The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association of the San Francisco Police Department held their monthly meeting at 1:00 pm on August 8, 2017 at the Hall of Justice.
Roll Call: President John Centurioni called the meeting to order. Vice President Leroy Lindo was excused from the meeting. Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, and Trustees Ray Kane, James O’Meara, Al Luenow, John Keane, and Sally Foster were present.
Approval of the Minutes: Trustee John Keane made a motion to accept the minutes from our meeting last month on July 11, 2017. Trustee Ray Kane seconded the motion. The motion passed without objection.
Receiving Applications; Suspensions, and Reinstatements: Trustee Al Luenow made a motion to suspend the following members who have not paid their dues in 2017. Trustee Ray Kane made a second motion. The WOAA Board then voted unanimously to suspend the following members:
Patrick Backman, Corey Brooks, Corbyn Carroll, Michael Coffey, Cassandra Devlin,
Martha Fabiani, Gabby Fisher, John Kowal, Danny Li, Anna Mendoza, Richard Miller,
Jesus Nevarez, John Propst, Brenda Rodgers, Nicholas Sherry, Duong Sim,
Selina Tavera, Henry Tien, Jason Trump, and Mitchell Villanueva.
The suspended members will receive a notice by registered mail to their last known address. We received a letter of separation from long-standing member John Evans, and a verbal request for separation from suspended member Lance Monteverdi. I left a message for Lance to send us a letter stating his wish to leave the WOAA. Trustee Ray Kane made a motion to accept suspended member Pam Cunningham for reinstatement after we received her dues payment. Trustee James O’Meara seconded the motion. The motion passed without objection.
Communications and Bills: Trustee Sally Foster made a motion to pay the regular monthly bills and to pay the death benefits of recently passed members. Trustee James O’Meara seconded the motion. The motion passed without objection.
Report of the Visiting Committee: No report this month.
Report of the Trustees: It was learned that the following members passed away in 2016 and failed to notify the WOAA. The WOAA did not receive direct notice of their passing. An investigation was conducted to affirm each death and process the benefits accordingly.
Evan Remedios, age 40: Evan C. Remedios was born on November 21, 1976 and entered the San Francisco Police Department on June 28, 1999. Evan was assigned to star #4106 and worked the following assignments in his fifteen year career: Mission Police Station (January 8, 2000), Potrero Police Station (May 13, 2000), Park Police Station (May 12, 2001, Mission Police Station (January 19, 2002), Bayview Police Station (August 3, 2002), Northern Police Station (April 28, 2008), Northern Police Station (promoted to Q-50 Sergeant and transferred on July 24, 2010), Park Police Station (August 7, 2010), Richmond Police Station (February 11, 2012), Technology Division (May 4, 2012), DOC (February 20, 2013), and Medical Liaison (August 24, 2013). Evan resigned from the San Francisco Police Department on October 8, 2014.
Richard T. Weinand, age 90: Richard T. Weinand was born on May 17, 1927 in Gary, Indiana. Richard was employed by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department prior to entering the San Francisco Police Department. Richard joined the S.F.P.D. on January 9, 1961. Richard graduated from the Police Academy on April 17, 1961 and was assigned to star #861. Richard was sent from the Academy to Headquarters/City Prison on April 17, 1961. Richard was subsequently transferred to Co. K/Traffic on September 12, 1966 where he worked for the remainder of his career. Richard retired with a service pension on December 10, 1985. Richard, with Officers George Bodrov, Marion Jackson, Robert Quinn, and Sergeant George Lockhart calmly and efficiently disarmed an armed man engaged in a family dispute on October 5, 1969. Richard T. Weinand, for services rendered on that day, received a third grade Meritorious Award for bravery.
Report of Special Committee: No report this month.
Unfinished Business: Trustee Foster presented the Constitution and By-Law rewrite project. Foster stated we are ready to send the rewrite for review to an attorney. If the attorney approves the language, the proposed changes will be sent out to our membership for approval. Membership will be asked to vote to approve or decline the changes. Trustee Foster read aloud the last few rewrite related questions raised by our Board and it was agreed unanimously to be a finished product. We will continue to inform our members of the rewrite progress and when it will be mailed out for vote.
New Business: Treasurer Taylor and Trustee Foster addressed our billing process. We experienced a very difficult year in regard to billing. We increased the dues and sent out notices and bills that several members stated that they either did not receive it (in November 2016), or did not realize it was the 2017 dues bill, or did not understand that automatic payments from the SFPCU needed a new completed sign-up form. Additionally the SFPCU has not resolved the issue of sending us a membership payment by account number rather that attaching a name. The majority of automatic payment records are by name, however, there are several listed by a set of numbers. Treasurer Taylor must then call the SFPCU and request name verification on the list of “numbered payments”. Treasurer Taylor and Trustee Foster spoke to the Board regarding our billing system and requested that our Bookkeeper reconcile our membership lists. The Bookkeeper will complete the lists with updated contact information (name, address, date of birth, phone number, and email address) and ensure that our all our retired members will be placed from the “active officer file”, to our “retired officer file” on our data base. Retired members seldom contact us when they retire. I address the Retirement Seminars regarding this issue. Many of our members who attend the seminar are two to three years from retirement and possible do not recall the information I present. We are waiting to receive a list of retirees that will span the past five years. After retirement, members then must pay by check, pay-pal, or by automatic payment, if and when they are billed. Retired members are removed from the CCSF Payroll system upon retiring and many do not send us their dues payment until we are aware of their status change. Many members do not contact us when they change their address or contact numbers. All of the described issues result in a billing problem. The bookkeeper will be informed by email letter as to what we need to move forward.
Good of the Order: No report this month.
Adjournment: President Centurioni led the Board in a moment of silence in observance of all our members who have passed away. President Centurioni scheduled our next meeting for Tuesday September 12, 2017. The meeting will be held at the Hall of Justice in Room #150 at 1:00 pm.
To All: Please visit our website at sfwidowsandorphans.org. Beneficiary forms can be accessed by clicking on RESOURCES on our face page. New beneficiary changes require a signature from a Notary, or a current Board member. Please use the beneficiary form for changes to your address and contact numbers. Address and contact number changes do not require a signature by a Notary or Board member. We express our thanks and gratitude to the following people who assist us each month: Retired San Francisco Police Captain and now the POA Defense Administrator Paul Chignell, David Ng of Personnel, Sgt. Rachael Kilshaw and Risa Tom of the Police Commission Office, the editor of the POA Journal Ray Shine, Retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant Rene LaPrevotte of the Gold Reaper Website, and the entire Traffic Solo Command and their Officers who bestow their gracious generosity each month by providing us with a location for our monthly meetings and space for our files.