This post shared from Delores Mills' list serve. I neither endorse, nor do I not endorse, these positions. - BG
Re: Our upcoming Retirement Board election:
Re: Our upcoming Retirement Board election:
Joe Clark is again a candidate for trustee of our pension board. In his biographical statement that we recently received, he stated that he had been on the pension board for 18 years-- a long time. Yet, we have not had a COLA in eleven years with no talk of receiving one. In fact, I understand that recently, the SAB persuaded the Missouri Legislature to pass a bill which requires that our fund be
100% funded before a COLA can be approved for SLPS retirees. I understand also that the pension board (trustees-- there are eleven) and the former union president, Mary Armstrong testified in favor of this awful bill which basically will prevent us from ever receiving a COLA.That 100% funding is practically an impossibility, This stipulation only applies to us, not to the other pension fund, PSRS of Missouri, which represents all other school districts in Missouri, except St. Louis and Kansas City.
As our advocate, why didn't Joe Clark, the president/chairperson of our pension board make certain that we were notified of these negative changes? He has been chairperson for at least 5-10 years.
Now, let's take a look at his attitude, since he has been negligent in making certain that we received important communication.
When the few of us attend the pension board meetings, which Erma Nevels and I have been faithfully attending for at least 12 years, here are some of the insults that we have to endure in the hostile climate which Joe Clark presides over:
They refuse to turn on the microphone so that we can hear the discussions. During the last meeting when we complained, Joe Clark looked at us, did not acknowledge our complaint, ; he rolled his eyes, and ignored us. The 10-11 trustees also ignored us.
As they talked about increasing the insurance premiums and insurance subsidy, it was difficult to hear; Erma raised her hand and asked if they would speak louder; Joe Clark paused, gave her a hostile look, and he and the group continued to ignore us.
They refused to introduce us to the insurance vendor/consultant who was making a presentation and discussing the $80 insurance supplement which they claim that retirees receive-- they placed the literature on the overhead projector so that the trustees could follow the discussion, although they had the literature before them. Because we could not see very well and did not have the literature, Erma asked for a copy; they ignored her and continued with the discussion.
Led by the president/chairperson of the pension boaard, Joe Clark, they maintained the usual hostile climate as we sat there trying to learn about the decisions that they were making about our financial fate.
Lastly, they went into closed session without giving a reason, so we had to leave.
Delores
P.S Darnetta Clinkscale has recently been appointed by CEO, Rick Sullivan to sit on our pension board--she ran with three others, Ron Jackson, Robert Archibald, Vince Schoemehl as a slate in about 2004 o 2005.. The St, Louis voters rejected the entire slate. Now she has been appointed by CEO
to sit on both boards-- pension board and the school board.
