HARVEY’S AT LAKE TAHOE SITE OF 2008 ANNUAL MEETING

More than 65 members and guests attended the 2008 Annual Meeting which was held October 16th, 1:00pm to 4:00pm, at South Shore Lake Tahoe, in conjunction with National MOAA’s Western States Chapter Presidents Symposium. It was a time for chapter presidents to review past EXCOM actions and set new directions for 2009 and beyond.

Newly elected directors were sworn into office for the period 2008-2010. All current directors will continue with the exception of MajGen Bob Butcher of Area 8; he will be succeeded by Col George E. Swick, USAF-Ret, President, San Diego Chapter. COL Robert Colbern, Area 3, Central Coast, will continue for one year. CAPT Greg Horn, Area 4 and COL Bill Reals, Area 6 were not present due to work and other conflicts.

The minutes of the 2007 Annual Meeting at San Luis Obispo December 1-2 were approved as amended.

The finance report and 2009 budget were presented by Col Rita Solander, Treasurer, as approved by the EXCOM earlier in the day. The Council has sufficient funds to meet bylaws mandates and with a moderate reserve. The 2009 budget reflects a probable 11% membership and dues decrease, requiring certain modifications in area director operational expenses and legislative costs. The area directors will make greater use of e-mail and the telephone when supporting chapters, thereby saving travel costs. An aggressive cost control program is in effect.

A State of the Council report was presented indicating that the Council continues to be an ideal platform for serving the wider military community. The organization’s purposes are being achieved to the extent resources allow. The document gives evidence of a wide range of activities and achievements. The Council was presented its 25 year Silver Anniversary recognition from National MOAA. In addition, the Council’s website was awarded 1st place nationwide for both 2006 and 2007 in MOAA’s communications competition. The weblog was recognized as best innovative means of communication for both years.

A Focus 2009 document was presented outlining the areas of concentration for the coming year, where EXCOM members will direct primary efforts and use of resources. The first area is to support MOAA fully with its legislative efforts as well as urge the California State Commanders Veterans Council (CSCVC), of which CAL-MOAA is a member and participates fully, to increase advocacy efforts in Sacramento. The second area of interest, one where the area directors will have prominent roles, will be to support chapters in conjunction with MOAA’s “Year of the Chapter” initiatives. Assistance to chapters, per the bylaws, is by invitation only.

Certain members were recognized for outstanding contributions to the Council and its work:
–CDR Bob Burke, Communications Chair, best website/weblog 2006 and 2007;
–CDR Jerry Loeb, efforts to protect certain widows and others re SBP-DIC;
–CAPT Jim Torres,CDR Steve Barber/CAPT Mark Shafer, MOAA DAY ON THE HORNET;
–LT Phelps Hobart and LTC Tom Lasser for contributions to the weblog;
–CDR John Sammons, efforts to start a new chapter in Alameda County;
–COL Bill Reals, efforts to save the recently closed San Gabriel Chapter;
–MAJ Judy Tilt and CWO4 Robert Ramirez, efforts to obtain favorable outcomes with the Medicare/Tricare physician reimbursement issue.

Area directors provided a brief summary of chapter health, achievements, challenges, and outlook for 2009. In large part chapters are doing reasonably well, are active serving the local military communities, but are facing serious member recruitment and leader succession problems. Six chapters did not pay dues for 2007 but most are very small and geographically isolated chapters where it is very difficult to recruit new members. National MOAA and Area directors stand ready to assist chapters in trouble.

Col Lee Lange II, USMC-Ret, Director, MOAA Council and Chapter Affairs, made a short presentation on the importance of councils. It was along the lines of a more detailed explanation of council roles printed recently in “The Affiliate.” Councils are necessary to help coordinate state efforts and demonstrate “One Powerful Voice!” Supplements were provided including “The Council–Who We Are And What We Do” as well as a briefing sheet about CAL-MOAA dated October 16, 2008. A past member, Harry Fornwalt, offered a vision for the future, challenging the Council to move ahead with energy, expand its operations, and offer more to chapters and the military community.

Col Lange also spoke about MOAA”s Year of the Chapter initiatives, suggesting that National is going to do much more for the chapters. An example provided was the October Military Officer issue cover wrap-around inviting national members to join local chapters. And more such initiatives are coming.

Col Bill Gavitt, Legislative Chair, offered a perspective on what might be done and what needs to be done to further legislative goals and objectives. A sheet in support of the legislative forum outlines specific needs to use chapter legislative alert systems when critical bills are being considered. Numbers of letters and other communications to legislative offices make a big difference. In addition, consideration was given to the California State Commanders Veterans Council (CSCVC) advocacy efforts in Sacramento and the need to provide a retainer to the lobbyist LTC Pete Conaty. It apparently was decided to wait and see what actions and achievements come from a new CSCVC slate of officers and success with fund-raising. Chapter presidents would consider commiting additional monies only when details of formulas to be used to determine assessments become available. In general the concept of having a direct advocate in Sacramento proved interesting.

MAJ Judy Tilt provided an overview of the Medicare/Tricare physicians reimbursement issue and what has been and is being done to protect earned entitlements. She provided a very brief statement but gave everyone present a detailed document giving the history, achievements to date, and challenges for the future to all in attendance. It will be very important for all members to act promptly when legislative alerts are issued.

CDR Bob Burke, Communications Chair, gave an update on the website situation and especially for the need of a webmaster. Bob is doing what he can to keep the site updated and in particular post chapter newsletters. Any chapter wanting its newsletter posted should send a copy, pdf format preferred, to cdrbob@cal-moaa.org. Again the website was MOAA’s nationwide winner in both 2006 and 2007 communication competitions.

Mrs Mary Kalinyak delivered an Auxiliary report with a special plea for all chapters to communicate with her. She needs to know the extent Auxiliaries participate in chapter governance, the nature of Auxiliary opportunities and challenges, specifically new member recruitment, and perhaps most important how she can assist chapters with their Auxiliary needs.

The membership supported a recommendation that the 2009 Annual Meeting be held in San Diego in conjunction with the National MOAA annual meeting.

It was announced that a spring, 2009 EXCOM meeting would be held on line sometime during the period March 15 through May 31, 2009.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:05pm.

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