The OEA-Retired Runoff Election for Spring 2022 was conducted by Election America. Online voting opened on April 23, 2022, and closed on May 23, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. With 1,777 votes cast (46 blanks/voids) 1009 were paper ballots and 768 electronic votes.
OEA-R Advisory Council – OEA Board of Directors Representative
Retirement Board Election Results:
On Saturday, May 7, 2022, the results of the State Teachers Retirement Board election were certified by a board of tellers appointed by the State Teachers Retirement Board and Election Services Company — the independent firm administering the election.
The results of the election for the two contributing member seats on the Retirement Board are as follows:
The results of the election for the retired member seat on the Retirement Board are as follows:
The term of office for Steven Foreman, Elizabeth Jones and Julie Sellers will begin on Sept. 1, 2022, and will end on Aug. 31, 2026.
Rita J Walters
Vote Rita J. Walters for STRS Board of Directors.
You should have received your STRS ballot in the mail. Vote NOW!
The stability of STRS is at stake. Rita is the OEA endorsed candidate. She has served OEA’s Retired members faithfully since 2017. Rita understands her responsibility to protect your STRS funds and will not support the risky schemes proposed by some.
While Rita has served on the STRS Board, STRS was able to survive the financial crisis and come out strong enough to reinstate a COLA and health care premium rebates.
Vote Rita J, Walters to continue a strong and stable STRS.
More information: : https://www.ohea.org/get-involved/oea-strs-board-endorsements/
In preparation for the STRS election in April, OEA-R understands there is much concern about our pension system and its future. In order to help STRS recipients make an informed decision based on facts, OEA-R will be holding an informational meeting for its members.
Join Us on Tuesday, February15th at 4:30pm to 5:30pm for an STRS informational meeting for OEA-R members only.
OEA-R leadership knows that your pension system is a top priority for you, the informational meeting will include a presentation and a time for questions (written in the Chat) and answers. The OEA endorsed candidates (Rita Walters, Jeff Rhodes, and Rob McFee) have also been invited to speak.
To register for the webinar, Please contact Mary Binegar, OEA-R Chairperson, binegm@aol.com .
Ohio Education Association Retired – www.ohea.org/retired
OEA-R – Read Across America
To celebrate Read Across America, OEA-R members have recorded themselves reading books for school kids. Enjoy! https://www.ohea.org/resources/all/oear-read-across-america/
If you are interested in recording a reading, please contact OEA-R Vice Chairperson – by February 14.
NEOEA Megaconference 2022
NEOEA Megaconference is just a little over a month away — March 5. We will be virtual — which means it is FREE and open to all members — no limits on the number of attendees. There are over 30 amazing sessions to choose from. Check out the line-up and register soon! Deadline February 18.
OEA Endorses Rita Walters for Retired Seat on STRS Board – December 2, 2021
During the August meeting of the STRS Board, Rita Walters was elected by a majority of the Board to fill a vacancy as a retired member. Walters recently completed a four-year term on the Board and had finished third in the election for two retiree seats. Robert Stein, who had finished second in the election, resigned his seat before beginning his new term. An election will be held among STRS benefit recipients to elect a representative for the remaining three years of the term. OEA has endorsed Rita Walters for this election.
Download and circulate a nomination petition for Rita Walters:
2022 Rita Walters STRS-R
Video message from Rita Walters: https://youtu.be/kE_Gxic2gnw
Rita Walters retired with 35 years of experience as a language arts teacher from the Switzerland of Ohio School District and a member of OEA-R. She was elected by the STRS Board to a one-year term, September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2022. As an active teacher she also served as president of her local association and on the OEA Board of Directors for 12 years. Walters was originally elected to the STRS Board in 2017.
When it comes to the oversight of retirement funds for Ohio’s teachers experience matters. The OEA Board of Directors has endorsed the candidacy of Rita Walters for the vacant seat. She is committed to acting in the best interest of all STRS members and ensuring that STRS is strong and stable for the long haul.
During her time on the STRS Board, the solvency of the STRS retiree health care program has vastly improved. Once, projected to run out of money in a few years, the health care plan is now over 100% funded. Additionally, STRS continues to be recognized as a premier public retirement system and over 90% of retirees have favorable views of STRS.
In early April, ballots will be sent to all STRS members. STRS retirees, are eligible to vote in the election for the retiree seat.
Questionable Investment “Partnership” Pitched to STRS Board
During the STRS Board’s November meeting, two current Board members presented a “new business opportunity” for STRS. Wade Steen (Governor DeWine’s appointee to the STRS Board) and Rudy Fichtenbaum (a retiree representative) advocated for the creation of a public/private partnership with a firm called QED. Under the proposal the company would facilitate access to STRS assets by a counter party who would execute asset swaps resulting in profits from arbitrage for the counter party. During a lengthy discussion, it was revealed that QED currently has no assets under management and no track record of performance. Further, STRS would provide 100% of the assets in the “partnership” and receive 25% of the profits. Mr. Steen had previously indicated that he had an investment plan that would return $4 billion in revenue while reducing risk to the portfolio. Based on the discussion, in order to achieve that level of return it would be necessary to devote $65 billion in assets (two-thirds of all STRS assets) to this new enterprise. A proposed motion to hire outside council to negotiate an agreement with QED was never offered.
Visit the OEA Fall RA Online Exhibitor Marketplace to see our page.
https://www.ohea.org/representative-assembly-vendors/
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