Looking for extra money for the holidays?
See page 4 for details.
REPORTER THE
CONVENTION ISSUE
Check out how delegates "Took the LEAP" inside
Delegates elect statewide officers for 2017-18
Delegates at the 34th Annual SEANC Convention elected officers for 20172018 on Sept. 8 in Greensboro.
The officers were sworn in on Sept. 9. Their terms began on Oct. 1, 2017. The 2017-18 officers are:
President — Stanley Drewery of District 67 was re-elected to a one-year term. He retired with 30 years of state service with both the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Safety and was awarded the Order of Long Leaf Pine for his service. He has been a member of SEANC for 35 years. He is a veteran and served seven years in the Army National Guard. He is a Grifton resident.
First Vice President — Darius McLaurin of District 40 was elected to a one-year term. He has been a SEANC member for 12 years and has worked for the state for 24 years. McLaurin currently is the Chief Business Officer at the Governor Morehead School in the Department of Public Instruction. He holds a bachelor’s degree from
Johnson C. Smith University. He resides in Raleigh.
Second Vice President — Jimmy Davis of District 4 was elected to a one-year term. Davis is a 28.5-year state employee and 28-year SEANC member. He is a Probation/Parole officer for the Department of Public Safety. He is a Forest City resident.
General Treasurer — Chevella Thomas of District 27 was re-elected to a one-year term. She is retired with 33 years of state service with N.C. Central University’s Division of Administration
and Finance and is a 32-year SEANC member. She holds bachelor’s degrees in accounting and management and a master’s degree in information sciences. She resides in Durham.
Ross Hailey of Washington serves as Immediate Past President.
Delegates also heard speeches from Gov. Roy Cooper and State Treasurer Dale Folwell, voted on bylaws changes, and contributed more than $15,000 to set up a fund to help families of members in need because of natural disasters or death while on the job.
Two state employees killed in prison break attempt, fire
The dangers facing our correctional officers and support staff at our prisons each day was brought to light again on Oct. 12, when two state employees at Pasquotank Correctional Institution in Elizabeth City were killed in an apparent prison break.
Justin Smith, a correctional officer and District 69 member, and Veronica Darden, manager of the Correction
Enterprises sewing plant, were killed as inmates set fire to the plant. Three other employees remained in critical condition as of presstime, and seven were treated for injuries and released.
For years, SEANC has implored legislators to take correctional officer safety seriously. A correctional officer is attacked every eight hours in this state.
SEANC President Stanley Drewery
issued a statement saying, “we pray someone in power will finally care enough to do something.”
“Every day thousands of brave men and women go to work in our prisons to protect us all from dangerous criminals...It’s past time for the state to give these heroes the resources, training and manpower to ensure that they return home safely.”
SEANC’s statewide officers are (from left) President Stanley Drewery, First Vice President Darius McLaurin, Second Vice President Jimmy Davis, General Treasurer Chevella Thomas and Past President Ross Hailey.
REPORTER THE
Jonathan owens, Editor-In-Chief Beth Dew, Managing Editor amanDa wise, Associate Editor
sara Cowell CoBurn, Associate Editor
State Employees Association of North Carolina 1621 Midtown Place • Raleigh, NC 27609
Telephone 919-833-6436, 800-222-2758
www.seanc.org
Advertising Policy
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.
The Reporter, USPS 009-852 (ISSN 1069 2142), is published six times a year in the months of February, April, May, July, September and November for $2.50 per year, per member, by the State Employees Association of North Carolina, Inc., 1621 Midtown Place, Raleigh, NC 27609. Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh and additional offices.
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to: THE REPORTER 1621 Midtown Place Raleigh, NC 27609
District 1 and District 2 members participated in the Western Carolina University Employee Appreciation and Benefits Fair on Sept. 14. Pictured are: District 1 member Bryan Cooke, District 1 Chairman Mark Haskett, District 1 member Jim Rowell, Western Regional Representative Cliff Johnson, and Member Relations Representative Johnny Davison.
65 board
a membership recruitment event on
MEMBERS IN ACTION
SEANC Executive Director Mitch Leonard talks with retirees about the advocacy that SEANC provides and shares some of the 2017 legislative victories during the District 4 Retiree
District 7 members hosted an Ice Cream Appreciation Membership Event at J. Iverson Riddle Development Center on Aug. 2 to sign up new members, switch existing members over to bank draft and sign up members for text alerts. Pictured are District 7 member Jamie Holden, District 7 Chairman Henry Belada and Nutrition Department staff members Connie Clark, Pamela Farris, Erika Avery Wilson and Tonise Hooper.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Do you know members who deserve their day in the Spotlight? Throughout 2018, SEANC will highlight members who go above and beyond at work and in their communities.
If you know someone who should be honored, please email us at reporter@seanc.org today!
JOHNNY DAVISON
District 3 held a luncheon in Spruce Pine for retirees from Avery and Mitchell counties on Aug. 29. Pictured is District 3 member Rhonda Robinson speaking to the group.
Forum held on Aug. 24.
District 64 was able to bless four children who had ties to the district with backpacks, school supplies and clothes on Aug. 21. At left, Chairwoman Latina Shelley presents the items to a mother of one of the four children.
District
members held
Sept. 22 at East Carolina University. Several members signed up for a variety of benefits and five state employees joined SEANC. District 65 board members that participated were Eastern Region Representative Alicia Simpson, Phyllis Hart and Cynthia Hart.
State employees are good people. But even good people make mistakesmistakes that violate your rights as a career employee, discriminate against you, or cost you a promotion or job.
My practice is restricted to state personnel disciplinary and licensing matters. I have litigated personnel cases in the Office of Administrative Hearings since the 1990s.
If you have a grievance, disciplinary appeal, or any state employment matter, call (919) 865-2572 or email me at michael@mbyrnelawnc.com.
Learn how I put 20 years of experience and consistent success in state personnel cases to work for you - when your rights are on the line.
'We do this together'
First of all, I want to thank God as I do every morning when I get up and put my feet on the floor. I want to thank my district sitting in the front, District 67. I want to thank my committees. I want to thank everybody here because there is no “I” in “we.” We do this together.
You make me look good. I can’t do this by myself. All I ask of you is to step your game up because I want us to be seen next year. I want to return to the days when SEANC was a force in the workplace, and people knew it. I want people talking about SEANC all the time, and I want them to be saying “SEANC is working for me!”
We still have a lot of agencies that are difficult to get in. It was amazing to
me this past year when I went to some of these recruiting events, how some of the employees were scared to even take a SEANC ink pen back to their desks. We have to change that.
Each of you needs to go back and talk among your fellow staff about SEANC memberships. I challenge everybody in this room to recruit at least 10 new members by this time next year. Don’t come to me next year at convention and say that you didn’t get your 10 — you can get ten new members in one day. That would give us what — 8,000 more members? We can all do that. I would love to have 60,000 members next year when we come to convention.
As you heard earlier, Vidant Medical Group bought out 51 percent of ECU Physicians Group. This affects 1,200 employees. This is going to hit our
members down there who are not close to retirement especially hard. But even with that, District 65 continues to work just as hard as they can even with facing a loss of membership. That district doesn’t slow down for anything. And, when somebody they are trying to recruit says, “no,” they keep pushing.
We all need that perseverance. We can’t afford to take no for an answer anymore. Stand with me this year and commit to making SEANC a force once again.
President Stanley Drewery
The following are excerpts from SEANC President Stanley Drewery's acceptance speech during the 34th Annual SEANC Convention on Sept. 8.
2017-2018 SEANC BOARD
hairp E rsons
President Stanley Drewery
District 67
Grifton
Department of Public Safety (retired)
First Vice President
Darius McLaurin
District 40
Raleigh Department of Public Instruction
Second Vice
President
Jimmy Davis
District 40
Raleigh Department of Public Safety
Treasurer
Chevella L. Thomas
District 27
Durham
North Carolina
Central University (retired)
Past President
Ross Hailey
District 58
Washington Department of Transportation (retired)
Piedmont Region
Steve Lawson
District 16
Belews Creek Department of Transportation (retired)
North Central Region
Mike Gould
District 41
Raleigh
Wake County
Local Government
South Central Region
Deborah Harney
District 22
Cameron
Department of Public Safety
Eastern Region
Alicia Simpson District 65 Greenville
Town of Ayden
Western Region
Cliff Johnson
District 2
Waynesville Department of Public Safety (retired)
Retiree Council Chairman
Benny Brigman
District 70
Hookerton
Department of Public Safety (retired)
Insurance Board of Trustees Chairwoman
Martha Fowler
District 19
Mebane
UNC Chapel Hill (retired)
Assistants
Secretary Betty Gautier
District 38
Benson
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (retired)
Parliamentarian
Kim Martin
District 10
Concord Department of Public Safety
Parliamentarian
Joyce B. Shaw
District 69
Elizabeth City
Elizabeth City State University
District 1
Mark Haskett Cullowhee
Western Carolina University
District 3
Wayne Holliday
Blowing Rock Department of Public Safety (retired)
District 4
Jerry Bridges Polkville Department of Transportation (retired)
District 5
Tony Smith Morganton Department of Public Safety
District 6
Sonya Akbar Morganton Department of Health and Human Services (retired)
District 7
Henry Belada Morganton Department of Health and Human Services (retired)
District 8
Ron Hunt
North Wilkesboro Department of Transportation (retired)
District 9
Jamie Robinson Taylorsville Department of Transportation (retired)
District 10
Dennis Hartley
Landis
Department of Public Safety (retired)
District 11
Kenny Brower
Wadesboro
Department of Transportation
District 12
Chenell Rose Charlotte Department of Public Safety
District 13
Mary Clark Charlotte
Central Piedmont
Community College
District 17
Kemrey Lamarr
McLeansville Department of Transportation
District 18
Pam Locklear
Shannon
Department of Public Safety
District 19
Marie Tate
Efland
Orange County Public Schools (retired)
District 20
Jacque Chatman
Red Springs
Department of Public Safety
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
2017 CONVENTION
District 64 members Bonita Henderson, Octavius Shelley, District 64 Chairwoman Latina Shelley and Second Vice President Jimmy Davis enthusiastically accepted Drewery's invitation to move to the tunes.
President Stanley Drewery began each day of the business session energizing the audience with lively music and an invitation to dance.
Convention delegates attended several breakout sessions featuring trainings on topics to help delegates in the workplace and beyond.
District 16 members Phyllis Comer, Cynthia Joel and Sophia Kennedy on the convention floor.
PHOTOS BY SARA COWELL COBURN AND AMANDA WISE
Governor Roy Cooper is escorted to the front of the convention hall by EMPAC Area Chairpersons and SEANC Director of Member Services Brenda Hooker.
Executive Director Mitch Leonard and Director of Operations Chuck Stone were given special recognition for their many years of dedication and service to SEANC.
Past Presidents Ross Hailey (District 58), Wayne Fish (District 2), Cliff Brown (District 20), Tony Smith (District 5), Steve Lusk (District 44), Flint Benson (District 22), Sidney Sandy (District 11), Chuck Stone (District 58), Paula Shubert (District 25), Charles Johnson (District 26), Duane Smith (District 43), Spillman Grice (District 66), (seated) Bob Pruitt, J.E. Skinner (District 63), Shirley Bell (District 42) and Linda Rouse Sutton (District 70) were honored.
State Treasurer Dale Folwell discusses health care and retirement issues.
2017 AWARDS
District 16 member Phil Berrier received the Distinguished Service Award.
District 3 member Janice Smith received the Member of the Year Award.
District 58 Chairwoman Pam Hailey received the District Chairperson of the Year Award.
District 65 Chairwoman Alicia Simpson (left) accepts the District of the Year Award from State Awards Chairwoman Janice Bass.
Retiree Council Secretary Karen Davis accepts the Bob Hopper Retiree Achievement Award from Retiree Council Chairman Benny Brigman.
Secretary to the President Betty Gautier received the President's Award.
Executive Assistant/Meeting and Convention Planner Alicia Miller received the Darrell Arnold Award for excellence as a SEANC staff member.
Member Discount Contest Winners: First Place ($500) — Tim Southard (District 4) with 34 new businesses; Second Place ($300) — Sharron Patterson (District 18) with 30 new businesses and Third Place ($200) — Henry Belada (District 7) with 9 new businesses
Membership Contest Winners: First Place ($300) — Ron Fields (District 20, right) with 300 members; Second Place ($200) — Jacque Chatman (District 20) with 60 members and Third Place ($100) — Cliff Johnson (District 2) with 40 new members.
Scholarship Foundation Raffle Winners:
Grand Prize ($6,000)
Clayton Downing
Second Prize ($3,000)
Doris Daye, District 17
Third Prize ($1,000)
Saundra Scott, District 45
Wray, Jordan named legislators of the year
EMPAC, the political arm of SEANC, presented Rep. Michael Wray (D-Halifax) and Rep. Jonathan Jordan (R-Ashe) with Lisa B. Mitchell Legislator of the Year awards on Sept. 9 for their efforts advocating for state employees and retirees during the recent legislative session.
Wray has been a SEANC member since he was elected to the General Assembly, and attends SEANC District 56 meetings regularly. In announcing the award at the 34th Annual SEANC Convention, Statewide EMPAC Chairman Tony Smith said Wray is a tireless advocate of state employee and retiree issues, and is willing to go the extra mile for his fellow SEANC members.
“He stays in touch with our lobbyists on a daily basis,” said Smith. “His door is always open and his eyes are always open for any issues that may concern state employees and retirees. If there is anyone who understands working with your colleagues on the
other side of the aisle, it’s Rep. Wray. He is a go-to person and he truly cares about us as a workforce and as people, and that’s a rare find in politics these days.”
Rep. Jordan stood up for retirees in the past legislative session by filing House Bill 497, which would have given state retirees a much-needed 2-percent cost-of-living adjustment. The bill received bipartisan support in the House and built the foundation of support that resulted in the first true COLA in years in the state budget. Jordan also filed a bill to give equal pay raises to all state employees, as well as a bill to give a Christmas bonus to state employees.
“(Jordan) is a fighter through and through and an invaluable friend to state employees and retirees in the General Assembly,” Smith said. “When we ask for his help, he not only answers the call but goes above and beyond. He is not only a man of his word, but a man of action.”
25 members changed their plans and
WON A GRAND!
With Senate Bill 375 passing the Senate, your right to have SEANC dues, insurance premiums and other payments easily deducted from your paycheck is under direct threat. SEANC is asking all members to consider switching over to bank draft, bill pay (where payments are pulled from members’ bank accounts each month instead of their paychecks) or annual billing.
Earlier this year, SEANC launched a contest to incentivize members to make the switch! Twenty-five prizes of $1,000 were given to randomly selected members (five winners from each region) who made the switch to bank draft or annual pay by the SEANC Convention. The 25 winners were selected at the convention on stage.
If you haven’t already, please visit apo.seanc.org to switch over to bank draft today!
Alternate Payment Option (APO) Winners
North Central South Central Eastern Western Piedmont
Fay Miles-Kea, District 27
Deangelous Pierce, District 21
Susie Esealuka, District 44
Shaw Erfani, District 43
Ronald Penny, District 27
Lavern Perscell, District 39
Evelyn Hill, District 39
Dylan Derrick, District 22
Kristie Newkirk, District 61
Jeffrey Sanderson, District 24
Cheryl Colson, District 68
Travis Gardner, District 66
Godfrey Phelps, District 68
Tiffany Cannon, District 65
Drew Stanley, District 57
Stephen Donaldson, District 4
Teresa Davis, District 2
China Calloway, District 3
Rebecca Barker, District 1
Ellen Moss, District 2
Chenell Rose, District 12
Coan Ritchie, District 12
John Basilice, District 10
Deborah Norton, District 25
Miriam Haebig, District 25
PHOTOS BY SARA COWELL COBURN
Rep. Michael Wray (D-Halifax)
Rep. Jonathan Jordan (R-Ashe)
1621 Midtown Place
Raleigh, NC 27609
Raleigh, NC
Mission Health no longer a part of State Health Plan
The deadline for a new contract between Mission Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina passed on Oct. 5 without a deal, meaning Mission’s facilities in the western part of the state are “outof-network” for BCBSNC customers and members of the State Health Plan under most circumstances.
As of presstime in mid-October, no deal had been reached. SEANC continues to urge both sides to work toward a solution that best serves the patients as soon as possible.
This does not affect members who are enrolled in the Medicare Advantage plans offered by the State Health Plan through UnitedHealthcare. Mission Health facilities will remain “in-network” for members covered by these plans.
There are a few instances where Mission is still an in-network provider for all health plan members, including
emergency care and patients who qualify for continuity of care. If you think you qualify and have not filled out a continuity of care form from the State Health Plan, please do so as soon as possible.
SEANC leaders and members from the west met with BCBSNC officials on Oct. 5 to discuss the situation. As it told the SEANC Board of Governors in July, BCBSNC stated that Mission Health is pushing an increase in cost of 5 percent or more, which will be passed along to plan members in the form of higher premiums and co-pays.
It will also result in more cost for the State Health Plan, meaning the plan would have to request more money from the General Assembly — money that could be used for pay raises and cost-ofliving adjustments.
BCBSNC officials have expressed a willingness to negotiate a solution, but Mission Health had not come back to the table at presstime.
BCBSNC officials urge plan members to use other facilities in the area that are considered “in-network,” a list of which can be found online at www.bcbsnc.com.
