TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI

1st QUARTERLY MEETING

Sept 30th, 2006

In Attendance:

 

Mark O’Dowd, State President                      Dave Taylor, State Treasurer

Archie Daily, State Vice President                             Karin Cummins, State Secretary

Murrell Arnett – State Retiree

Chapter 1                    1 Members                  Chapter 2        2 Members

Chapter 3                    0 Members                  Chapter 4        2 Members

Chapter 5                    1 Members                  Chapter 6        1 Members

Chapter 7                    1 Members                  Chapter 8        2 Members     

Chapter 9                    0 Members                  Chapter 10      0 members

 

Meeting called to order by President Mark O’Dowd at 9:04 a.m.  Mark stated that we are in a fact-finding mode at the present time.

 

Our lobbyist, Harry Hill opened by informing us of upcoming issues that may be worth tackling in the upcoming session.  He spoke of the agenda from Governmental Affairs and the Retirement board and a possible employee contribution to the Retirement system. A meeting was recently held to find ways to build up our MPERS system.

 

Representative Todd Smith, Sedalia, who pushed for the MPERS takeover for the last 2 yrs. is retiring, so we need to at least keep an eye on the subject.

 

Rep. Sladek is on the Retirement board and Rep. Mark Bruns is interested in the Deferred Comp issue.

 

The legislative session will start in January. Harry is planning on a visit to Independence in Oct.

 

Prior Service purchase status will be back this year and will hopefully pass this time.

 

Seat Belt Issue – Gov. Affairs office wants us to support it. After some discussion, the Ass’n is interested since we are about safety but we will ask them to support us on some levels.

 

In summary, Harry indicated that pay raises should be a hot topic again this year.  The money is there but the Dept is focused on the roads, so we will see.  Revenues are up for the state.  Harry briefly discussed term limits and the impact on legislation.

 

Secretary’s Report:  Copies of minutes were submitted for approval. A motion was made to correct Paragraph 1. Seconded and carried.

 

Treasurer’s Report:   Copies of the treasurer’s report were submitted for approval. . Moved, seconded, and carried.

 

Chapter Reports:

Chapter 1: Currently 240 members and $6500 in Checking.

Chapter 2:  Currently 242 members and $5600.00 in Checking and Savings.

Chapter 3:   Not present.

Chapter 4:  Currently 360 members, $2000.00 in Checking and $4000.00 in Savings. We have added 12 new members in the last month. We are ordering new mugs for Retirees.

Chapter 5:  Currently 520 members and approx. $18000 in Checking and Savings.

Holding quarterly drawings to generate new members. Will do a $250.00 drawing at Christmas to generate new interest.

Chapter 6: 296 members with $3200.00 in Checking.

Chapter 7:  292 members with $3034.50 in Checking and $920.31 in Credit Union Acct.

Sponsored a team in a golf tournament.

Chapter 8:  370 members with $7600.00 in bank account  Looking at ways to generate new members. Employee orientation helps in getting new members.

Chapter 9:  Not present

Chapter 10: Not present

 

 Break

 

Old Business:  Mark asked that we contact LeAnn Hagee, our Webpage editor, to include Chapter and State retirees as officers.

 

The subject of allowing Per Diems as opposed to itemized expense accts for employees was proposed for discussion by Duane Kliethermes of Chapter 5.  The secretary will look into MoDOT’s policy governing the subject.

 

NOTE:  I contacted Debbie Krause of the Controller’s Division following this meeting and she said the reason MoDOT does not offer Per Diems is that we must show “actual costs” to preserve our tax exempt status.

 

New Business:  Mark opened the floor for ideas to stimulate growth and what can we do at the State level to increase morale within our membership?

 

Vacation Policy – find a way to allow more time to use vacation such as pushing the deadline back to November or change the limits.  Mark says we will take up the fight.

 

A statewide competition such as a bowling or Golf tournament, a Rodeo, softball among Chapters was proposed.

 

Mark proposed bumper stickers on state vehicles in collaboration with MoDOT.  He will approach Don Hillis.

 

“Working together for your Safety” was suggested as a possibility.  A motion was made to pursue the bumper sticker idea. 

After some discussion, we decided we would back the Primary Seat Belt Law, which allows driver to be stopped for not wearing seat belt alone. Statistics show that an average of 90 lives a year will be saved in Missouri per year.

 

Calendars and ink pens have been ordered.

 

Mark thanked everyone for attending.

 

Meeting adjourned.

 

Next Meeting:

 

Saturday, January 13th - Truman Inn - Jefferson City, MO

9:00 a.m. – 2nd Quarterly meeting.