The monthly meeting of the Widows and Orphans Aid Association for August was called to order by President Bob Mattox on Tuesday August 13, 2013 at 1:45 pm. The meeting was held at our current business location of 850 Bryant St. in Room 150.
Roll Call of Officers:
President Bob Mattox, Vice President Al Luenow, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, Trustees John Centurioni, Sally Foster, Leroy Lindo, and Joe Reilly were present. President Mattox opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance . Trustee John Keane was excused.
Trustee John Centurioni, who was not present at last month’s meeting in July, was excused by President Bob Mattox as prior notice was given in early July.
President Mattox briefly suspended the normal order of business and began our business with Unfinished Business. Erika Jones-Clary, who has been hired to create our Web page, was present at the meeting. I will cover the content of Jones-Clary’s assistance and impact under the Unfinished Business section of this article.
Approval of the monthly minutes:
A motion was made by Trustee John Centurioni to approve the minutes of our meeting in July, 2013. Trustee Leroy Lindo seconded the motion, which passed with no objections.
Receiving Applications for new members:
We are tentatively scheduled to respond to the San Francisco Police Academy in Septemeber 2013 to present the incoming Academy Class with an opportunity to join the WOAA.
Suspensions and Reinstatements:
The goal of the WOAA is to provide a generous benefit to the family of a deceased member. We actively recruit new members of each SFPD Academy Recruit Class to increase the strength of our association, and support the Association Fund. We at the WOAA work diligently each year to maintain our veteran membership. Phone calls, emails, and Journal Articles report our efforts to reach out and request our members to pay their yearly dues. In June of 2013 we listed the names of our unpaid members as a ‘notice of suspension’. We received payment from many of our members since that article was printed. It is at this time that I regret to have to inform our members that less than 20 have responded to our suspension notice. More than forty members remain unpaid and suspended from June list. I apologize to any members who has sent their dues either during this month, or simultaneous to this article. It is mandated by our Constitution and By-Laws to suspend members who have not yet submitted their dues in 2013, for a period of six months or more. A member will stay on suspension until dues and a subsequent charge are paid. A member will be dropped from our membership if the dues and charge are not received by December 31, 2013. Newly suspended members will appear in this article. If your name appears below, please contact us at the number provided ( 415 681-3660), and we will resolve this issue. Occasionally we have incorrect contact information of members, primarily retired members, and would appreciate any assistance in contacting the membership. If you know any of the following members and believe that they are outside the necessary contact, please help us locate them. The following members are placed on WOAA suspension as of August 1, 2013 pending payments of dues and an additional late charge of $5.00 per every late month. For members who have retired this year, the yearly fee is $72.00, minus your contributions per payroll deposit for 2013.
From the 227th Academy Class:
Declan Flannery, Juliana Garcia, Anh Nguyen, Maria Peregrina, Anthony Scafini, and John Stephens.
Any member who has been retired since February, and has not paid their dues, will be suspended as of the next business meeting in September. Please, retirees from 2013, contact us at 415 681-3660 to avoid suspension, or send a check to our below listed P.O. Box.
We request dues to be paid every January. I have received complaints from retired members that they did not receive a bill. We are working diligently to correct any mistakes that may have occurred. I am scheduled to address the Retirement Seminar in October to explain the process to members who are nearing retirement. In January, send us a check for $72.00, or set up a direct deposit through your financial institution. Our goal on this announcement to retain our members. Again, any assistance in contacting these members will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, and we apologize for any mistakes or confusion that may have been created on our end.
Communications and Bills:
Trustee Joe Reilly made a motion to pay the monthly bills and three death benefits to the family of deceased members (Liljedahl, Spencer, and Borlo). Trustee John Centurioni seconded the motion, which passed with no objections.
Report of Visiting Committee:
I reported my visitation to the Funeral Service of Carl Klotz. I met with Carl’s wife, Kris, who has been a family friend for many years. I extended my condolences and offered any further assistance to the family. The Klotz family was very appreciative of the efforts of the WOAA. I have received numerous calls and letters of gratitude from the family of deceased members this year.
Report of Trustees:
We are happy to report that we have not received any reports of deceased members this past month.
Report of Special Committee:
Trustee John Centurioni, our former President and Senior Trustee has been appointed to head the Special Committee to oversee the WOAA Constitution re-write project. President Mattox has spearheaded this project by obtaining assistance from Journal Editor Ray Shine. Ray Shine reviewed our Constitution and By-Laws and submitted an extensive re-write update for review. President Mattox has been dedicated to this effort since becoming the WOAA President in 2013. Centurioni will head the committee that will consist of our other trustees Sally Foster, John Keane, Leroy Lindo, and Joe Reilly. Joe Reilly has been involved in the re-write efforts since last year. Our Constitution and By-Laws were written in the 1800’s and are in need of language change, and updates to reflect our membership community, and the current times in which we live.
Unfinished Business:
Erika Jones-Clary of MS Jones has been hired to create our web page and to manage and facilitate our updates and account. Among the options that will be available for our members will be a direct deposit form for the SFPCU, a membership form for officers of the SFPD who are under the age of 46 and who did not join the WOAA in the Academy, donations through PayPal and our beneficiary form. We are working on attempting to obtain historical data and photographs for our web site. Other options and ideas are being considered. Please forward any ideas to the WOAA through our P.O. Box.
We are currently in the process of our yearly audit of records as discussed and mentioned in the July article.
Marilyn Hardeman has assisted the WOAA for many years as a bookkeeper. Marilyn has also worked for other organizations that are connected to the SFPD membership. Trustee John Centurioni, after review and analysis of expenditures and organizational efficiency, made a motion to hire Marilyn Hardeman as an employee of the WOAA as opposed to being paid as an independent contractor. The motion was seconded by Leroy Lindo and carried without objection.
New Business:
None
Good of the Association:
No report at this time.
Adjournment:
President Mattox and the board observed a moment of silence for our above listed fallen members. President Mattox adjourned the meeting at approximately 3:00pm. President Mattox set next month’s meeting for September 10, 2013, at the Hall of Justice 850 Bryant St in room#150, at 1:45pm.
All Members:
Please be sure that your beneficiary forms are up to date and accurate with your current information and your choice of beneficiary. We can be contacted at 415 681-3660.
You can set up a direct deposit from your financial institution for every January. If you choose to mail your yearly dues, please send your check to:
WOAA
PO Box 880034
SF, Ca 94188