October 1, 2011

Members Present: Hene Kelly, Chair, Barbara Harmon, Ethel McClatchey, Bob Coble, Patty Chong-Delon, Lynn Arkin, Gayle Pekrun, Charlotte Gonzales, Cliff Liehe, Donna Smith, Lucy Navaw (?sp), Pat Crawford, Antoinette Griffin, Phyllis Pipes, Roni Howard.
Staff: Brain Doyle.
Guest: Barrie Logan
Reporter: Ethel McClatchey

Topics Discussed:

1. Barrie Logan requested support of CFT Retirement Comm for his application to be Retiree appointee by Gov. to Cal STRS for 2012-2016.
2. Report from ARA Legislative Conference. We should all contact Feinstein to support Senior issues.
3. Legislative Report – Brain Doyle

• CFT Convention April, 13 – 15, 2012, San Jose
• CFT supports AB 52 – about health insurance, SB 810 single payer health       care.
• CFT opposes SB 161 – Diastat bill that allows volunteers to administer medical procedures It passed and is on Governor’s desk. CFT asking Gov. to Veto this bill.

Reviewed topics for Convention workshops.   Even though we are allocated three workshops we agreed that the following four are important:

1. Retirement Planning 101
2. Single Payer Plan SB 810 (This bill may be withdrawn in 2012.)
3. Protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medical Benefits – Recommend Lauren Luchi as presenter
4. STRS and CalPERS. Defined Benefit vs Defined Contribution.

5.   Legislative Report -- Delores Sanchez

Pension reform will be the big issue this year.
Concerns that hybrid of Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution will cause serious problems.

6.   Organizing New California Retiree Chapters -- Pat Crawford

• Goal is 6 – 8 chapters to be organized this year. Following are in process:
  Morgan Hill, North Monterey County, San Diego Community College,
• Golden Wets CC, Coast CC.
• Salinas is a chartered Chapter but is social group and not interested in
• political issues.
• San Francisco CC being reorganized.
• Discussed various strategies for increasing chapter membership.

7. New Business:

a. Cliff asked about excessive fees for 403B supplements. Doyle will research and report back to us.
b. Meeting scheduled in October with Insurance Commissioner on health care, housing and senior issues. Hene will attend.
c. Information: Patty Chong distributed copies of Substitute Resolution # 73 from AFT 2010 Convention regarding improving standards of 403B limits to allow people to do own investing of their 403b funds.

Action Taken:

• Minutes of meeting of April 9, 2011 approved
• M/S/P. Committee recommends that CFT support Barrie Logan as Retiree appointee to CalSTRS Board. Hene will request Josh to send letter to Governor with our support
• M/S/P. Hene Kelly voted as Chair of Retirement Security Comm. for 2012-2014.
• CFT reps to CARA Convention confirmed (5):
  Roni Howard, Pat Crawford, Phyllis Pipes, Ethel McClatchey, and Charlotte Gonzales from ABC!
• Recommend the topics listed in # 4 above as our workshops for 2012 CFT
  Convention.
• M/S/P. Request budget of $6000 for calendar year 2012.
• As per minutes of 1/29/11,again request that CFT approve funding for a training video for locals on how to organize new retiree chapters.

return to Retirement Committee page