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Present:  Joe Dykstra, Ben Gaylor, John Roy Gray, Ben Johnson, John Jones, Charlie Kuykendall,  Pete Lotts, Dave Reichle, Mary Helen Rose, Joe Setaro, Bob Wesley, Don Wood, Bob Worrell 

1.      Opening Remarks.  Charlie Kuykendall stated that he stopped by to see Norm Sparks at BWXT Y-12.  Assets are currently at $2.3 billion, and liabilities are estimated to be $2.13 billion.  Sparks is still being cooperative.  They estimate they will start paying into the pension fund next year. 

2.      Secretary & Treasurer’s Report.  Mary Helen Rose highlighted her Treasurer’s report, copies of which had been distributed to board members.  Balance on hand  March 31, 2003, was $38,513.06, with a total of about 1,779 Active Members.

3.      Communications.  Bob Wesley mentioned three things.  He noted Frank Monger’s article about CORRE in the Knoxville News Sentinel this week. Wesley submitted an article a month ago to Retiree News, and it’s not out yet; he will check on it in a few days.  He is now working to prepare an additional article. 

4.      Website.  John Roy Gray stated that he was not pleased with the way he had the website organized and is starting over.  He discussed copyright laws involved with his putting on the website Frank Munger’s article in News Sentinel.  Wesley will ask for a permission letter.  Gray has put the letters that representatives sent to DOE on the website; Lotts will try to get copies of signed letters from senators Frist and Alexander for use on the web. 

5.      Meeting with Legislators in D. C.  Joe Dykstra went to Washington recently for an event with his grandson and other youth at the Rayburn Office Building.  He was invited to attend a breakfast with Senator Alexander and had a chance to speak to him.  When Alexander knew that Dykstra was an old-timer from Oak Ridge, he volunteered that he is fully supportive of our efforts on our pensions and thought our position paper was very well written.  Rep. Wamp came in to meet with the youth groups and also spoke to Dykstra and told him that “we are going to get something done this time” regarding the pension requests.  Wamp was very positive. 

6.      Meeting with DOE-ORO.  Bob Worrell reported that he and Kuykendall met with Chris Hill (Human Resources) and talked about changes in the DOE field office. Chief Operating Officer Robert Brown will have management responsibility for Human Resources.  Worrell has known Robert Brown for a long time.  Insofar as the CORRE agenda is concerned, Hill is sympathetic with our minimum-pension proposal and not very sympathetic with any other changes, at least for this year.  He is very much concerned about total benefit costs, especially medical.  Lotts suggested that we need to meet with Bill Brumley and Gerald Boyd and brief them.   

7.      Legislative Report.   Pete Lotts stated that he has talked with Rice (staff member at Rep. Duncan’s office), who said they will wait for the Secretary of Energy’s response to their letter to him.  Lotts will talk with Linda Ponce in Wamp’s office.  We need to be ready when Secretary Abraham’s reply comes, probably within a week, to see what we need to do next.  John Jones has drafted a statement on equity that we will try to have inserted in an Energy Bill, but we will hold up on that until we have Abraham’s reply.

8.      Tax-Exempt Status.  Ben Johnson stated that he is allowing the tax accountant time to get past the income-tax rush, and will then get back with him to get a schedule for his work on our application. Completion of the process is near. 

9.      CORRE Membership Expansion.   John Jones stated that he has been approached by retirees from Bechtel Jacobs, who said they would really like to be included in CORRE.  There was discussion as to how to communicate with them, since they do not get the Newsletter.  Bob Worrell will call Human Resources people at Bechtel Jacobs, Wackenhut, and other companies.  Worrell, Kuykendall, and Reichle will visit to make them aware of CORRE and pave the way for retiree participation.   

10.  Nominating Committee .  Bob Worrell stated that the committee met prior to this board meeting, with three members present.  They will meet again before the May meeting.  Suggestions for nominations are still welcome.  

11.  Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 3:20 p.m.

Mary Helen Rose, Board Secretary

Next Board Meeting: Wednesday, May 21, 2003, 2:00 p.m., O. R. Senior Center