carter
District 37 – James Bridges
District 38 – Betty Jackson
District 39 – Art Anthony
District 40 – Darius McLaurin
District 41 – Michael J. Gould
District 42 – Betty “BJ” Jones
District 43 – Duane Smith
District 44 – Sandra Johnson
District 45 – Darcell Carter
District 46 – Dewey Hamilton Jr.
District 47 – William D. (Danny) Rose
District 56 – Michael A. Johnson
District 57 – William Drew Stanley
District 58 – Marie Stone
District 59 – John Miller
District 60 – Hiawatha Jones
District 61 – E. Leigh Bair
District 62 – Lewis Sasser
District 63 – Marion Drake
District 64 – Bonita Barfield
District 65 – Gloria Highsmith
District 66 – Lenell Miller
District 67 – William Boyle
District 68 – Rita Woods
District 69 – Baldwin Keith Renner
District 70 – Douglas Wilson*
Statewide Delegates (five chosen)
Joe Brown
B.N. (Bob) Hopper
Sidney Sandy
Doranna Anderson
Marilyn Jean Martin
SEANC Executive
Director Dana Cope and President Charles Johnson will also serve as delegates in their capacity as international board members
SEANC members counting SEIU delegate ballots on April 2. For complete results, visit www.seanc.org
SEANC accepts advertising material from companies and persons seeking to communicate with SEANC members. Acceptance of this advertising does not indicate SEANC approval or endorsement of any representation that the message, product or service is as represented by the advertiser. SEANC accepts no responsibility and shall not be liable for any use of or reliance on any such information, product or service. SEANC is a private entity and is under no obligation to carry advertisements of any nature, political or otherwise, that may be viewed as contrary to the interests of the association and its membership.
SEANC members enjoy the convenience of using Colonial Life’s Call Center to apply for coverage over the phone with one of our SEANC benefit counselors.
= Visit the Colonial Life website or obtain a SEANC Handbook for specific product information you’ll need prior to calling the Call Center.
= Dial the Benefit Enrollment Call Center toll
= Accident Insurance - (with optional spouse disability option available at an additional cost)
= Cancer Insurance - (with optional $5,000 initial diagnosis benefit) = Critical Illness Insurance - (up to $50,000 in benefits, with no taxes being due at the point of claim) = Disability Insurance - (on/off-job coverage with preferred AAA rates) =
SEANC’s Retiree Council and staff met with state Sen. Tom Apodaca (center, white shirt) on March 27 to discuss issues facing retired state workers, including a cost of living adjustment, SPA rights and the State Health Plan. The council plans to meet with N.C. House leaders ahead of the May legislative session as well.
PUBLIC POLICY
Quotes to Note
“The university, in our opinion, is historically bad for rank and file employees. Basically what they are trying to do is say ‘Trust us’”
SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope in the April 3 Chapel Hill News story
“UNC system president defends proposed personnel change”
“Our most vulnerable populations should be the last ones up for sale to the lowest bidder.”
Ardis Watkins, Legislative Affairs Director with SEANC, questioning whether it was appropriate for mentally ill patients to be turned over to a private company in the WRAL-TV report on April 2 “With Dix closing imminent, NC still negotiating for care of mentally ill”
District 17 member Kemrey Lamarr speaks with N.C. Rep. Pat Hurley at District 17’s monthly meeting in Burlington on March 19.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY STEVE LAWSON
PHOTO BY JOHNNY DAVISON
SEANC District 42 Chairwoman Betty Jones (above, left) and member Betty Gilbert (above, right) prepare baskets for participants in an Easter egg hunt at the N.C. School for the Blind in Winston-Salem on March 29, co-sponsored by the district.
PHOTO BY MICHELLE THROWER
ANNUAL MEETINGS CALENDAR
District
1 June 26 Ryan's Steakhouse Y Teddy Greene - 828-736-2190
2 June 12 5:30 p.m. J&S Cafeteria, 900 Smokey Park Asheville Dodie Collins - dodiesputer@aol.com
3 June 12 6 p.m. Holiday Inn Express, 1943 Blowing Rock Rd. Boone Y Doris Greer - doriswgreer@charter.net
4 May 24 Jimmy Davis - seanc_d4@yahoo.com
5 May 24 6 p.m. Western Piedmont Community College, 1001 Burkemont Ave. Morganton Y Johnny Burnette - burnettejohnny@bellsouth.net
6 July 10 6 p.m.
Broughton Campus-Chapel Basement, 1000 S. Sterling St. Morganton Wayne Freeman - wfreeman8009@gmail.com
7 May 22 5:15 p.m. J. Iverson Riddle Dev. Center Gym, 300 Enola Rd Morganton Y Henry Belada - woodchop7@charter.net
8 Leonard Reynolds - tworeynolds@embarqmail.com
9 June 21 6:30 p.m. Western Steer, 334 SW Blvd Newton Y James Burgess - jmburgess32158@gmail.com
10 June 11 7 p.m. Golden Corral, 1540 Highway 29 N Concord Kim Martin - kmartin@ctc.net
11 A.D. Hall - adhall227@yahoo.com
12 June 14 6 p.m. Golden Corral, 11205 E. Independence Blvd Matthews Ashley Fenton - ashley.fenton62@yahoo.com
13 July 10 5:30 p.m. Mimi's Café, 10224 Perimeter Parkway Charlotte Kathy Whaley - kdwhaley@uncc.edu
16 June 12 6 p.m. Winston-Salem State University-Anderson Center McNeill Dining Rm, 601 Martin Luther King Dr Winston-Salem Melva Daniels - acey326@hotmail.com
17 June 18 6 p.m. Kernodle Senior Center, 1535 S. Mebane St Burlington Y Wayne Talbert - awaynet@embarqmail.com
18 Pamela Locklear - plumbee1114@aol.com
19 June 19 5:30 p.m. OWASA Community Meeting Rm., 400 Jones Ferry Rd Carrboro Y Angela Lyght - aslyght@gmail.com
20 June 9 10 a.m. Cliff Brown - seanc2@nc.rr.com
21 June 21 5:30 p.m. Camp Barham Butner Joel Valentine
22 June 14 7 p.m. The Brass Lantern, 515 Springbranch Rd Dunn Deborah Harney - deborahharney@ymail.com
23 May 10 7 p.m. St. Paul's Community Building, 111 N. Third St St. Pauls Harold Faulk - haroldfaulk@atmc.net
24 June 21 6:30 p.m. Clarkton Town Hall/Train Depot, 81 N. Elm St Clarkton Anne Marie Bellamy - 910-617-5197
25 Jonathan Stephenson - stepheja@gmail.com
26 June 14 Polk Correctional Institution, 1001 Veazey Rd Butner Stanley Gales - gsb05@doc.state.nc.us
27 June 14 6 p.m. Golden Corral, 4055 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd Durham Gracie Lesane - 919-452-4341
36 Lynn Stephenson - Lsteph2001@aol.com
37 June 14 5:30 p.m. DOT, 4809 Beryl Rd Raleigh Jay Bridges - jaybridges@bellsouth.net
38 June 14 5:30 p.m. SEANC Central Office, 1621 Midtown Pl Raleigh Y Betty Jackson Creech - bettyjacksoncreech@yahoo.com
39 June 13 5:30 p.m. NCSU McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman St Raleigh Art Anthony - art_anthony@ncsu.edu
40 June 14 6 p.m. DOC Enterprise Conference Rm. Door #4, 2020 Yonkers Rd Raleigh Althea Boone - dist40boone@yahoo.com
41 June 11 6 p.m. Golden Corral, 3424 Capital Blvd Raleigh Mike Gould - mjg12@msn.com
42 June 21 5 p.m. SEANC Central Office, 1621 Midtown Pl Raleigh Betty Jones - 919-855-4279
43 Duane Smith - jumper20032@yahoo.com
44 June 19 6 p.m. Logan's Roadhouse, 1000 Timber Dr E Garner Sandra Johnson-Lemon - sjohnsonlemonseancd44@aol.com
45 June 8 6 p.m. Holiday Inn North Raleigh, 2805 Highwoods Blvd Raleigh Y Dee Carter - dee.carter70@gmail.com
46 June 19 5:30 p.m. SEANC Central Office, 1621 Midtown Pl Raleigh Dewey Hamilton - dhamiltonjr@aol.com
47 June 12 5:30 p.m. SEANC Central Office, 1621 Midtown Pl Raleigh Shirley Ballard - 919.222.8242
57 June 7 6 p.m. Parker's Barbecue, 2514 US Hwy 301 S Wilson Y Drew Stanley - drew.stanley@suddenlink.net
58 June 12 6 p.m. Neuse Correction (white building on left at end of entrance road), 701 Stevens Mill Rd Goldsboro Y Marie Stone - 919.988.0368
59 June 11 6 p.m. Cherry Hospital Conference Center, 201 Stevens Mill Rd Goldsboro Y John Miller - john.miller@dhhs.nc.gov
60 June 18 Hiawatha Jones - hjones242@nc.rr.com
61 June 18 6:30 p.m. Onslow County Museum, 301 South Wilmington Richlands Y E. Leigh Bair - leighpooh@yahoo.com
62 June 25 6 p.m. New Hanover Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr. Wilmington Lewis Sasser - lsasser@ec.rr.com
63 June 6 6:30 p.m. Heritage House, 1503 South King St Windsor Y Marion Drake - 252.325.4438
64 June 26 6:30 p.m. The Warehouse, 204 Main St Winterville Bonita Barfield - bhh1008@msn.com
65 June 19 5 p.m. ECU Brody Building-2nd Fl Conf Rm, 600 Moye Blvd Greenville Y Gloria Highsmith - highsmithg@ecu.edu
66 Lenell Miller - lenell.miller@dhhs.nc.gov
67 July 10 6:30 p.m. West New Bern Fire Dept, 900 Chelsea Rd Trent Woods Stanley Drewery - drewerystanley@yahoo.com
68 May 23 7 p.m. Nixon Catering, 749 Virginia Rd Edenton Rita Woods - rita.woods@doc.nc.gov
69 June 28 5:30 p.m. Elizabeth City State University-Kermit White Center, 1704 Weeksville Rd Elizabeth City Light snacks Keith Renner - vrkeithr@yahoo.com
70 June 12 7 p.m. Roland Best - rolandbest@embarqmail.com
