National Active and Retired Federal Employees
 Florida Federation of Chapters
 Executive Board Meeting Minutes       

 October 23 ~ 24, 2003

The fall meeting of the Executive Board of the Florida Federation of Chapters of NARFE was held at the Hilton Hotel, Altamonte Springs, Florida on 23 Oct 03 between 7:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. and on 24 Oct 03 between 8:00 a.m. and noon.

The five elected officers, the immediate past president, the eleven District VPs and most appointed officers of the Federation attended this meeting.

President Whalen opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m., the Chaplain gave a blessing and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The president called for the reading of the minutes of the 9 May 03 Executive Board Meeting. Secretary Henderson recommended that the minutes NOT be read, as they were presented in four pages of written text and had been distributed via e-mail in May. DVP Singletary made a motion that the minutes as printed be approved and the motion was properly seconded. The motion was approved by voice vote. The president called for any discussion about the already distributed Treasurer's Report. One question about a bill pertaining to printing costs of the 2003 Constitution and Bylaws was asked by 1st VP Pappa. Treasurer Saunders answered the question. No motion was required to approve the report as prepared and distributed by the Treasurer.

President Whalen indicated that the agenda, as approved with changes to meet the needs of the Executive Board, would include additional items for discussion about the 2003 Convention audit report, the mid-term budget, the National Dues Referendum, and unfinished business. DVP James Dean made a motion to approve the agenda, as previously distributed via e-mail by President Whalen, and the motion was properly seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.

The assembled members of the board were given ample opportunity to make remarks. All elected and appointed officials filled the next two hours with commentary important to the business of the Florida Federation.

During the diverse discussions, 1st VP Pappa had distributed a brochure about the 2004 Convention Pin Design and had asked for an informal vote. This document was reviewed by all and the majority chose the "one inch round pin". A motion was made by DVP Blackwell to acquire 500 pins and the motion was properly seconded. After some discussion the motion was amended by DVP Gardner to acquire 450 pins and the amendment was properly seconded. The amended motion was passed by voice vote.

Following a rest break, the meeting agenda was turned over to Convention Chair Pappa. The details of the convention were discussed and various documents were presented to support the work of the convention committees: a page showing important dates for actions to be taken prior to the 2004 convention, a reading of "Searching for New Horizons" (the theme of the 2004 Convention) was heard, subcommittee assignments were reiterated and several new subcommittees were appointed. DVP Sharp made a motion to accept the details pertaining to the various subcommittees.  The motion had been properly seconded and, as there was no discussion, the motion was approved by voice vote.

Following another 45 minutes of "convention coordination details", President Whalen recessed the meeting at 10:50 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning.

With little fanfare, the Executive Board gathered at the appointed time. A Hotel Representative, Jackie Golas, conducted a tour of the hotel facilities for the group between 8:05 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. Upon their return to the conference room, the members of the board continued the meeting when President Whalen called the meeting to order and the agenda for the morning meeting was initiated.

After all appointed officers had provided their input to the meeting (following the pattern of the previous day), President Whalen encouraged all to use the Florida NARFE Net and contribute to the Newsletter articles distributed every Thursday. Secretary Henderson will distribute a list of officers of the Federation to all those who read the Florida NARFE Net.

The Executive Board continued the morning meeting with discussions to finalize unfinished business.

An e-mail meeting had been conducted about a motion introduced by 1st VP Pappa and properly seconded "to establish the convention registration fee for Executive Board Members at $ 10.00 to be paid by the Florida Federation". The results had been provided to the Secretary and were reported as 13 aye votes and 3 votes not received. Therefore the motion was approved by the Executive Board.

The Simplified Income and Expense Statement of the 2003 Convention was reviewed. As it had been audited and approved by the Audit Committee and there was nothing which could be changed, a motion to approve the Statement was made by DVP Sicular and properly seconded. The motion was approved by voice vote.

A comment was made that $ 2,500.00 is in a new reserve fund available to conduct convention business. Convention Treasurer Ruth Blackwell has access to this account.

President Whalen had directed that Secretary Henderson conduct research about a suggestion that the Florida Federation of Chapters become incorporated. The Secretary accomplished the mission and made a recommendation that the Florida Federation NOT incorporate itself. However, a motion was made by DVP Garafolo and properly seconded that the Federation take action to incorporate itself. Discussions for and against this action ensued with strong input from six board members. When President Whalen called for the vote, the motion to incorporate was defeated by "show of hands" vote.

President Whalen further directed Secretary Henderson to acquire specific information about what is required under Florida law to acquire liability insurance for officers of the federation.

The Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee provided printed copies of REVISIONS proposed for the existing C&BL. A motion was made by DVP Chizik and it was properly seconded to accept the suggested REVISIONS made by the C&BL Committee. Some suggestions were made about syntax and format. When the motion was called, it passed by voice vote.

President Whalen asked the DVPs about their finalized plans for the annual district meetings in February 2004. Most had not finalized where the meetings would be, even though they had specific dates worked out in concert with the committee chair. More needs to be done by DVPs on this matter.

President Whalen asked DVPs for a review of how their chapters might vote regarding the National Dues Referendum. General commentary is that the Florida Federation chapters probably will approve the referendum.

1st VP Pappa reiterated that the December Quarterly Membership Report must be finalized, per the bylaws of the federation. This must be done, despite the opinion among some that there should be only an annual membership report. President Whalen weighed in with commentary that DVPs should get the reports accomplished.

After a brief rest break, the following Unfinished Business was discussed.

Comments about the 2004 Per Capita Tax were made. A budget sheet was provided by 1st VP Pappa which shows funds which could be realized by keeping the per capita tax at 0.80 cents as compared to what monies could be brought into the treasury with 0.85 cents. The discussion centered around these two figures and there was never any attempt to go higher, up to the $ 1.00 maximum. Following discussion about the two figures, the executive board agreed that the per capita tax should be 0.85 cents. (There was one dissenting vote from DVP Gardner who wanted the amount to remain at 0.80 cents.)

A committee had been formed to propose movement of certain chapters of the Florida Federation into other districts. 2nd VP Stewart made the presentation and made suggestions which had been previously worked out with the ZIP Code Chair and some DVPs. However, there was significant input from several DVPs and it became apparent that there would be no quick fix to this issue (some districts having more chapters with more people when compared with other districts of the federation). DVP Dean made a motion and it was properly seconded that the discussions about plans to put certain chapters into other districts be tabled. A voice vote approved the motion to table these discussions.

The final item of business was introduced by Immediate Past President Haviland when he proposed a motion which was properly seconded that "the Florida Federation request 30 minutes of time at the next National Executive Board (NEB) meeting to allow the Florida Federation President to bring two specific concerns of the Florida Federation to the legislative officers of the NEB: that the National office should use all the tools available to NARFE to get congressmen and senators to move NARFE issues out of congressional committees and get these issues to the floor for disposition AND that the National office inform federations (on a regular weekly basis) about the legislative progress of political actions undertaken by the National office". There was some discussion, none of it against such a proposal, and when President Whalen called for the vote the motion was passed by voice vote.

There being no further business of the Executive Board Meeting of the Florida Federation of Chapters, President Whalen adjourned the meeting at 11:50 a.m . on 24 Oct 03. The next meeting of the Executive Board will be in February 2004 at the Hilton Hotel in Altamonte Springs, Florida.



Return to the Top of the Page