Hardin County Retired Teachers Association Releases Minutes of Recent Meeting

The Hardin Co. Retired Teacher Association held its luncheon meeting at the Kenton Elks on May 16 at noon. Pres. Madelyn Lowery welcomed 19 members and 1 guest speaker Robin Rayfield. She thanked the Elks volunteer staff and the committee of Sandy Berry, Susan Dugan, Pam Robinson, and Joan Mouser for the lovely arrangements. Melanie Kindell offered Grace before lunch. The lunch was salad, meatloaf, au gratin potatoes, beverages, and dessert.

Sec. Norma Frederick introduced speaker Dr. Robin Rayfield, Director of ORTA, following lunch. ORTA is the watchdog of our State Teacher’s Retirement System. The news from STRS is concerning. The STRS Board is trying to select a new director. At present, there is a majority of reformers on the STRS board who want more positive decisions to allow retired teachers to obtain a COLA and change the ways of investing for better profits for the fund. They are looking for a director who will work for the retired teachers to gain such needs. Gov. DeWine and other officials of the state want the board to not hire a director as yet. It is a question as to why this is not wanted by the Governor and his officials. The board had held 3 days of executive sessions. Rayfield was waiting for the outcome as of today’s meeting. Rayfield did expect that the sessions would include discussions about health care and the insurance premiums.

Rayfield did state that Governor DeWine and state leaders do not want active and retired teachers on the STRS board. He wants to appoint all of the seats and thus have control over the money that teachers pay into the retirement fund. He repeated that those, who are investing from STRS, send the money to Wall Street which in turn then pays the politicians. The politicians do not want any changes to their flow of money which might happen with a new director and STRS reformer board. A budget must be decided by the end of June so no changes can happen until that is done. Ohio tends to be conservative and generally vote Republican. Rayfield says that we must all become more informed and influence others to ask questions. Since this is happening with the reformers on the STRS board, he stated another 1 1/2% COLA is being approved for a one time payment. He stated that it should start July 1 (but happen with the individual’s actual month of retirement), and they are calling it a benefit restoration. It will not cover all that has been lost for years without a COLA, but they want to calm the retired teachers.

There are lawsuits happening in trying to remove a member of the STRS board as well as a former member. There are 7 STRS majority seats filled by reformers who are elected by the active and retired teachers. Rayfield did say that the Governor might try to add more seats to the board in order for him to appoint a majority of his liking and influence. He stated that Ohio’s major newspapers, except for the Toledo Blade, are controlled by those with connections to what the Governor and Attorney General would like to control of STRS. Rayfield is still working to keep everyone informed of changes that STRS might make.

Pres. Lowery led the members in thanking Dr. Rayfield for his information. She began the meeting. Sec. Norma Frederick read the minutes from April 18. They were accepted. Mike Hubbell gave the treasure’s report for Joyce Hubbell, .and it was filed for audit. All county libraries have been sent $25 for the summer reading program. Joan Mouser read thank yous from libraries at Kenton and Forest. Dues for the club of $15, which was corrected from last month, can now be paid. ORTA is paid $30 each year. The scholarship fund added $98 today. It was reported that the group had a total of 174 volunteer hours in the county.

Committee Chairman Sandy Moore stated that she received 4 applicants for our scholarships. After discussion among those attending, it was voted to give 3 of the applicants $500 each. The fourth applicant was not yet a teacher to be considered. Arrangements will be made to contact the winners to be paid. Donations today were being made to God’s Life Line.

Jodine McKinley won the door prize.

Pres. Lowery asked for other committee reports. Membership Chairman Jean Kearns had nothing to report. Lowery announced that the next meeting is September 19 at the Kenton Elks at noon. Representatives will come to tell about LifeWise Projects. The committee is Pat Ritchey, Holly Ruhlen, Sandy Moore, and Madelyn Lowery. Donations will be for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Chaplain Melanie Kindell gave a closing prayer.

The meeting was adjourned and all were wished a safe and happy summer.