OEA Podcast Features Barry Alcock and his ESC Board Campaign

OCT 21, 2021

On the Ballot: Educational Service Centers
Local school board races are getting a lot of attention as we countdown to Election Day on November 2, but those aren’t the only important races on the ballot when it comes to Ohio’s public schools. OEA Vice President Jeff Wensing continues our special election coverage with a conversation with OEA Retired member Barry Alcock.

25 m

Links to all OEA Education Matters Podcasts at:

 

OEA-R Guidelines

On May 6, 2021, the OEA Retired Delegate Assembly approved amendments to the OEA-R Guidelines, subsequently approved by the OEA Board of Directors:

  • Added—Recall procedure for officers and members of the Advisory Council – Article VIII, Sec I
  • Changed—From one year to three years, to establish a three-year term for appointed, non-voting, positions on the Advisory Council, e.g. Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, SERS Observer, and STRS Observer – Article IX, Sec A.2.

Download the new current 340.040-Guidelines-for-OEA-R-Rev.-7-25-21

 

NEA Member Benefits – Lunch & Learn for Retired Members

In cooperation with OEA, KEA and WVEA Retired, NEA Member Benefits invites you to join us for a Lunch & Learn workshop series on August 3, 4, and/or 5th starting at 11:30 a.m.  EASTERN TIME.  No pre-registration required; simply click on the zoom link below.  The single zoom link will work all three days.

Aug. 3 –  What I Want My Loved Ones to Know: A practical look at life and family preparedness:  This presentation is about matters important to you and your loved ones in the event of an accident, illness, or death.  Discussion includes the importance of having a will; a durable power of attorney for health care; the kinds of medical treatment you may or may not want; life, disability, and long-term care insurance; making sure your loved ones know where to find your important papers; and much more.

Aug. 4I Need to Get Away!  This presentation will focus on the newly reorganized NEA Travel Program where members can quickly find the best deals on cruises, hotels and resorts, guided tours, airfare and car rentals all in one place.  As tourism begins to recover, there are some really great deals out there… and you may have $500 or more in Travel Dollars in your name waiting to be spent!

Aug. 5 – Why Pay More?   This presentation will highlight the NEW NEA Discount Marketplace, NEA Easy Pay (Buy now, pay later) Program, the NEA Auto Buying Program, and more.  NEA Member Benefits offers discounts at literally thousands of stores.  Why pay more that you need to?

Download the Retired Summer Flyer

NEOEA-Retired Organizing Committee

Featured

The NEOEA-Retired Organizing Committee promotes the welfare of retired members of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association (NEOEA) by identifying particular concerns of retired members as topics for training workshops and social opportunities, by serving as a link between northeastern Ohio retired members and those in other districts, and by fostering communication within OEA-Retired. Also see the the OEA-R page on the OEA Website and the NEA-R page on the NEA website. Join our NEOEA Facebook group.

Our goal is to provide you a resource to locate people and resources to assist you and keep you informed.  Please consider volunteering to serve on one of our Sub-Committees.  NEOEA-OEA-Retired members may use the Contact Us page to update their contact information or request Spring Conference information.  We need your input to help the website evolve to better assist you.   Submit your comments, questions, or contact updates on our Contact Us page.

OEA Report: Retired POP5 – Protect Our Pensions

OEA Report:   Retired POP5 – Protect Our Pensions

Many members have again received a solicitation from an organization called Protect Our Pensions, also known as POP5.  OEA and OEA Retired want you to know that while there does not appear to be any inherent conflict between the stated goals of POP5 and OEA, it is important to note that there is nothing that POP5 is seeking to accomplish that OEA and our allies are not already working on.

Download the POP5 – OEA Report: http://neoea-r.ohea.us/files/2017/09/POP5-OEA-Report.pdf.

SERS Health Care Rule Change

The SERS Board approved a new health care rule earlier this year impacting some non-Medicare retirees who are currently on the SERS health care plan (approximately 500 current retirees are affected.)  SERS is currently mailing all of the impacted individuals and following up by phone, but  a majority are not reading the letter.

Non-Medicare plan enrollees whose gross benefit amount is below the income amount established for Medicaid eligibility will receive a letter telling them to contact HealthSCOPE Benefits (1-888-236-2377).  HealthSCOPE Benefits will evaluate benefit recipients’ Medicaid eligibility using healthcare.gov.

There are three possible outcomes:

  1. If determined potentially eligible for Medicaid, HealthSCOPE Benefits can forward the application to Medicaid.  SERS HC eligibility will end December 31, 2020, unless the member requests an earlier termination date by submitting a health care waiver form.
  2. If determined NOT potentially eligible for Medicaid, HealthSCOPE Benefits will inform SERS’ health care and coverage will continue as is.
  3. If a benefit recipient fails to contact HealthSCOPE Benefits, their SERS’ health care coverage will be terminated effective December 31, 2020.

HealthSCOPE Benefits will report all of its findings to SERS.

Also posted information on the SERS website:  https://www.ohsers.org/have-you-been-contacted-by-sers-about-medicaid-eligibility-if-so-you-need-to-take-action/

It is in the News and Events section on the homepage and is now the featured article in the Retirees dropdown menu.

Member Opinion

Longtime OEA and NEOEA delegate Bill Lavezzi has written two blog posts about the May 9 OEA Representative Assembly.  In one (https://lavezzi.us/education/oeas-ra-a-contrarian-considers/) he provides his assessment of the virtual RA process, and in the other (https://lavezzi.us/education/oeas-ra-questions-about-proposal-1/) he analyzes Bylaws Proposal 1, which he says is definitely unexplained and probably unwise: “Supporters of Proposal 1 had a responsibility to make their case, and they didn’t.”

Note:  The opinions expressed by Mr. Lavezzi are his own and do not reflect any official position of NEOEA or NEOEA-Retired.

OEA FCPE State Council – OEA-R Positions

Names of persons who are interested in serving in the positions of OEA-R Representative and Alternate to the OEA-FCPE State Council are now being accepted.

Language in the OEA FCPE Constitution and Bylaws states: One (1) voting member and one (1) alternate member of the State Council shall be elected from OEA-R by members serving on the OEA-R Advisory Council.  This is a two (2) year term beginning January 1, 2017 and ending December 31, 2018.  This election will take place at the December 1-2, 2016 meeting of the OEA-R Advisory Council.

In addition to serving on the OEA FCPE State Council, the elected Representative and Alternate are responsible for the following per the OEA-R Guidelines:

4. Duties of the OEA-R representative and alternate to the OEA FCPE are:

  1. The FCPE Representative will attend all Advisory Council meetings and OEA-R Delegate Assemblies.
  2. Co-Chair the Legislative/OEA FCPE Committee of the Advisory Council.
  3. Report in timely fashion to the OEA FCPE State Council the concerns and needs of the
    OEA-R Advisory Council.
  4. Inform the Advisory Council of candidate information, political actions, and elected officeholder opinions and actions.
  5. Stimulate and monitor the OEA FCPE contributions of OEA-R membership.
  6. The term of office for the OEA-R representative to the OEA FCPE State Council shall begin on January 1 following the election in odd years (15, 17, 19, 21…) and shall expire on December 31 two (2) years hence.
  7. In the case of a vacancy during the term of office, the alternate shall fill the unexpired term. Members of the OEA-R Advisory Council in consultation shall elect a new alternate.
  8. In the case of a vacancy where no alternate exists, the chair of the FCPE State Council shall appoint a new member until the OEA-R Advisory Council elects a new member to serve on the state council.

5. The FCPE Representative is a non-voting member of the Advisory Council and has no delegate status to the OEA Representative Assembly unless elected as a delegate.

The Advisory Council meets at least four (4) times a year, usually September, December, March, and May.  The OEA-R Delegate Assemblies are in December and May in conjunction with the OEA-R Advisory Council meetings held then. The Alternate has no required activity except at such time when the Representative may not be available.  To be eligible for either position, candidates must meet the requirements of both the Advisory Council and the OEA FCPE which include a minimum annual FCPE contribution of $100 which must have been made by the time the letter of interest is considered for election. The Representative shall represent the interests of the OEA-R to engage in political action to effect the implementation of the OEA policies for the improvement of education in the state of Ohio.

Please submit a letter of interest to Carol Kinsey, OEA-R Board of Directors Representative, cskinsey@aol.com  indicating if you wish to be considered for the Representative or the Alternate position.  Please state your qualifications and reasons for wanting to serve in the position you are seeking.  Those persons currently holding these positions must send a letter if they wish to be considered for continued service.  If you wish to nominate a person other than yourself, you may do so but that person needs to email both persons listed above as agreeing to their nomination.

NEOEA Retired on Facebook

We have established a group Facebook page.  If you are a Facebook member, just search NEOEA RETIRED and request to join.  Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/468980329974499/ 

We have lots of pictures from events in which we participated, as well as special notes, reminders, upcoming events.  We are up to 42 members.  Let’s see if we can get to 50!

Thank you to Nancy Wonson, NEOEA Retired Organizing Committee Chairperson, who set up and manages the page.

Join OEA Retired and NEA Retired

Talk to Your Friends.  Encourage them to join OEA Retired and NEA Retired.  Members of OEA-R and NEA-R save well over the $350 Life Membership fee when they take advantage of discounts on home insurance, car insurance, or appliance discounts through the Association.

Watch the new OEA-R Membership video on YouTube: “OEA-R Working for your Future” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkBsrsn4uVs .

Download the new OEA-R Membership Flyer at http://neoea-r.ohea.us/files/2016/02/OEA-R-Membership-Flyer-.pdf  or for more information or visit the OEA-Retired website at http://oea-r.ohea.us/ .

If you are not a member of OEA-R and NEA-R, consider joining now.  Join online with a credit card at https://sites.nea.org/JoinNea/.