The monthly meeting of the Widows and Orphans Aid Association was called to order by President Mark McDonough on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 1:44 p.m. in Room 150 at the Hall of Justice.
President McDonough opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call of Officers:
President Mark McDonough, Vice-President Robert Mattox, Treasurer Dean Taylor, Secretary Joe Reilly, Trustees John Centurioni, Sally Foster, John Keane, Al Luenow and Harold Vance were present.
Approval of the minutes of the January meeting:
A motion made by Centurioni, seconded by Foster to approve the February minutes passed without objection.
Receiving applications for new members, suspensions and reinstatements:
Reinstatement to membership: Al Matteoni, after payment of all back dues and penalties, pursuant to Article III, Section #6, upon recommendation of the Trustees, was readmitted to the membership of the Association. Secretary Reilly reported that notices had been sent to former members who were dropped from Association membership for nonpayment of dues.
Communications and Bills:
Routine correspondence and the normal monthly bills were received in February. Treasurer Taylor reported that the US Postal Service notified the Association that our application for nonprofit organization mailing status was approved. Treasurer Taylor also presented the monthly expenses of the Association and requested approval for their payment. A motion by Keane, seconded by Luenow to approve payment passed without objection.
Report of the Trustees:
The Association received three reports of deceased members.
Anthony P. Rodriguez, 84 years, San Francisco native, graduate of Mission High School, Star #1861, 84th Academy Class. Police Commissioner 1992-1995. Anthony served in the US Army during the Korean War and worked as a dairy deliveryman before he was appointed to the Department on October 16, 1957. His first assignment was a brief detail to Richmond Station from the Academy, however he soon returned to the Academy to complete training and was then transferred to Ingleside. He served at Park, Taraval and Northern Stations before he left the Department in January, 1962 and entered the San Francisco Fire Department, retiring as a Fire Department Captain in 1985. In 1992, Mayor Frank Jordan appointed Anthony a Commissioner to the SF Police Commission where he served until 1995. Anthony received a Second Grade Meritorious (Silver) Medal of Valor in 1958 for rescuing a woman trapped in a burning building, locating her through the dense smoke by her cries for help.
Nikolaus E. Wrany, 75 years, graduate of Washington High School, Star # 581, 98th Academy Class. Nikolaus came to San Francisco as a child and worked for the Muni Railway before being appointed to the Department on July 1, 1964. His first assignment was to Park Station followed by a transfer to Central in 1965 and then to Co. K, Solos in 1970. In 1976, Nick was transferred to CSTF (Crime Specific Task Force) today’s VRT (Violence Reduction Team), where he served until his transfer to Potrero (Bayview) Station in 1978 and finally Richmond Station in 1979 from where he would retire in 1988. Nick received a Third Grade Meritorious (Bronze) Medal of Valor in 1968 for the apprehension of an armed female suspect who came out of her car and pointed a gun at the officers as they were investigating her use of stolen credit cards.
Chris N. Paras, 84 years, graduate of Balboa High School, Star # 1810, 84th Academy Class. A San Francisco native, Chris worked for the US Postal Service before being appointed to the Department on October 16, 1957. Chris was detailed from the Academy to Northern Station briefly before returning to complete his training and transferred to Park in 1958. In 1959 he was transferred to Taraval and then to Ingleside later the same year. In 1960, Chris was transferred to Co. K, Solos, where he would serve until 1968, when he retired after being seriously injured in a traffic collision. Chris received a Second Grade Meritorious (Silver) Medal of Valor in 1961 for his role in capturing an armed suspect who had just robbed a liquor store and was located hiding in a nearby playground.
Unfinished Business:
Treasurer Taylor commented on the nonprofit mailing status that the Association has now received. The USPS classifies the WOAA as a philanthropic organization and thus qualifies for the reduced postal rates. The Association will be able to use a more efficient bulk mail service with the cost savings over standard postage rates. Secretary Reilly will be filing another application for non-profit mail rate status for routine (non-bulk) mailing.
Treasurer Taylor also reported that the review of the Association’s obligations under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974 by the law firm of Trucker and Huss resulted in a preliminary opinion that the Association should not be subject to ERISA. As this matter progresses, the Association will take all necessary steps to clarify our status with the U.S. Department of Labor which administers ERISA and be certain that the WOAA complies with all applicable state and federal regulations. No longer being subject to ERISA could save the Association several thousand dollars yearly in audit fees.
Secretary Reilly reported that he is continuing to discuss the status of members’ payroll deductions for dues with the City’s PPSD. (Payroll and Personnel Services Division).
The matter of requiring notarizations for changes to member beneficiary designations was reintroduced for further discussion from the last meeting. Beneficiary designations are required to be witnessed, however the first such designation is normally made at the time a member joins, in the presence of an Association officer. Subsequent beneficiary changes, which can occur for many different reasons, are usually not witnessed by an Association officer. Therefore, in order to ensure the accuracy and integrity of beneficiary designations, any subsequent change to a member’s initial beneficiary designation must be completed by the member in the presence of an officer of the Association or such change properly notarized by a recognized notary public. A motion by Mattox seconded by Vance to adopt the notary requirement as Association policy passed without objection. Trustee Mattox commented that Police Credit Union members who may need notarizations can receive them at a Credit Union branch office. Secretary Reilly will amend the beneficiary designation form to include the notarization requirement.
New Business
None
Good of the Association:
If you are a Widows and Orphans member whose dues are deducted from your paycheck and are retiring soon, or if you have retired in the last year, please remember that payroll deductions for dues stop once you are retired. Dues payments are not deducted from retirement checks. (Automatic payment through the credit union is not affected) Please contact the Association for instructions on maintaining your membership. Members can contact the Association at woaasfpolice@gmail.com in addition to the Association’s voice mail phone number (415) 681-3660, or speak to any one of the Association officers.
Adjournment:
President McDonough set the next meeting for Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 1:45 p.m. in Room 150 at the Hall of Justice. A moment of silence was observed for all our deceased members. The meeting was adjourned at 2:28 p.m.