National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association
Florida Federation of Chapters
w
ww.narfefl.net
__________________________________________________________________________________
Newsletter
July 2006
____________________________________________________________________________
Officers
:
President:
Ben Pappa 941-743-7117
retatc@comcast.net
1st Vice President:
Don Stewart 305-442-6388
dejs33149@aol.com
2
nd
Vice President:
Wally Roepke 941-355-6139
W
allnan2@verizon.net
Secretary:
Steve Henderson 941-776-9191
stevehende@msn.com
Treasurer:
Ken Carter
813-983-9101
kcarjax@aol.com
Newsletter Editor:
Marc Harris
marc.harris@narfefl.net
Newsletter Publisher:
Chapter 1104
Important Dates::
Federation EB Meetings
October 26-27, 2006
February 22-23, 2007
May 15 and 18, 2007
NARFE National Convention
September 10-14, 2006
Federation Convention
May 15-17, 2007
Status of Legislation:
WEP/GPO
House bill in Ways & Means
Senate bill in Finance
Premium Conversion
House bill in Ways & Means
Senate bill in Finance
What members should do to help
See page 5.
Call and write
your representatives. Visit
them during an upcoming
recess:
House recess July 31-Sept 5
Senate recess August 7 – Sept 4
President’s Message
Now that the 2006 Florida Federation Convention has concluded, and I
have some time to reflect back on the past year and look forward to the
next year, I would like to share some thoughts.
Over the past year, the Florida Federation has seen some changes, changes in
the way we conduct business within the Federation. A different course of action
has taken place in both our legislative and membership departments. Along with
these changes came the public relations department, this is somewhat new to the
Federation, in that it has been some time since we have had an active PR
department. Most of the District Vice Presidents have taken a more active roll
within their districts, and this has had some very positive results. Overall, this past
year has been more on the positive side of what the duties and responsibilities of
a Federation.
However, there is the flip side to this, we have not been able to get any of our
issues out of committee, therefore, legislation has not yet been passed. Yes, we
continue to gain co-sponsors to our issues, but until a bill is released from the
committees and brought to the floor for a vote, we will never k now just who really
are our friends in Congress.
The reduction in membership has slowed, but it still continues to decline at a rate
of about 3% per year. One in every three new members is a current employee.
This is changing the face of NARFE, and far too many of our new retired
members are being recruited by national. We, each of us at the Chapter level
need to come forward and set a goal of recruiting at least 2 new members per
year, do the math, this will turn NARFE around. Here in Florida there are over
166,000 retired federal employees, and yet NARFE membership is below 23,000.
The next few years will be very crucial to our retirement and the way we have
accepted it. Major issues are presenting potential roadblocks, such as the
enormous national debt that shadows over us, medical savings accounts that
threaten our current medical plan, and the ever escalating cost of living that
affects each and every one of us.
You ask: “What can I as only one person do to change things?” You can
communicate on your own or as part of a group within your Chapter and/or
District to your representatives on having our issues taken out of committee and
placed on the floor to be addressed; carry a membership application with you at
all times (you never know when or where you will run into a potential new
member); become more involved with the issues that affect all of us by attending
Chapter meetings and helping the meeting be more productive and not just a
social event.
NARFE is not an Association that is here for the benefit of one or just a few, but
it’s for each and every one of us, to help current and future retirees maintain the
benefits we have earned through our many years of service to our government.
Ben