PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Robert Allen President NC Federation 2018 NC Federation Annual Meeting NC Federation Voting Coming in May 2018-2019 Annual Budget A Final Word April 2018 - June 2018 National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association 2018 NC Federation Annual Meeting Fellow NC NARFE ians, welcome to the Annual Meeting/Spring edition of The Beacon. In addition to the articles from your board members, in this issue you ll find information about our Annual Meeting May 1-3 in Hickory at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. This meeting will be the first since we adopted Optional Chapter membership (OCM) and One Member One Vote (OMOV) at our convention in 2017. I encourage all of you to read the information and attend the session in Hickory. I m excited about the Annual Meeting. Because we no longer have delegates, the Annual Meeting will take on a conference feel. We ll have speakers, workshops, and discussion sessions. Our featured speaker is Ms. Barb Sido, NARFE Executive Director. Barb came on board last year and has us looking to the future. She s already implemented positive, sweeping changes in how we operate and will be pushing more such change soon. She ll likely also have a town hall-like session, so please come to Hickory so you can meet this dynamic person, one of the best people to come to NARFE in a great while. There will of course be some business to conduct, but the overall tenor of the Annual Meeting will be informational, informal, and invigorating! NC Federation Voting Coming in May We have several bylaws amendments and resolutions to vote on this year. Please read the Bylaws Committee and Resolutions Committee reports. They contain the data you ll need to make an informed decision when we vote via ballot following the Annual Meeting. The amendments and resolutions address such topics as Federation structure, officer term limits, and Chapter per capita payments. All of them can have far-reaching effects for the Federation, our members, and chapters, so please weigh them carefully. We ll have a discussion period in Hickory where you can ask questions. We have a webinar planned for later this month, so be on the lookout for that. This edition of The Beacon also has a list of Federation officer candidates. We ll have an opportunity to hear our candidates speak in Hickory and give us their vision of where they want to go for 2018-2019. Their statements appear on the NCNARFE website, but we all know the best way to understand what people are talking about is to talk with them in person. This will be your opportunity to do just that. I m glad to see that we have members who are willing to assume leadership positions; we know that chapters are closing, and even federations are folding or downsizing, because too few of our members are willing or able to step up to the plate. I encourage every member of NC NARFE to consider thoughtfully taking up the mantle of leadership as we move ahead. NARFE will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2021 and it is my fervent wish to see North Carolina be a vital part of the celebration. I challenge everyone to help us achieve that by following the examples of these fine folks we ll be voting for this year. While we know we ll have new elected officers, we ll also have some vacancies in appointed board members. If you are asked to fill one of these jobs, please consider doing so. Every appointed officer during my time as President has performed superbly. I m sure you will, too! 2018-2019 Annual Budget You ll also note that the proposed budget for 2018-2019 is included. We ll be voting on that by ballot as well, but we will have time to discuss the budget at the Annual Meeting. Please read over the budget to see where the Federation is focusing. You ll note the budget is lower this year because we re tightening our belt to serve you more efficiently and effectively. We ll be emphasizing advocacy, membership, and service and I believe you ll see that play out as the year progresses. A Final Word Let me close on a personal note. This is the last Beacon article I ll be writing as your President because my term is coming to an end. Serving as your President has been a most rewarding experience. Little did I know when I joined NC NARFE in 2010 that I would be granted such a distinguished honor. I ve enjoyed the privilege of serving and working with over 5,000 dedicated and professional members in protecting the earned pay and benefits of all active and retired federal employees across the state. It s been my distinct pleasure to attend chapter meetings, enjoy countless picnics, participate in numerous health fairs, and represent NC NARFE beyond our borders. I took to heart the trust you placed in me to lead our great organization and, with the help of a great team we are in good position to move forward. Of course, I ll be sticking around as the Immediate Past President ready to serve you in whatever capacity I can (or however the incoming President chooses), so you won t be completely rid of me. Thanks again for your trust and support over these past two years. I m truly humbled. IN THIS ISSUE: Elected Board Reports...1-4 In Memoriam (Nate Johnson)......2 Area VP Reports...5-7 Appointed Board Member Reports...8-10 February 2018 Board Meeting Minutes...9 2018 NC Federation Ballot Items...11-13 FY 2017-18 Expense Report/Financial Statement...13 2018 Annual Meeting News...14 NARFE References Toll-free Legislative Hotline (24 Hours) (877) 217-8234 Legislative Action Center www.narfe.org NARFE Toll-free (800) 627-3994 NC NARFE Service Officer (910) 619-0658 The Beacon is published quarterly by the North Carolina Federation of the National Active & Retired Federal Employees Association. Federation Membership includes subscription to this newsletter via mail, email, and/or webposts.
In Memoriam Nathaniel Hawthorne Johnson Jr. (1944-2018) NC Federation NARFE-PAC Coordinator On January 6, 2018, Mr. Nathaniel (Nate) Johnson passed away very unexpectedly. He was a loyal NARFE member and a loving family man. His life touched many in a very positive way. John Thompson details more about his various contributions in his Area VI report. In Havelock, Nate was the NARFE Chapter President, while across the rest of the NC Federation he was Mr. NARFE-PAC. A cause near and very dear to his heart. If he were still with us, he would be calling on each of us to give generously to NARFE- PAC and to become Sustainers. Nate will be missed terribly by those of us who worked with him on the Board over the last several years. North Carolina Federation - NARFE @ https://www.facebook.com/ncnarfe 2 The Beacon April 2018-May 2018
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT L. Thomas Tom Jennings NC Federation, Executive VP National and North Carolina Membership Numbers Membership Committee Report Candidate for Federation President National and North Carolina Membership Numbers I am writing this article primarily in my capacity as Chair of the Membership Committee. Let me start with some encouraging news about our membership situation on a national level. As you know our membership peaked in the 1980 s at approximately 500,000. From there we have experienced steady declines to just below 210,000. However, the good news is that the rate of decline has slowed each year since 2015. For the first time in 2017 several federations showed actual gains in membership. North Carolina led the way with 167 new members and the numbers so far this year are promising as well. As of this writing, we have 2,780 national members and 2,678 local chapter members for a total of 5,458. Thanks to everyone who helped recruit new members. But we also must give equal weight to retaining members through renewals and reinstatements. Keep up the good work! At the upcoming annual meeting in Hickory we will again be giving membership awards to recognize our success. Membership Committee Report Our Membership Committee met by GoToMeeting on February 12. After reviewing the status of each area, we discussed several ideas that we are working on. We are continuing to develop a master list with contact information for our major facilities. We are looking at offering a Membership Webinar. There s also been a suggestion that we obtain a brief video that could play on a continual loop during recruitment events. This idea is being taken up with NARFE Headquarters. We are continuing to offer membership incentives and are budgeting for this next year. We are looking at making use of lawn signs and magnetic car magnets to help get the word out on NARFE. A possible survey of new members is being considered to better determine what attracted them to join NARFE. We are checking with Headquarters as they may already have this information. Finally, we are developing a numerical goal for recruitment for the coming year. As reflected above, there are positive trends regarding our membership status. We need to do everything possible to maintain and strengthen our efforts in this regard. Candidate for Federation President I would appreciate your vote for me as the next NC Federation President. FEDERATION TREASURER REPORT Sam Crain NC Federation Treasurer changes that will affect the way we have been doing business in the past to a different way. We have decided to reduce the number of meetings from four face-to-face meetings to two a year and one of those is in conjunction with our Annual Meeting. We are looking at possibly reducing the number of Federation positions and combining some duties and responsibilities. New Horizons Candidate for Federation Treasurer New Horizons I would like to begin this article with a reflection on the past and encourage our members to think about the future. We have gone through a period of increased membership and economic increases. Now we are on the perimeter of a slowdown in membership in our Chapters. The good news is that our overall totals have held their own. This is having a large impact in our Chapters and Federation. These changes are affecting our membership both economically and attitude. We are challenged to go in a different direction that is being developed now and in the future. Your Federation Board is well aware of these challenges and is changing as we speak. We have instituted We are attempting to use the four categories below to further define how the Federation Funds are utilized: 1) Advocacy 2) Recruitment and Retention 3) Membership 4) Administration There will be more to come from our new Board in 2018-2019. Candidate for Federation Treasurer I would like to be a part of that challenge, so I have submitted my request to be nominated for another term as your Federation Treasurer. You can find my resume and additional information on a Candidate s web-site named votencfeds.com. I am looking forward to those changes and challenges in the coming year. The Beacon April 2018-May 2018 3
THE SECRETARY S DESK (Important Reminders for Chapters) Dave Phillips NC Federation, Secretary Secretary Becomes Federation Historian Secretary Becomes Federation Historian At the February 13, 2018 Executive Board meeting, a motion was made and approved to combine the duties of Secretary and the Historian. The function(s) of the Historian is to maintain a complete record of the North Carolina Federation since the inception of the chapters in North Carolina. The history should contain the original constitution and bylaws, data on all officers of the Federation since inception, history of the chapters, and other pertinent information. The Historian is responsible for reporting to the Federation Annual Meeting. The duties of a Chapter Historian are the same, except the records are at the Chapter level. With Chapters sadly closing, historical records become more important to trace our heritage as an organization. In the transition to a Secretary/Historian, I learned that the Federation Secretary should be the recipient of any records of a Chapter as it is going through the closing process. I would encourage any Chapter, whether closing or not, to investigate having your important records scanned and placed on a USB or disc for easer retention and transfer to the Federation Secretary. Most computer printers can scan documents now days or you may be able to find a reasonable source of professional scanning available in your area. According to the NARFE Chapter and Federation Officers Manual (F-10) permanent records consist of: Employer Identification Number (EIN) Minutes and Committee Reports Charter, Constitution & Bylaws, Officers Roster Photographs, newsletters, news clippings Property records (if any property remains after closing, banner, flag, etc.) Financial records must be maintained for three years. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you should require any assistance or have a question. 4 REGION X REPORT William Bill Shackelford NARFE Region X Vice President Membership Concerns Region X Update & Candidacy Membership Concerns There is an ongoing concern that NARFE Headquarters (HQ) is abandoning the local grass-roots Chapters in favor of National Only membership that was established because of the decision of the National Executive Board (NEB) to dissolve Chapter 2363 (E-NARFE) and the passage of the Optional Chapter Membership resolution by the delegates in attendance at the 2016 NARFE National Convention. According to Bridget Boel, NARFE Director of Marketing, there hasn t been an effort to increase E-NARFE/National Only members. Instead, there has been a considerable effort to improve the recruitment and retention of NARFE members at all levels. The nuance is really what is important. There has been considerable study/ testing to determine the offers to which perspective members will respond. Addressing the decades-long membership crisis has been the objective of NARFE HQ. All your National Officers, NARFE Marketing Department and the members of the NEB, know that there is a high level of distrust in the Chapters and Federations and a perception that HQ is somehow attempting to steal members and close all local Chapters. To lessen the level of distrust, it s critical to articulate the intentions. Everyone is only interested in the long-term success and viability of our Association. It is a fact that there has been a field recruitment decline over the last many years. There has been both fewer recruiters and fewer recruits per recruiter. The Marketing Department has focused on providing chapters with guidance and materials and the 2018 Operating Plan calls for a focus on Chapter development by focusing on ways to make certain that local chapters are attractive to a new generation of potential members. Our belief is that supporting chapters is the best way to sustain if not improve recruitment in field. In addition, new ways will be found that encourage those who have not opted for Chapter membership to recruit. The good news is that overall our Association has been able to seriously slow the membership decline. Our greatest success will be our continued focus on creating value in the form of products, programs and services highly relevant to the federal community. There are many new initiatives being planned. Your patience, as development continues and your continued support of NARFE is greatly appreciated. Region X Update and Candidacy My Region X RVP Fall Report with a summary of the two NEB meetings held in Alexandria, Virginia from October 16 17 and November 28 29, 2017 at NARFE Headquarters can be found on the Region X web page at www.narferx.org. Also, please support my re-election as your Region X Vice President. You can read my campaign material at my website www. billshackelfordrvp.com The Beacon April 2018-May 2018
FROM THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS Theron Rumsey Area I Vice President Beginning Anew Legislative Advocacy a Must! Beginning Anew Greetings from the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. Thus far the winter here has included a wonderland of snow and lots of rime ice to add to the scenic mountain peaks. I often recall when Sandy and I first moved to the Asheville area. That was certainly a Beginning Anew experience as we left much of the familiar behind and adjusted to new environs and friends. As members of NARFE, we are experiencing a Beginning Anew time. At the last National Convention, the decision was made to move GREETINGS FROM THE CENTRAL PIEDMONT Vivian Vair Area II, Vice President Losses and Gains Annual Meeting is Close to Area II Losses and Gains The last few months have been busy ones with our first Federation Board Meeting by GTM, saving our Federation budget thousands of dollars, and planning for our very first Annual Meeting. I was glad to be able to attend holiday gatherings for most of Area II Chapters, and to install the officers for the Charlotte Chapter. I am sorry to say that due to health concerns of the leaders of our Lincoln County Chapter, they are closing. I am hopeful that some of their members to One-Member-One-Vote and to make Chapter membership an option. Thus, for NARFE, much business as we have been used to is now behind us as we venture into new procedures and processes. This has not only directly affect the National office but has impacted Federations and Chapters during the past year. The National Convention is now a Conference (FEDcom18), our NC Annual Federation Convention is now an Annual Meeting. You will not want to miss this year s Beginning Anew Meeting in Hickory to experience our new venture into the future. Let s make this first Federation Annual Meeting a great experience as we mix the familiar with the new; hosted by Areas I, II, III and inclusive Chapters. Legislative Advocacy a Must! As we venture into the future, let us not forget that legislative issues remain the top priority of NARFE. This is particularly important at this time as current federal budget proposals could negatively impact the well-being of active and retired federal employees. Be advised, if you haven t already, that NARFE has made it easy to make your voice heard by contacting your Representatives and Senators via www. narfe.org or by calling 877-217-8234. Theron Rumsey, Area I VP may transfer and become active in other Area chapters. NARFE is an essential organization for retired and active Federal employees. We all need to do all that we can to not only see that it survives to fight on for the preservation of our benefits but thrives to continue to serve us all. For that to happen, we need to actively support the organization and each other. That requires that we stay aware of potential legislation that would be damaging to us and proactively support legislation that is favorable. We can do this by contact with our legislators and by supporting NARFE PAC. Annual Meeting is Close to Area II The upcoming annual meeting in at the Crowne Plaza in Hickory is an opportunity to learn more about what is going on around us, to meet the new Executive Director of the organization, to learn more about the functioning of our organization, the needs for leadership, and finally to socialize with other federal retirees from around the State. Please plan to come to the Annual Meeting. Register and make your reservations in a timely manner so that the planners can make it a successful event for all of us. Newspaper Editor Needed The NC Federation of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) association is seeking a volunteer to serve as Editor for its newspaper, The Beacon. Individual must be able to receive Board member articles, prepare special articles, edit copy to improve readability, proofread, coordinate publication with the Federation s professional publisher, and ensure adherence to deadlines and budget requirements. Our current Editor, Sharon Weaver, has been on the job for the last three years. As a member of the Communications Committee she has been instrumental in establishing new practices that greatly simplify the quarterly publication of our newspaper. Her last issue will be the newspaper published in July 2018. If interested, please contact Robert Allen, NC Federation President @ 336-322-0259 or email: retiredrobertallen@gmail.com. The Beacon April 2018-May 2018 5
FROM THE PIEDMONT-TRIAD Christine Huber Area III, Vice President Annual Meeting in Hickory Just Around the Corner NARFE CEO is Keynote Speaker Membership Concerns Annual Meeting in Hickory Just Around the Corner By now I m hoping that many people have registered for this year s Annual Meeting at the Crown Plaza in Hickory. Registration forms were provided to all chapter presidents in February and they were urged to distribute them at their next chapter meeting. This Annual Meeting is not to be missed. We will be focusing on proposed Bylaws amendments, meeting NC Federation candidates in a Candidate Forum, discussing balloting processes really charting a course for our future. NARFE CEO is Keynote Speaker The keynote speaker will be Barb Sido, the new CEO of NARFE. We will also have a presentation from James Marshall of NARFE s Federal Benefits Institute. The Institute is a group of benefits specialists at NARFE headquarters. They provide counseling to members on issues pertaining to: Pre- and Post-Retirement, FEHB, Medicare, TSP, Social Security, Estate Planning, and Survivor Benefits, Although not confirmed when this was written, we are also anticipating a lunch & learn speaker from the speakers bureau of Our State Magazine. If you are not acquainted with this publication, it is a monthly magazine based in Greensboro, North Carolina, featuring travel and history articles and photographs about North Carolina people, places and events. First published in 1933, it has become the oldest regional publication of its kind in the country, according to the Associated Press. Membership Concerns An issue has come up affecting membership renewals. Due to a lack of clarity in the renewal form, many chapter members are being transferred to National though that may not be their intent. This has been brought to HQ s attention. In the meantime, I am urging all chapter officers to check their member roster every month to see if someone who has always been a chapter member suddenly moves to National. Chapter presidents are urged to contact those members to determine if that was intent. For chapter members inadvertently transferred to National please contact member services at NARFE and inform them of the member s chapter membership. Looking forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting in May. CENTRAL CAROLINA REPORT Henry Battlie Area IV, Vice President Recruiting and Retention Never Stops NARFE More Relevant Today I m Federation Vice President Candidate Recruiting and Retention Never Stops! I Greetings! Last issue of the Beacon, I told you about the wonderful recruiting efforts going on in Area IV. It s time to get ready for this year! In Area IV, NC NARFE participates in health fairs at Durham VAMC, NIEHS, EPA, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and Butner Federal Correctional Institution (FCI Butner) and more. We need chapter members from every Area IV chapter to get involved! Last year Chapter members from Henderson, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Wayne-Goldsboro participated at the various fairs. Great work was done by all. It was a very good year. We want to do even better this year! Contact your Chapter President if you are willing to participate! We invite National members to also participate. Contact me at brattlie@brattlie.com for more information. Why is recruiting critical? NARFE President Dick Thissen recently said that, on average, every single day NARFE has 20 members pass away. Nation-Wide that means we need 21 new members a day to retain our clout in Congress. NARFE More Relevant Today NARFE is relevant TODAY. Recent headlines abound with stories of 2018 Proposed Budget cuts to current and future employee benefits. We have a story to tell. Active and Retired Federal Employees are again looking for help in preserving their benefits. They recognize the value NARFE membership provides. I encourage all of you to reach out to retirees and active federal employees and encourage them to join. You will make a difference. I m A Candidate for Federation Executive Vice President Also, as stated in last month s article, I have decided to run for the position of Executive Vice President of the North Carolina Federation in 2018. Win or lose, that means that Area IV will need a new Area Vice President. I encourage all of you who are members of Area IV to consider running for this position. 6 The Beacon April 2018-May 2018
GREETINGS FROM THE SANDHILLS Richard Ben Benjamin Area V, Vice President One Member One Vote NARFE Depends on Grassroot Activity One Member One Vote (OMOV) How does that affect me? As a Federation Member we get to vote on everything, rather than Federation Convention attendees representing us. As a NARFE Member we get to vote on everything, rather than a Chapter Delegate or a Proxy member attending the National Convention. We have a vote, a voice and a responsibility to actively participate. Ask questions, support or identify concerns on ballot issues. NARFE Depends on Grassroot Activity My local Sandhills Chapter has a Grassroots homework assignment this month send letters to our Senators on the current Budget legislation and the potential impact on retirement benefits. Hard copies of the Headquarters template were passed out at our meeting and an email message sent to chapter members. Legislation is NARFE Mission #1; it s one of those Just Do It things. Be proactive about NARFE and active in Grassroots activities. Thank you for being a member and active chapter participant! GREETINGS FROM THE CRYSTAL COAST John Thompson Area VI, Vice President Passing of Nate Johnson Chapter President Changes Annual Meeting News Changes in How We do Business Spring is in the air here on the Crystal Coast, Greetings. Passing of Nate Johnson Sadly, I must report that Mr. Nate Johnson, President of Chapter 2211, Havelock, passed away on 6 January when returning home from Charlotte. He has been a very active member in NARFE, as Chapter President, Member of the Executive Board serving as NARFE PAC representative, and as past member and chair of the Bylaws Committee. Nate will be missed sorely. The Executive Board members thru private contributions volunteered a standing Wreath for his memorial service as well as a Memorial Gift in his name to the Boys and Girls club of the Coastal Plains. Rest In Peace Nate Chapter President Changes Elections were held in Havelock and they were fortunate enough to elect Mr. Matthew Glass as the new chapter president for Havelock. He retired from Cherry Point and has been an active chapter member. He comes to the position with enthusiasm and wanting to make a difference. I conducted swearing in ceremony after the dinner on 8 February. Please give Matt a warm welcome as a new Chapter President. He brings some good ideas to the Chapter and I m sure he will make a difference. I also must report that Carol Smothers, President of Chapter 1005, Albemarle, had to resign her long held position due to illness. She has been a strong leader in her Chapter and always gave her all for NARFE. We were fortunate to have her for all these years. She still tries to attend meetings when health allows. Thank you, Carol, for your support and service. Mr. James Sears in now the acting President. He has a long history of serving NARFE and will do a great job. Congratulations James. Annual Meeting News Our annual meeting is just around the corner and its being held in Hickory NC. Its sounding like a real shindig. Please plan on making the meeting. Lots of new information concerning one member one vote will be discussed and what planned for our future in NARFE. Please send in our Registration soonest. Our Area (Area VI) will be hosting the meeting next year (2019) and planning on having it at Jacksonville in the Hilton Garden Inn, a new place in Jacksonville with excellent facilities. Hope to see you all in Hickory this year. Let s not forget that we will be voting on a new Area Vice President this year. If interested, please submit your name for consideration. Currently, Mr. Victor Heinrich of Atlantic Beach NC has shown an interest in running for the position. He was a past member of Morehead City Chapter and has been a national member for years since the Chapter withdrew and closed. Changes in How We do Business Our Association and Federation are currently very dynamic. I can assure you that the Federation is working hard for our members and recruiting new members. They are trying hard to reduce cost via Go to Meeting (GTM) Sessions replacing our face to face meeting. We just conducted our first full GTM in February and it went well. We all participated at our computers for about 8 hours but got the Federation business accomplished. It s been a real pleasure serving the Area and Federation, very innovative and dedicated leaders to work with. Thank you all for what you do. The Beacon April 2018-May 2018 7
STATE LEGISLATIVE OFFICER REPORT John Allis State Legislative Officer Bill to Expand Coverage of the Bailey Settlement State Legislative Districts Congressional Districts Bill to Expand Coverage of the Bailey Settlement It is time for action once again on the bill to expand coverage of the Bailey Settlement. The bill, HB103, would make retirement benefits for military retirees and federal, state and local government retirees in North Carolina free of state income tax. Currently, only those with five years of service by August 12, 1989 are eligible for those benefits (by NC Supreme Court decision). Expanding this benefit to all government retirees must be done by the legislature. The legislature will reconvene for the Short Session in early May. HB103 has had a hearing in the House Finance Committee and is awaiting a vote. Now is the time to contact your legislator and tell him or her that you support passage of HB103. Be aware that a competing bill, passed by the senate, S153, is also in the House Finance Committee, but it covers only military retirees. The Military Officers Association (MOAA) and the 4th Branch do not support the senate bill. You can email your state senator and house member through either the NARFE Legislative Action Center, or through the 4th Branch web site (www.4thbranchnc.org). Even better is making a phone call or visiting his local office. Legislators will be in their home districts during April. Be sure to visit the redesigned 4th Branch web site. It now is easier to use and has more information on Bailey. The House Finance Committee is very large, with 31 members. You can check at www.ncleg.net if your representative is on the committee. The leaders are: William Brawley (Dist. 103), Jason Saine (97), Kelly Hastings (110), Susan Martin (8), Mitchell Setzer (89) and John Szoka (45). Contacting any committee member would be especially important. State Legislative Districts Pursuant to a court order from a three-judge federal court, the NC legislature redrew the state House and Senate district lines. The federal judges were not completely satisfied and had their expert redraw the lines of several districts. The legislature appealed to the US Supreme Court who allowed the expert s district maps to go forward except for Wake and Mecklenburg counties. The Court did not explain their exception for the two counties. Therefore, the election in November will be held in the new districts drawn by the legislature as modified by the expert except in Wake and Mecklenburg counties where the unmodified districts will be used. The new districts are quite different from the ones currently in use, so you may be voting for new people in a new district in November. Congressional Districts The 13 congressional districts in North Carolina used in the last election have been declared unconstitutional by the federal appeals court. However, due to several law suits, the court decided it was too late to change the districts for the November election. They will likely be changed for the 2020 election and then again for the 2022 election after the 2020 census. There is a strong possibility that North Carolina will gain a 14th US House seat after the census. Contact your state legislators on this issue, as well, and tell them you want districts that pass constitutional muster. FROM THE EDITOR Sharon Weaver, Editor The Beacon Hard Copy vs. E-Mail Delivery Hard Copy Delivery vs. Email Delivery This edition is again being sent by USPS to the national members who do not have an email address in their NARFE record. For those with an email address, your should be receiving this at the email address in your NARFE profile. For Chapter members, we continue to ask that you consider changing from hard copy to email delivery. A great big THANK YOU! to all who have requested email delivery. Each quarter, we continue to add new email subscribers. 8 The Beacon April 2018-May 2018
PUBLIC RELATIONS NEWS Dwight Weaver Public Relations Officer Still Looking for Area PR Coordinator Volunteers Still Looking for Area PR Coordinator Volunteers If you have an interest in being involved in providing PR support as the NC Federation moves forward being a strong advocate, establishing a robust recruiting and retention program, keeping our members informed, and providing critical service support to our membership you can contact your Chapter President, Area VP, or me. SERVICE OFFICER NEWS Sharrill Jennings NC Federation Service Officer Power of Attorney Update Your Personal Information Guard Your Personal Information Power of Attorney The February 2018 issue of NARFE Magazine has an excellent article addressing the need for a power of attorney to handle matters when one becomes unable to make sound decisions regarding financial and/or medical matters (p. 34). The article covers these issues in detail and I urge you to read it in its entirety. To summarize, while a Durable Power of Attorney (POA) is helpful for many things it is not recognized by OPM, the Social Security Administration or Medicare. Instead the designated individual needs to apply to become a representative payee to handle the finances of the incapacitated federal annuitant. As always, I am available to answer questions or try to direct you to the best resource to handle your situation. Update Your NARFE and OPM Information I encourage you to have peace of mind by completing the F-100 Be Prepared for Life Events. If you have photos and documents on your computer, it is important to include access information for your surviving loved ones. If you have questions I would be happy to assist you in completing this important document. Guard Your Personal Information As always, I urge you to be vigilant and cautious in guarding your personal information. North Carolina Federation National Active and Retired Federal Employees Board Meeting Notes/Highlights February 13, 2018 Go To Meeting On-Line Dave Phillips, NC Federation, Secretary 1. The board meeting was held using Go-to-Meeting. 2. Bill Shackelford, Region X Vice President presented a summary of the Regional Vice Presidents meeting held in Alexandria, Virginia, November 28-29,2017. NARFE members in unaffiliated chapters are national members and should receive the same consideration as affiliated chapter members. Further guidance is expected from Headquarters. The NARFE budget remains in the black. NEB meeting will be open meetings and roll call votes of members will be recorded in the minutes. Four chapters in Region X closed within one week. NARFE Headquarters is being reorganized. Proposed Bylaws and Resolutions Committee chair was Robert Allen of North Carolina. The report of the Bylaws and Resolutions Committee will be published in the April 2018 issue of NARFE magazine. 3. Alzheimer s Report Chapter donations should be submitted through Donna Shackelford, Region X Alzheimer s Coordinator. During the last 6 months of calendar 2017 slightly less than $12,000 was collected. The May November total collected was $10,634.05. 4. One Chapter notified the board that errors had been made in calculating the per capita submitted prior to the current treasurer assuming his/her duties and they were requesting reimbursement for the overpayment of per capita. The board discussed the request and felt that since training has been offered to chapter treasurer s and the error was more than a year ago, reimbursement could not be considered. The request was denied. 5. President Allen is considering a webinar to educate NC NARFE members on proposed bylaw amendments and resolutions to the NC NARFE bylaws. 6. Barbara Sido, Executive Director of NARFE, will be the keynote speaker for the annual meeting in May. 7. Area Vice Presidents were encouraged to make sure that they provided registration forms for the upcoming annual meeting to their chapters. President Allen will send them out to the national members. 8. President Allen and Executive Vice President Jennings to work on a plan to educate members on the benefits of Federation membership. 9. John Allis was elected as the President of the Raleigh Chapter of NC NARFE. His dual role of Chapter President and State Legislative Officer was approved by the board. 10. A motion was made and seconded to approve the Hilton Garden Inn, Jacksonville, NC as the tentative location for the 2019 NC NARFE Annual Meeting. 11. The newspaper editor is resigning after the July issue of the Beacon is published. A replacement will need to be recruited. 12. National officer candidates will be invited to advertise in the Beacon or on the NC Website for a fee of $300 for a 3X3 advertisement. President Allen will coordinate this. 13. Reorganization of Board Positions A motion was made and seconded to combine the Historian duties with those of the Secretary and to combine the duties of NARFE-PAC Coordinator with those of the National Legislative Officer. The motion was approved. No change to the bylaws will be required. 14. The tentative budget of $30,947 for 2018-2019 was approved. 15. Chapters need to ensure that their per capita is paid no later than February 28, 2018. 16. Candidates for 2018 2019: Tom Jennings President, Henry Brattlie Executive Vice President, David Phillips, Secretary, Sam Crain Treasurer, Theron Rumsey Area I Vice President, Patricia Bannon Area II Vice President, Chris Huber Area III Vice President and Victor Heinrich Area VI Vice President. The Beacon April 2018-May 2018 9
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE OFFICER Charles Talley National Legislative Officer Who Wants to be a CDL? CDL Responsibility CDL Tools to Help You Who wants to be a Congressional District Leader (CDL) Advocacy before Congress is NARFE s core mission, as a CDL, you ll play a vital role in the success of our lobbying efforts. NARFE Headquarters provides direction and leadership for these efforts, but the core of the Association s legislative clout the ultimate basis for its political power and influence is its grass-roots strength. We know that all politics is local and that members of Congress respond to their constituents. That is why being a CDL is so important. NARFE s legislative staff echoes on Capitol Hill, what you tell members of Congress at home. The foundation of our grass-roots work is designed to increase member engagement on legislative issues and draw positive media attention to the federal community. Like all grass-roots programs, it is a bottom up, locally driven effort thus needing the involvement of all members with CDL s guidance. A CDL is a Federation position and serve as the liaison between a member of Congress office and NARFE membership within that congressional district. It is strongly encouraged that the CDL lives in the congressional district she/he represents. CDL Responsibility Ensure the Federation leadership is kept up to date on activities in the congressional district and this includes grass-roots activities hosted by the congresswoman/man Ensure NARFE members attend the congresswoman/man s grassroots activities Ensure members know how Congress votes on NARFE issues Ensure members within the congressional district are kept up to date on the legislative information and are taking appropriate action Attend public events hosted by the congressional office to help build the relationship Schedule meetings with the member of Congress and NARFE members represented in the congressional district Report activity and congressional interactions to NARFE s Legislative Department Reach out to congressional staff in advance of key votes CDL Tools Available Legislative Action Center www.narfe.org members can send email message to their legislators, draft a letter to the editor and track NARFE priority legislation Training Webinars these sessions discuss a variety of topics Legislative Hotline 877-217 8234 a brief audio recording and email message, usually distributed on Fridays when Congress is in session, of weekly activities in Washington, DC that week. NARFE Headquarters is part of your legislative team and half of the Association s outreach. You talk to members in the district, and NARE staff reiterates the message on Capitol Hill. CDLs and NARFE members must reach out to elected official who can affect governmental differed stock options better known in the federal community as the earned pay/salaries, retirement annuity/ pension and healthcare benefits. NARFE must engage in the political process and CDL must help to lead the way. Contact me and let me know that you want to be a CDL. MEMBERSHIP NEWS Sue Hawkins NC Federation Membership Coordinator NC Has a Large Federal Family North Carolina has a Large Federal Family With approximately 5,300 NARFE members in NC, we have a very large group of potential members living and working right here in our state. The chart below shows that we have over 130,000 potential new NARFE members. Our challenge to recruit them!! North Carolina Federation - NARFE @ https://www.facebook.com/ncnarfe 10 The Beacon April 2018-May 2018
2018 NC Federation Ballot Items A New Way to Vote One Member One Vote Starts in 2018 The approval of the Federation Bylaws changes at the 2017 NC Federation annual convention was the end of delegate voting for transacting the business of the Federation. One Member One Vote signals the beginning of each member of the NC Federation being able to cast a ballot for election of officers, bylaws changes, resolutions, budget approval, and the Audit Committee report. To implement this change, 2018 voting will be done by a paper ballot, mailed to each member of the NC Federation. These ballots must be returned in a timely manner for your vote to count. Detailed instructions will be included in the ballot you receive. The slate of candidates, draft budget, proposed bylaw changes, and proposed resolutions are included in this edition of The Beacon. There will be adequate time included in the Annual Meeting agenda for discussion of the information already published, as well as a time for the Audit Committee report, additional nominations for elected office from those attending the Annual Meeting, and a Candidates Forum for those running for federation officer positions. After the Annual Meeting, things go on a really fast-track! The Ballot and Teller Committee will develop the final ballot the day following the Annual Meeting, updating their draft ballot with changes made at the Annual Meeting, The 2018 ballot will be printed and mailed around May 10, and Then you get to vote. You must mark/complete your ballot, affix a postage stamp to the self-address ballot, and mail it on or before May 31 (postmark date). Finally, the Ballot and Teller Committee will receive and count the ballots in time for the Federation President and Ballot and Teller Committee Chair to jointly announce the results by June 7. Full coverage of our first federation-wide ballot voting will be included in the July 2018 edition of this newspaper. The Beacon April 2018-May 2018 11
12 The Beacon April 2018-May 2018
Commentary Robert Allen & Tom Jennings There are several bylaws amendments and resolutions we want to bring to your attention. We plan to have a webinar in April that will give everyone an opportunity to ask questions about the amendments and resolutions. In addition, there will be a chance to discuss them at the Annual Meeting. However, we believe it prudent to address the amendments and resolutions in The Beacon because it may be the only avenue many of us have to hear about the items we ll be voting on following the Annual Meeting. Let s first talk about the resolutions. As you know resolutions require only a simple majority of affirmative votes to pass. Bylaw amendments require a 2/3-majority affirmative vote to pass. There is one resolution dealing with a reduction in the dollar amount of per capita payments to the Federation. Per capita is set by the membership by ballot; the current rate is $4.25 per member, established some years ago. The proposed resolution, submitted by the Federation Executive Board, would reduce the rate to $2.50, a nearly 50 percent reduction. Many chapters are having difficulty meeting the $4.25 assessment and a reduction is in order. Any reduction will require new budget priorities and strategies, as well as new and different operational methods geared toward supporting the membership as a whole. Per capita funds, if they remain, will be used exclusively for chapter support. We now turn our attention to six bylaw amendments. Some of these came from members and some from the Federation Board. One amendment would change the term of office of statewide and Area officers from a one-year term to a two-year term. This would improve continuity and possibly reduce some costs by not having to have a ballot vote every year for officers, as well as coinciding with the terms of National officers. Another amendment clarifies that the President and other officers assume office after the Federation Annual Meeting. The current language states that this takes place at the Federation Annual Meeting. The third bylaw amendment clarifies who is a voting member of the North Carolina Federation. Currently all chapter members and national members are defined as voting members, but this amendment would clarify that wording to state that all affiliated chapter members and national-only members are voting members. This amendment brings all bylaws language about chapters and members into alignment. Next is an amendment that will give the Federation Executive Board authority to change the number of Areas. Current bylaws state that there will be six areas. The new language will change six to designated so that the Board can change the number of areas as needed as more chapters close. Currently the Board needs to combine Areas II and III because several chapters in those two areas have closed and maintaining two separate areas for that region of our state is becoming untenable. The fifth amendment eliminates the per capita requirement. This is similar to the resolution we mentioned before, but the difference is that this amendment deletes the requirement altogether, as opposed to just reducing the per capita rate. If this passes, this would abolish any financial support that chapters would otherwise provide to the Federation to help fund statewide chapter activities and cut the federation s income in half. The sixth and last amendment would change the Federation Board structure. The current Executive Board has 14 members, including 10 elected officers and 4 key appointed officers. The new Executive Board would comprise the four statewide officers plus a Congressional District Leader for each of the 13 congressional districts in North Carolina. These 17 officers would assume all the duties and responsibilities of our current Areas Vice Presidents and our appointed officers. This reorganization would be geared primarily toward our mission of legislative advocacy. Given the number of chapters that are closing, this has some merit, but we would need to ensure we implement such a complete revamping of our structure so as to minimize immediate chaos and any unintended consequences down the road. One thing to bear in mind is that congressional districts can change and many chapters have members in two or more congressional districts. We will discuss these issues at the Annual Meeting in Hickory and during our webinar. The Bylaws and Resolutions Committees have addressed these proposals and their recommendations for adoption or rejection are included here in The Beacon and will appear on the Federation website. We encourage everyone to study the amendments and resolution so you can make an informed decision when the ballots go out in May following the Annual Meeting. Don t hesitate to contact us if you have questions. The Beacon April 2018-May 2018 13
14 The Beacon April 2018-May 2018
2017 18 North Carolina Federation Board Robert Allen...President 549 Old City Lake Road, Roxboro, NC 27574; 336-322-0259 E-Mail: retiredrobertallen@gmail.com L. Thomas Jennings...Executive Vice President 415 Charlotte Ave, Carolina Beach, NC 28428-5018; 910-619-0762 E-Mail: carobeach1@aol.com David Dave Phillips...Secretary 401 Travis Lane, Salisbury, NC 28146-2250; 704-431-4134 E-Mail: phildl5@aol.com Samuel E. Crain...Treasurer 290 Azalea Drive, Maggie Valley, NC 28751-7692; 828-246-5015 E-Mail: samcrainjr@aol.com Ronald E. Buffaloe......Immediate Past President 204 S Ellis Street, Salisbury, NC 28144-4816; 704-633-7599 E-Mail: ronbuffaloe@gmail.com Theron Rumsey... Area I Vice President 76 Woodland Hills Road, Asheville, NC 28804; 828-337-5134 E-Mail: theronrumsey@gmail.com Vivian Vair...Area II Vice President 620 E Cannon Ave, Albemarle, NC 28001; 704-984-6765 E-Mail: vvair@aol.com Christine Huber...Area III Vice President 5274 Lamina Lane, Liberty, NC 27289; 336-337-2824 E-Mail: Ceh11071@yahoo.com Henry Brattlie...Area IV Vice President 91 Wildwind Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27516; 571-237-8794 E-Mail: brattlie@brattlie.com Richard Ben Benjamin...Area V Vice President 3464 Seven Lakes W, West End, NC 27376; 317-902-1491 E-Mail: hoosierben@gmail.com John Thompson...Area VI Vice President 2771 Millcreek Road, Newport, NC 28570; 252-571-1426 E-Mail: thompsoj@hotmail.com Sue Hawkins...Membership Coordinator 3075 Colony Ridge Dr. Gastonia, NC 28056-1602; 704-854-4060 E-Mail: sue_hawkins@bellsouth.net Charles Talley...National Legislative Officer 8643 Windsor Ridge Drive, Charlotte, NC 28277-6560; 703-472-2982 E-Mail: cjogger@aol.com John Allis...State Legislative Officer 2905 Glen Burnie Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607; 919-787-5221 E-Mail: jwallis39@att.net Dwight Weaver...Public Relations Officer 1142 The Preserve Trail, Chapel Hill, NC 27517; 919-542-1097 E-Mail: d_weaver@nc.rr.com Sharrill Jennings...Service Officer 415 Charlotte Ave, Carolina Beach, NC 28428-5018; 910-619-0658 E-Mail: carobeach1@aol.com Sharon Weaver...Newspaper Editor 1142 The Preserve Trail, Chapel Hill, NC 27517; 919-542-1097 E-Mail: s_weaver@nc.rr.com Margaret C. Malley...Alzheimer s Coordinator 10924 Winterbourne Court, Charlotte, NC 28277-8876; 980-254-4323 E-Mail: mmalley@carolina.rr.com VACANT...NARFE-PAC Coordinator Charles Pratt...Web Page Coordinator 1950 Buford Dam Road, Unit 308, Cumming, GA 30041; 770-203-9854 E-Mail: charles_pratt@bellsouth.net Peter Eckhoff...Assistant Web Page Coordinator 9 Sedley Place, Durham, NC 27705; 919-597-8391 E-Mail: evdrvr@gmail.com Glenn Marshall...IT Specialist 104 Joe Baldwin Drive, Leland, NC 28451; 910-655-6028 E-Mail: glennmsn@live.com Region X Representative William Bill Shackelford..Region X Vice President (2016-18) 14429 Round Lick Lane, Centreville, VA 20120; 703-830-6590 E-Mail: RVP10@narfe.org The Beacon April 2018-May 2018 15
North Carolina Federation of Chapters of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association 1142 The Preserve Trail Chapel Hill, NC 27517 *DO NOT SEND CORRECTIONS TO THE EDITOR Please notify your local chapter secretary or NARFE National Office April 2018 - June 2018