THE
State Employees Association of North Carolina, SEIU Local 2008 1621 Midtown Place, Raleigh, NC • www.seanc.org 800-222-2758 • 919-833-6436 • Circulation 55,000
November 2013
• Vol. 32, Issue 1
Delegates Aim to Build a Better Tomorrow Officers, Bylaws, Legislative Priorities Set at SEANC’s Annual Convention By Toni Davis The SEANC Annual Convention gives state employees and retirees a chance to raise their voices and determine how they want their association to advocate on behalf of current and future members. SEANC delegates re-elected the association’s statewide officers to help Build a Better Tomorrow at the 30th Annual SEANC Convention held in Greensboro on Sept. 5-7. Together SEANC’s officers have a combined 109 years of association membership. The officers are: • President Sidney M. Sandy of Indian Trail • First Vice President Art Anthony of Raleigh • Second Vice President Stanley Gales of Durham • Treasurer Betty “B.J.” Jones of Zebulon SEANC officers are elected by members for a one-year term — Oct. 1, 2013, to Sept. 30, 2014.
Bylaws Votes Delegates split the difference on a pair of votes to change the SEANC Bylaws. The first proposal, to do away with the SEANC Youth Council and replace it with an Emerging Leaders Council, failed. Delegates who spoke out on the floor were concerned that the new Emerging Leaders Council had
Photo by Tony Booe
SEANC Communications Director
Convention delegates re-elected (from right) President Sidney M. Sandy, First Vice President Art Anthony, Second Vice President Stanley Gales and Treasurer Betty “B.J.” Jones to a second term. Immediate Past President Charles Johnson (left) will serve another year as well.
raised the age limit too high at 45 and that youth recruitment would suffer. SEANC Past President Tony Smith said during debate that he opposed the proposal because, “When the Youth Council was formed it was for [persons] 40 and younger to emerge and get more involved in SEANC.” A second amendment to make the Retiree Council chairperson a voting member of the annual SEANC Convention passed with widespread support. Previously, when the Retiree Council chairperson was added to the Executive Committee, no mention was made of them with regards to the annual convention.
tdavis@seanc.org
Convention Highlights • Ranking SEANC’s 2014 Policy Platform Objectives • Hearing from first-time delegates on the convention stage. Julie Wilson of District 5 said she came to Greensboro because, “As a delegate you do have a voice in what happens. Prior to this convention I had no idea SEANC was so involved in fighting for our benefits.” • Watching the North Carolina premiere of “Inequality for All” • Giving to the State Employees’ Credit Union Family House in Chapel Hill • Honoring new officers and members during the “A Night with the SEANC Stars” banquet