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Present: Mike Bradshaw, Ken Cowser, Sandy Dean, Joe Dykstra, Dean Eyman, John Gray, Ben Johnson, Bob Keil, Charlie Kuykendall, Marigrace Kirstowsky, Tom Lemons, Dave Reichle, Mary Helen Rose, Joe Setaro, Troy Trotter, Don Wood

Ken Cowser introduced Dean Eyman, who has been asked for advice and assistance to the Legislative Committee.

Opening Remarks. President Dave Reichle mentioned that he has had conversations with retirees Ken Sommerfeld and Jeff Bostock, as well as with Jim Campbell of ETEC, in an effort to get more ideas about further actions CORRE might take. He and Joe Setaro will meet tomorrow with Steve Porter, Acting HR director at ORNL, and with Mark Wagner, head of ORNL Benefit Plans.

Secretary & Treasurer’s Report. Mary Helen Rose highlighted her Treasurer’s report for November, copies of which had been distributed to board members. Balance on hand November 30, 2004, was $45,338.18, with a total of about 2,329 Active Members.

Communications. Sandy Dean reported that she has sent an item for the BWXT Y-12 Newsletter, but has no idea when it will be issued again. Reichle agreed to write the next article to be submitted, and he asked for suggestions from Board members. Dean stated that Paul Parsons has left The Oak Ridger and joined a new weekly publication called The Oak Ridge Observer. She wrote to Parsons thanking him for all his support. Cowser stated that Parson’s replacement will be Tatia Harris. Cowser has talked to her, and she expressed an interest in meeting with CORRE representatives to be briefed about our organization.

Legislative Committee. Pete Lotts was away on vacation, but Ken Cowser reported on the Committee’s meeting prior to the Board meeting. He said Lotts has drafted proposed legislation. The Committee feels we should think more about legislative chiefs of staff and get directories of staff assignments.

ORNL Benefits Advisory Committee. Joe Setaro stated that the committee did not meet in December, but will schedule a meeting in mid-January. They are looking at ways to compare benefits at ORNL with comparable laboratories and universities. The BenVal report really did not give a good comparison.

Website. John Gray said the site is up to date. Setaro stated that he likes the link to the city/county resolutions. Reichle again expressed appreciation to Gray, said he finds the website very useful.

Bylaws Committee Report. Don Wood, Chairman, presented to the Board changes recommended by the Committee (other members, Julia Hoppe, Marigrace Kirstowsky, Mary Helen Rose, and Bob Worrell). He stated that revisions to Article III, Purpose, were necessary to conform to our application for recognition as a non-profit organization and to reference the appropriate IRS Code Sections under which our application was approved.

The Committee recommended increasing the number of Board members from 21 to 22, and deleting the section which stated that some Board members would represent specific organizations. There would now be seven officers and the remaining directors (minimum of 8 and maximum of 15) would serve at large.

The Committee proposed that the Bylaws provision for additional nominations of Directors from the floor at the Annual Meeting be deleted. However, the consensus of the Board was to reject that recommendation and keep that provision as set forth in paragraph D of Article V of the Bylaws.

There was discussion about a proposed change having to do with attendance at Board meetings. The consensus eventually was that Board members could be removed if they do not attend at least a majority of Board meetings each year.

Dave Reichle suggested including the words "and derivative organizations with employees covered under this same benefit plan" in the opening paragraph under Article III, Purpose. This would bring the Bylaws in line with CORRE’s stated purpose of including some "grandfathered" Bechtel-Jacobs and Wackenhut employees, and the Committee agreed to that change.

Kuykendall then moved, and the motion was seconded, to adopt the revised Bylaws after the agreed-upon changes. The motion carried unanimously, with 13 Board members present and voting.

Other Business. Joe Dykstra suggested that we send a welcome letter to the new Secretary of Energy when he is confirmed.

Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m.

Mary Helen Rose, CORRE Secretary