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Coalition of Oak Ridge Retired Employees

Minutes of Board Meeting on

September 17, 2003, 2:00 p.m.

Oak Ridge Senior Center  

Present:  Ken Bernander, Ken Cowser, Sandy Dean, Joe Dykstra, Ben Gaylor, John Roy Gray, Jackie Holloway, Ben Johnson, Marigrace Kirstowsky, Charlie Kuykendall, Tom Lemons, Pete Lotts,  Gary Riser, Mary Helen Rose, Joe Setaro, Troy Trotter, Don Wood, Bob Worrell 

1.      Opening Remarks.   Charlie Kuykendall stated that political pressure is becoming our most important leverage for getting action.  He talked about membership, in general, stating that he is sometimes asked whether CORRE really represents all 12,000 retirees, since we have only about 1,800 Active Members.  Pete Lotts suggested we need to have a Membership chairperson, who would concentrate on ways to get more Active Members.   

Bob Worrell reported that the nominating committee has chosen Tom Douglass as a candidate in place of Keith Kahl, who is moving soon to Hilton Head.  Board members spoke highly of Tom Douglass and approved his nomination.   

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 August 31, 2003, was $38,831.48, with a total of about 1,836 Active Members. 

3.      Communications.  Sandy Dean reported that she has checked and was told that the BWXT Y-12 Retiree News will be held for a report of our Annual Meeting, since it cannot be published in time to include another notice of the meeting.   She told of a meeting on September 15 of Dave Reichle, Mary Helen Rose, and herself with Cathey Daniels of The Oak Ridger to discuss publicity.  Cathey will write an article on CORRE activities for possibly Thursday of this week (or Monday), then she will do a followup about October 1 with our news release on the Annual Meeting.  She will come to the meeting on October 8.  Sandy will send the news release to the News Sentinel and other area newspapers.  Mary Helen has taken to The Oak Ridger an ad which will run in The Intermission on two weekends then in the regular paper on the following Tuesday.  Total cost was $150.25. 

There was further discussion about how to publicize the Annual Meeting and get a really large turnout for a “rally.”  Staff members from area legislative offices are expected to attend, and the heads and staff of ORNL, BWXT, NNSA, and Bechtel Jacobs have been invited.

4.      Website.  John Roy Gray stated that he thinks he has everything almost up to date.  Kuykendall said he thinks the site is very impressive, and expressed appreciation to Gray.   

5.      Tax-Exempt Status.  Don Wood reported that we now have a letter from IRS dated September 5, stating that CORRE has been granted tax-exempt status.  Wood mentioned some points in the letter regarding actions required if there are changes in the future.  Mary Helen will keep the original copy of the letter in her CORRE files.  Board members applauded Don Wood and Ben Johnson for their efforts in achieving the status.   

6.      Meeting at ORNL.   Joe Setaro reported that he and Kuykendall met at ORNL on August 26 with Darryl Boykins and Mark Wagner and had a very good meeting.  He feels we have built up a good relationship with ORNL representatives.  They talked about differences in retirement benefit plans that UT-Battelle has at other sites they manage.  ORNL agreed to provide a description of these plans and what is being contributed into them, but these have not as yet been received.  UT-Battelle seems to look very favorably on our request for minimum pensions.  They need approval by the UT-Battelle Board of Governors, and they cannot make a commitment until that happens.  A benefits advisory committee is to be formed at ORNL, and it will include active employees from the different payrolls.  They intend to have a CORRE representative on that board.  Boykins stated that ORNL has no problem with looking at pension benefits for retirees biannually, at the same time they review benefits for employees. Boykins stated that the recent trend upward in the stock market must continue to make up for losses in the last three years. 

Setaro said he and Kuykendall expressed their concern about losing benefits if a Medicare drug bill goes into effect.  Boykins said their goal would be to maintain our drug benefits.

7.      Meeting at Y-12.  Bob Worrell reported that he and Kuykendall met on August 28 with Steve Smith and Norm Sparks, and covered the same points as covered at ORNL.  On minimum pensions, it was Worrell’s and Kuykendall’s impression that it is going to be done, although approval will have to be obtained from BWXT’s board of directors and from DOE. Steve Smith reminded us that we have a defined benefit plan. There are no standing benefits committees at Y-12 or ORNL.  They will continue biannual reviews of employee benefits, and did indicate that they are going to include retirees in a biannual review. Worrell and Kuykendall made it very clear that CORRE is going to keep pressing for a 15% average increase, as well as the maintenance of pension purchasing power value at the 75 percent level.  Kuykendall said we are going to have to work to get DOE to make additional money available to the contractors so that pension increases will not adversely affect their operating budgets.   

8.      Legislative Committee.  Kuykendall complimented members of the committee for pushing to the degree that they have to get some movement.  Pete Lotts said the committee met with Linda Ponce of Rep. Wamp’s office last week to talk about strategy and where we go from here.  He expects to have one or more representatives from Wamps’ office at the Annual Meeting, also representatives from Reps. Davis and Duncan’s office.  Lotts thinks we have to get the support of Sen. Alexander, because he has a position on the senate energy committee.   

Lotts stated that we need to consider a petition, which would go to legislators and to management of the plants.  A petition has been drafted by Lotts and John Jones.  Lotts recommended that we start the petition process at the Annual Meeting.  There was discussion as to timing of a petition, but Motion passed to approve starting a petition at the Annual Meeting.   Lotts will work further on wording of the petition. 

9.      Strategy Discussion – Goals.  Discussed in Lotts’ report. 

10.  2003 Annual Meeting.   Mary Helen urged all board members to come to the Civic Center Gym early, possibly when it opens at 1:00, in order to help set up chairs and to greet people.  They also need to stay and help put away chairs at the end of the meeting. 

11.  Adjournment.  The meeting was adjourned at 4:08 p.m.

                                                                        Mary Helen Rose, Board Secretary