Pat Berger has obtained a promise of a personal meeting with Congressman John Mica while he is on recess. Dick Harkey, who has spoken before the Ormond Chapter in the past will set up the meeting. Nick Calvano, Lee Sherman, John Lowe and Pat Berger will be joined by several other volunteers to meet Dick Harkey prior to the meeting with the Congressman.
Further developments on the up coming meets will be posted here.
Bob Wehrli, President
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (P.L. 111-31) requires that newly hired federal employees will be automatically enrolled in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) and will be eligible to receive an immediate matching contribution from their employing agencies. In addition a “Roth”-type option can be added to the plan, which would allow participants to make after-tax contributions to TSP accounts and withdraw their earnings tax-free upon retirement. Furthermore, the law allows the new federal employees to invest their accounts in mutual funds outside the investment funds currently offered by the TSP.
Pass this information on to relatives who may be seeking federal employment either now or in the future. These workers are our future NARFE members.
--- Wallace Roepke , Fl Federation President, wrote:
> Bob: You have an excellent communication medium set up for your members with computers. The problem is reaching those without computers. If we can believe the statistics put out by National only about 20 to 25% of the members have computers. My concern is reaching those without as we try to ease our organization into the electronic age of the 21st century. While it is imperative that we go electronic to connect with the
FERS annuitants it is also imperative that we do not neglect those without computers. How to do this is the $64 question. Any thoughts on this connumdrum would be welcome.
> Wally
> Wallace Roepke
> Fl Federation President
---Bob Wehrli wrote the following response:
Thanks you for your reply. You are completely correct. We must retain our older members; however, they are not all chronologically the same. For example the only person that has commented on the NEWSLETTER within the NEWSLETTER itself instead of in a separate e-mail was a 91 year young very active women. I’m taking on a big task, but if it works, it could bring this Chapter together. This is only phase one.
At the present time, we put out two newsletters per month plus numerous up dates on e-mail and phone calls to those members without e-mail. The first newsletter is usually a two page hard copy sent by regular mail to about 68 members. About 75 members get the content included in the hard copy plus some extra by way of an e-mail newsletter. The calls to action and emergency announcements are covered by the telephone committee.
For this year we will keep all forms of communication and as you have seen the interactive blog or NARFE NEWSLETTER (WEB-SITE) has been introduced. This will never be accepted by every member; but for those that do accept it, a whole new world can open up. We can also reach active employees and members that weren’t interested before the blog.
I see great possibilities for this kind of activity.
I plan to include this discussion in the blog; and I would hope the a few interested people (I didn’t say members) would comment by clicking on the word comment below my Posting.
The Ormond NARFE Chapter 2247 presented a sizable check to Leonora Sicula,Chairperson for the Alzheimer's State Fund for NARFE. Bob Wehrli, the President of the Ormond Chapter 2247 made the presentaion and specified that the money was to be used for ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH.
Six Chapter members attended the Florida Federation Convention and all served on committees and were active in the total process. As a Chapter we support open elections with as much competition as possible for the elective positions. As your delegates we evaluated the choices and chose the candidates that will best serve the Chapters and in turn the members. The pictures shows some of the activities at the Convention. #1 Lee Sherman with President Don Stewart receiving Lee's National Award for Service, #2 Lee and Gece just having fun,#3 Geri Wehrli in the Parade of Banners.
This year for the fist time members will have at least two candidates to consider for two positions, President and Vice President. Wallace Roepke and Treva Devers are running for the position of President. Both are presently serving on the Executive Board; Wally Roepke as Executive Vice Pres. and Treva Devers as Vice Pres. Both have excellent credential to be President. Their styles of management differ, and Ms. Devers retired in 2005; so she may be more in tune with the present Federal employee and their needs.
The other position with two candidates is Vice Pres. and the candidates are Bob Shaw and Dick Gerber. Ken Carter is running for Executive Pres. unopposed, and Bill Leatham will return as Secretary as will Ruth Blackwell as Treasure.
Various of the programs designed to correct the current economic turndown will result in increases in income, cash payments, and tax refunds for both active and retired Federal Retirees. For the tax years 2009 and 2010 there will be a Tax Credit of up to $400.00 for single persons and up to $800.00 for married couples submitting Tax Returns. Late in this month of May Social Security recipients will receive cash payments in the amount of $250.00. There has been a 6.2% decrease in Federal Income Taxes which should result in an increase equivalent to that amount in payroll and pension payments
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GOING NORTH or changing e-mail
Please give a forwarding address or an e- mail address to BOB WEHRLI: 441-9250
.JPG)
