A bulletin distributed after each Board of Governors’ meeting for use in district newsletters, websites and meetings. For more information, contact the SEANC Communications/PR Department at 800-222-2758 or 919-833-6436. The Spotlight can be found on the SEANC website, www.seanc.org, under “News/Publications.”
The Board of Governors (BOG) met on Oct. 26-27, 2012, to discuss business important to state employees and retirees.
Treasurer’s Report Treasurer Betty “BJ” Jones reported on the 2011-2012 SEANC Fiscal Year finances with the assistance of Finance Director Rex Foster. From Oct. 1, 2011, through Sept. 30, 2012, the SEANC Central Office exceeded budget expectations by collecting more revenue than expected for the association. Budget receipts equaled 101 percent with 96 percent in total disbursements. In addition to membership dues, revenue highlights included $150,000 from theme park ticket sales and $20,000 per month from the Purchasing Power program. Convention sponsorships enabled the association to purchase a keypad voting system for use at future BOG meetings and conventions. President’s Report President Sidney M. Sandy reported on his new initiatives for the SEANC year: •
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Benevolence Committee: Sandy launched a benevolence committee headed by District 47 member Doranna Anderson. The new committee has been formed to acknowledge the passing of SEANC family members, assist the insurance department and increase participation in the memorial program.
Redistricting Committee: The president announced that he has formed a redistricting committee headed by District 20 member Cliff Brown. The committee will begin its work by conducting a survey to determine which districts need assistance reorganizing in order to maximize district participation. Installation of Officers: The president announced his intent to formally install 20132014 district chairpersons at the 2013 convention. 1
Going “All In To Win” for Linda Coleman for Lt. Governor Legislative Affairs Director Ardis Watkins made a call to action to BOG members to assist Linda Coleman in the final leg of her lieutenant governor’s race. If you are willing to phone bank, work the polls or distribute yard signs contact Watkins at awatkins@seanc.org.
Executive Director’s Report SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope reported that the Linda Coleman race is tied 46-46 with her opponent, Dan Forest. SEANC recently held a press conference to launch a website, extremedanforest.com, to expose the radical stances of lieutenant governor candidate Dan Forest. The website exposes the real Dan Forest – the Dan Forest who will gut worker rights and take away women’s access to affordable health care while choosing corporations over people. It covers everything from his nutty views on the United Nations taking over America to the fact that he’s paid his taxes late and is a hypocrite who claims he wants to cut government in half, but has benefited from state government contracts. The News & Observer covered the press conference and wrote this article, State employees association website paints Dan Forest as extremist. The website mirrors a statewide TV commercial produced by SEANC outlining Dan Forest’s extreme views and Linda Coleman’s mainstream views about women and their access to health care. In other government news, SEANC and the Department of State Treasurer are now committed to meeting and engaging in an ongoing dialogue. Ethics Chief of Staff/General Counsel Tom Harris serves as the association’s ethics officer. Harris reviewed the SEANC, SEIU 2008 Code of Ethical Practices and Conflicts of Interest Policy and conducted ethics training for BOG and SEANC management team members.
SEIU 50 Cents Dues Presentation and Financial Impact to SEANC Budget Last year a SEANC district proposed a bylaws change to transfer the district’s 50 cents per month per member SEIU dues obligation to the SEANC Central Office. The proposed bylaws change was ruled out of order, but is expected to return this year. SEANC Finance Director Rex Foster discussed how, if such a bylaws amendment passed, the $306,000 shortfall would impact the SEANC operating budget. Foster outlined options that could make up for this shortfall including but not limited to: establishing a $100 convention fee per delegate ($85,000), transferring travel and lodging costs from the SEIU convention to districts ($130,000), eliminating the 55 cents mileage reimbursement to events or opting for a dues increase. Districts discussed the presentation during regional breakouts and several decided to share this information with their districts and/or supported keeping the current SEIU dues structure.
29th Annual Convention Update Director of Communications Toni Davis presented an overview of convention delegate participation during the 29th Annual SEANC Stand Up Convention held in Greensboro this 2
September. Convention consisted of 850 voting delegates with approximately 90 percent participating in the voting process, 478 participating in the top 10 policy platform rankings and less than 300 participating in the convention evaluation survey. Davis reviewed survey responses.
Davis explained that she and Meeting & Convention Planner Alicia Miller, CMP, participated in a five-hour meeting with hotel staff about the poor manner in which SEANC staff and members were treated at Koury Convention Center during the annual convention. After discussions and some assistance from the executive director, a $5,100 discount was applied to the association’s bill. Davis also asked for BOG input during regional breakout sessions for Thursday night meal convention options and criteria for the next convention RFP for 2016-2018. Districts preferred to have an optional buffet meal or no evening meal at all other than the banquet at convention.
The majority of regions prefer to stay in an all-in-one location like Greensboro or a maximum of two hotels with transportation provided for those in need. This December the department will release a convention RFP to hotels and convention centers who meet the BOG’s preferred criteria. Later this fiscal year, the BOG will review the bids and vote to accept their preferred location for 2016 and beyond.
Membership Presentation Chairman Spillman Grice urged all members to recruit, recruit, recruit as 82 percent of all membership recruitment is performed by SEANC Staff. Grice recognized 21 districts that finished the 2011-2012 year in the positive. Districts 6, 7, 9, 64 and 70 won $50 gift cards for being the first to schedule two membership events in this fiscal year.
Redistricting/Organizational Review Committee – Chairman Cliff Brown is heading up an ad hoc committee and requested BOG input for a redistricting/organization review survey. Please send suggested survey questions to lcote@seanc.org and seanc2@nc.rr.com by Thanksgiving.
Bylaws Committee – Chairman Jimmy Davis reported that the SEANC Bylaws are located on the SEANC website on the Bylaws Advisory Committee page. Davis requested BOG members read the bylaws and familiarize themselves with the association rules.
Retiree Council Report – Chairman Bob Hopper recommended two legislative initiatives for the 2013 General Assembly session, both of which passed by a unanimous vote of the BOG. 1) 2)
For SEANC to support funding the ARC at 8.69 percent For SEANC to continue to support a defined benefit retirement plan for current or future state employees
During the council’s report, Hopper asked SEANC Lobbyist Chuck Stone to present information on the Express Scripts Medicare™ Prescription Drug Plan– a new drug program that begins on Jan 1, 2013, for all SHP Medicare-eligible retirees. Stone has prepared a list of questions for State Health Plan officials to answer in order to determine whether and how Medicare-eligible retirees 3
will save money with the plan. Look for an update in The SEANC Scoop. Stone can be contacted at cstone@seanc.org.
EMPAC Chairman Wayne Fish has been playing Santa’s helper in SEANC. Fish has been making a list and checking it twice to ensure that all BOG members are EMPAC contributors. All BOG members are currently EMPAC donors. Fish encouraged all BOG members to early vote and to volunteer at the polls for Linda Coleman. Fish delivered 1,200 Linda Coleman signs and gave kudos to Barbara Letterman of District 9 for passing out 200 signs. Insurance Board of Trustees Due to low participation in the Healthy Paws pet insurance program, Chairwoman Pam Hailey recommended that the BOG vote to replace Healthy Paws with a new MetLife pet insurance product. The BOG voted to accept the proposal.
SEANC Director of Insurance Brenda Hooker presented an overview of the SEANC Insurance Department. The department consists of four staff that handles 15 products, takes an estimated 20,000 annual calls and provides 20 percent of the SEANC general fund revenues for 24 staff members. Term life, dental and vision products are targeted for growth in the coming year. Hooker urged all BOG members to promote insurance products, appoint an insurance chairperson, and invite insurance department staff to attend district meetings and recruitment events. Policy Platform Chairwoman Doris Greer reported that only one district turned in three policy platform objectives to the committee last year for consideration. Greer urged BOG members to discuss policy platform ideas at each district meetings in order to increase policy platform participation at the district level. Youth Council Chairwoman Felicia Chiambiro announced that the committee’s goal is to identify and engage members 40 and under who are not active and that the Youth Council will also host its first retreat this year.
Votes PASSED – A motion from the Retiree Council for SEANC to request the General Assembly fund the state’s contribution to the retirement system at 8.69 percent PASSED – A motion from the Retiree Council for SEANC to continue to support a defined benefit retirement plan for current or future state employees PASSED- A motion from EMPAC to transfer $40,000 from the Take Pride in Carolina line item to use toward radio, website banners and robocalls in support of the Linda Coleman for lieutenant governor campaign PASSED-A motion from the Insurance Board of Trustees to replace Healthy Paws pet insurance with a new MetLife pet insurance product 4
PASSED-A motion to encourage the purchase of products made in the U.S.A. for the SEANC store The next BOG will be held Feb. 15–16, 2013, in the SEANC Central Office in Raleigh.
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