Retired Council Minutes

IEA RETIRED COUNCIL

August 16, 2024

9:00 a.m.

IEA Upstairs Conference Room

MINUTES OF MEETING

  1. Call to Order – Chilcote called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m.  Members present:  Dick Chilcote (Co-chair & 9), Mary Ruch (Co-chair), Tama Meyer (1), Cheryl Jenkins (2), Sheila Stickler (3), Maria Christensen (4), Gail Griffin (6), Jan Trull (7), Terri Sanders (8).  Absent – Shane Reichert (staff liaison).  Region 5 representation is currently vacant due to resignation of Jan Damron.
  2. Minutes of meeting – April 11, 2024 – MOTION:  Stickler//Trull to adopt the minutes of 4/11/24 as printed.  Motion carried.
  3. Status Reports
    1. R Council Constitution and Bylaws (review, amendment status) – Chilcote reported that the amendments to the Retired Council Bylaws that had been proposed at the last meeting have been approved by the IEA Board.  Ruch reported that local units/chapters had been requested to review their individual bylaws to insure currency.  Since the Council had reviewed its bylaws at the last meeting, it was determined that this request had been met.
    2. Retired page on IEA website – Chilcote distributed the correspondence between the Council and the IEA Communications team re: the Retired page on the IEA website.  Mike Journee (the IEA Communications Director) presented a report on progress thus far.  (update, discussion, questions, suggestions, concerns)  The Council expressed general pleasure with progress.  MOTION:  Sanders/Ruch to approve of the draft of the Retired page and request that the process proceed.  Motion carried.
    3. Retired Ambassador program/Save with Dave – It appears that the objective of this project needs work.  Chilcote will check with David Glenn as to remedies.
    4. Retired Reserve balance – Chilcote reported that the balance in the IEA Retired Reserve (as of the 2/29/24 audit) stands at $284,124, This includes interest income to that date and expenses to that date.  Not included is income from pre-retired lifetime recruitment at DA and Summer Institute or expenses incurred after that date.   
    5. Archive project update – Discussions have taken place with IEA staff as to adding the Retired archives onto the IEA S drive.  The work is in progress.
    6. RA update on elections/NBIs – Chilcote reported on the NEA Retired Annual Meeting (RAM) held prior to the NEA RA in July.  It was requested that Chilcote send the minutes of the RAM to the Council.

Minutes (8/16/24)

Page 1

    1. New RA Retired language – The proposal made by Ruch to the IEA Policy Committee to amend language to allow, on an alternating basis, that the two retired members on the IEA Board be one of the two delegates to the NEA RA, is under consideration by the Board Policy Committee.
    2. Council appointments/vacancies – Chilcote reported that Stickler, Griffin and Sanders had been re-appointed to the Council for another three-year term. Chilcote distributed (previously provided to the Council) the request from NEA Retired President, Anita Gibson, for nominations for vacancies on national retired committees (governance, communications, scholarship.)  Chilcote is to inquire as to status of Lyndon Harriman on Legislative, Terri Sanders on Membership, Terri Sanders on Member Benefits, Jo Ann Harvey on PAC.  Chilcote is requested to check with Penni Cyr as to her desire to be nominated to a committee.  MOTION:  Sanders/Griffin to forward a nomination of Tama Meyer to the Communications Committee.  Motion carried.  Chilcote reported that there are retired vacancies on the IEA HCR Committee and the IEA Resolutions Committee.  Council members were requested to put out “feelers” for possible retired member appointments to those positions.
    3. Committee attendance policy (unexcused absences) – At the Council’s request, Chilcote provided copies of the IEA Bylaws and IEA Board Policy on unexcused committee absences.
  2. OLD BUSINESS
    1. Retired membership recruiting:  strategies/updates/progress – Chilcote distributed the Council “membership recruitment strategy” (the one that has received national retired recognition) as a reference as we continue to seek additional retired members.  He announced that we recruited 31 pre-retired lifetime at the Delegate Assembly and 11 at the summer institute.
      1. Terri Sanders (membership chair) strategy suggestions – Here are her suggestions with possible action to follow:
        1. Slides for conferences/DA – consider with Mike Journee
        2. Additional swag for recruitment (pens, etc.)  (Possible from the next NEA R grant.)
        3. QR code Cards with membership information and application –(consider)
        4. “For the children” educational political campaign to support bonds (check with Matt Compton and Chris Parri)
        5. LUP meeting – ask for a list of retirees from the 23-24 school year (request McInelly to ask for this info at LUP meeting.)
        6. Request a list of Summer Institute attendees for membership follow up.  (ask Matt Compton).

Minutes (8/16/24)

Page 2

  

        1. Pre-retired mailing to those not yet signed up.
        2. New Organizer – can we have assistance in organizing our retired membership around a variety of actions? (see Brent Nichols and Peggy Hoy.)

MOTION: Meyer/Ruch to request contact information for 2024 summer institute and 2024 DA attendees who joined Pre-R Lifetime. (Discussion – this information would be used by Council members to contact any new Pre-R members in their regions.)  Motion carried.

MOTION: Meyer/Jenkins that Retired Council develop a vertical banner.  Motion carried.

MOTION: Meyer/Trull to investigate use of and development of QR code relating to IEA-R (business card, etc.)  Motion carried.

      1. Names/locals of new pre-retired lifetime members – Ruch requested the contact info for 2023-24 pre-signees for thank yous, etc.  (the contact info will be gathered.)
      2. The lists? Chilcote explained the intent of the three lists provided by NEA Retired as possibilities for recruiting lifetime retired and pre-retired lifetime membership.  The lists are still available.  Their use is still possible.
  2. NEW BUSINESS
    1. NEA Retired grant
      1. 23-24 report – Chilcote explained the difficulty in meeting the August 1 report deadline.  Various factors caused the delay but Matt Compton, who is assisting in reporting on the grant, states that there should be no problem in making the report.  The answers for the format in the report have been given to Matt Compton by Chilcote for completing the report.
      2. Current NEA R grant expenditures – Chilcote reported the un-audited expenditures of the 23-24 grant funds, their use, possible use for unexpended fund, etc.
      3. Consideration/deliberation – application for 24-25 NEA R grant.  Up to $8500 grants are available for application for the 2024-25 year.  Open discussion, brainstorming, consideration about applying for these funds:
        1. Support Chapter activities – $3000:  birthing a region 4 retired chapter ($1000); support of other chapter(s) activities ($2000)
        2. Membership promotion – $3000:  use suggestions in IV, a., i. above; MOTION: Ruch/Trull that all 2024-25 enrollees in the pre-retired lifetime option receive a $20 rebate.  Motion carried.  (side issue – research the efficacy of the $20 rebate offered in 23-24.)

Minutes (8/16/24)

Page 3

MOTION: Trull/Ruch that anyone who joined pre-r lifetime between 7/31/24 and 8/31/24 also receive the $20 rebate.  Motion carried.

        1. Retired member outreach – $2500: MOTION: Sanders/Christensen that Meyers and Ruch in NIEARC develop a holiday communication to be sent to all IEA retired members. This draft is to be approved by the Retired Council before distribution. (Discussion – Each retired chapter should send Ruch a copy of their 2024/25 calendar to be used in developing the communication.)  Motion carried.  MOTION: Trull/Christensen to apply from NEA R grant for $8500 using the rationale of 1,2, 3 above.
    2. Reports from chapters – 23-24 IEA grants – IEA retired chapters submitted the required reports of 2023-24 IEA grants:
      1. SWEA-R:
        1. Contribution to Anne Frank Memorial – Education Center ($500) MOTION: Jenkins/ Griffin that the chapter had fulfilled the objective of the grant.  Morion carried.
        2. Support for Reclaim Idaho ($1000) MOTION: Jenkins/Christensen that the chapter had fulfilled the objective of the grant.  Motion carried.
        3. Janet Worthington presentation ($800) MOTION: Meyer/Ruch that the chapter had fulfilled the objective of the grant.  Motion carried.
        4. Lobby activity training ($200) The activity was cancelled and the $200 was returned to the IEA Retired Reserve.
      2. NIEARC:
        1. EngAge Artfully 6 ($1700) MOTION: Trull/Jenkins that the chapter had fulfilled the objective of the grant.  Motion carried.
        2. Learning and Moving Together Creates Social Connections, Year 3 ($670) MOTION: Trull/Christensen that the chapter had fulfilled the objective of the grant.  Motion carried.
        3. Dyeing to be Creative ($130) MOTION: Trull/Sanders that the chapter had fulfilled the objective of the grant.  Motion carried.
      3. RESET6
        1. Recruit and Retain Members ($1400) MOTION: Stickler/Trull that the chapter had fulfilled the objective of the grant.  Motion carried.

Minutes (8/16/24)

Page 4

    1. Grant request from retired chapters – 24-25 IEA grants – IEA retired chapters submitted application for 2024-25 IEA grants:
      1. SWEA-R:
        1. MOTION: Ruch/Jenkins to approve grant for $500 – November election activities.  Motion carried.
        2. MOTION:  Meyer/Ruch to approve grant for $1500 – Information sharing (Historic women; scams and frauds)  Motion carried.
        3. MOTION: Ruch/Griffin to approve grant for $300 – Donation to Booth Program for Young Parents.  Motion carried.
      2. NIEARC:
        1. MOTION: Trull/Sanders to approve grant for $1700 – EngAge Artfully #7.  Motion carried.
        2. MOTION: Trull/Jenkins to approve grant for $200 – “For the Birds”  Motion carried.
        3. MOTION: Trull/Sanders to approve grant for $590 – Learning and Moving Together Creates Social Connections, Year 4.  Motion carried.
      3. RESET6:
        1. MOTION: Trull/Ruch to approve grant for $1305 – Building Identity and Unity.  Motion carried.
    2. IEA Retired Grant guidelines – Ruch chaired this portion of the agenda. MOTION: Chilcote/Trull to amend paragraph 5 of the guidelines to read as follows:  Priority will be given to those grant applications that include chapter contributions of time and/or funds. Grant applicants must provide 10% matching funds. FURTHER AMENDED: Meyer/Trull (This requirement does not apply to retired chapters with less than two years since inception.) Both motions carried.                                                                                                                   
    3. General discussion – use of grant (NEA and IEA) funds – Chilcote advised to be careful in using grant funds from any source.  Using the example of NIEARC’s grant request for $496 to attend a Spokane Indians baseball game.
      1. Be careful in calling the event an “EMBERS”  In our understanding the historical concept of EMBERS, experiencing an hour tour of the history of the team and ball park doesn’t necessarily qualify as an EMBERS.
      2. Be cautious in purchasing tickets for an event ahead of time and then attempting to find takers for the tickets.  It is best to gather RSVPs for an event ahead of time and then purchase tickets accordingly.  Grant request also included $10 per head for refreshments.  Same caution in not knowing how many would participate in the event.  Chilcote explained the practice of SWEA-R for similar events where there is no cost to anyone except by the participants.

Minutes (8/16/24)

Page 5

    1. Get out the vote project – Ruch encouraged retired chapters to do what they could following the example of SWEA-R in their IEA Grant request.
    2. Lobby Day promo – Ruch encouraged that this event be promoted to chapter members.  She also made a request to our staff legislative team to provide names and contact information for friendly legislators.
    3. DA seating – The Council is formerly requesting that retired delegates to the IEA Delegate Assembly be seated in their specific section.
    4. Cookie contest for next DA – Ruch requested that we do it again.  She will be responsible for organizing the activity.
    5. Terri Sanders grant request – how and where does this fit? – Sanders presented, in grant application form, a proposal from the Mountain Home Education Association (MHEA) for $700.  The request is to increase MHEA exposure within buildings resulting in: (1) Increased pre-retired membership in IEA-R (2) Increased active membership in MHEA (3) Create ways and means for IEA-R members to join with IEA in efforts to bring about positive support for public education and the achievement of IEA objectives. A 10% increase in active and pre-retired membership within MHEA is the expected outcome for these efforts. MOTION: Meyer/Trull to approve $350 from the expected NEA Retired grant request.  Motion carried.
    6. Mary’s idea – IEA R members on IEA Committees – reporting – Ruch expressed concern that retired members on IEA committees need to report to retired/others about how those committees impact retired members.  She will speak with President McInelly about her concern.
  2. Other
    1. Retired Council will continue to urge the Center for Teaching and Learning to provide a strand at Summer Institute for retired members.
    2. Not knowing when and where the next NEA Conference will be held, and expecting the usual request from NEA R, the Council suggests that Ruch, Sanders and Meyer be recommended to the IEA President to attend.
    3. MOTION: Trull/Stickler to approve Chilcote’s approaching Barbara Blasch and the Retired Educators of Idaho (REAI) about our two organizations collaborating together.  Motion carried.
  3. Next Meeting – MOTION: Sanders/Christensen that the Council next meet on 1/21/25.  Motion carried.
  4. VIII.Adjournment – MOTION: Sanders/Trull to adjourn.  Motion carried.  The meeting was adjourned at 3:55 p.m.

Minutes (8/16/24)

Page 6

Pin It on Pinterest