Report Given at the Annual Meeting in Henderson

Each year at the annual meeting the Chapter President makes a report to the Executive Board. Here was my report:
The Two Rivers Chapter has grown this year to 125 members. The Board has spent the year tweaking things to increase our active members and meeting attendance. Initially we held meetings every other month but amended that later in the year to monthly meetings and continue to process new ideas for attracting a more active membership. We have held 6 meetings since last year and had a variety of interesting speakers, including a cowboy poet, a mortician, a local gardening expert, a policeman, and a firefighter. Increasing attendance will be one of our challenges in the year to come as we continue to build a core group, especially as we begin preparations for the 2010 Executive Board meeting in Mesquite. We are looking forward to showcasing the resources available in our area for next year’s meeting. We also started and maintained a blogsite for Two Rivers Chapter and hope to link our site with the State RPEN web-site now that it's online. We invite you all to have a look at our site at tworiverschapterofrpen.blogspot.com and, if you are interested, we can help you to set up your own blogsite for your chapter. Eventually we hope to have a network of sites that will make information easier to access and share among the members and Chapters.
I’m very proud of the efforts of our Chapter Board throughout the year. Each officer has honored their commitment to start the chapter and collectively do their part to build a solid, lasting foundation for it to outlive us. Marilyn Cheney, our vice president, has often helped prepare and lead the meetings and assisted the state nominating committee. Our secretary, Luana Juenger, has proven to be efficient, well-organized, and keeps us on task. And, Jeanne Crayton, our state delegate, has proven to be an outspoken advocate for RPEN on several occasions with Nevada politicians. I’m also grateful for the benefit of having Colleen Bell and Doris and Jimmy Green at nearly every meeting this year. They have been on hand to share the state news with our membership, help us conduct meetings, and offer advice about increasing attendance. Their combined experience has kept us from reinventing the wheel as we establish ourselves as a Chapter.
Last but certainly not least, Two Rivers Chapter extends a heart felt thank you to the State staff who worked so diligently on our behalf during an incredibly challenging 2009 legislature. We deeply appreciate your dedication, vigilance, and tenacity which surely helped us dodge a big bullet this year. Marty Bibb, Bob and Gaye Johnston, Terrie Laird, and Kerri Armanasco…thanks for doing such a great job under such difficult circumstances! With the SAGE commission’s recommendations and the state budget crisis looming so large in each legislators mind, we made a likely target. Thanks for reminding them that a promise made is a promise kept. Personally, I hope to follow your example and become more involved in the process so essential to each former public employee. As Two Rivers Chapter President, my hope is that, as we mature as a chapter, we can learn to be more vocal representatives of our common interests, continue to increase our membership, and overcome the apathy that will endanger our retirement benefits. Once again on behalf of our Chapter, a heartfelt thank you!

Come, Join the Two Rivers Chapter

While it's true that PERS survived the 2009 legislative changes relatively intact, PEPB took some major hits to member health insurance subsidies. During the June meeting one member asked why we should continue to meet since the legislature isn't. At face value that was a good question since RPEN is not a social organization, but I was reminded almost immediately via a Las Vegas Review Journal article that the SAGE commission made some inroads towards changing our benefits and they are not planning on resting for the next two years. They were excited to have made even a small impact on public employees and implied that they would continue the attack until successful. Earlier in the session, I spoke with one of our volunteer lobbyists and was told that he had faith in MOST of our legislators, assuring me that most of them were reasonable and prudent. Our adversaries, which include some of our elected representatives, aren't resting and our State RPEN Board won't be taking the next two years off either. If we expect our State to honor the adage "A promise made is a promise kept", we must aid the watchdog efforts of RPEN and not leave the fight entirely up to others. Each RPEN Chapter must make efforts to overcome apathy and develop active members willing to join the fight to protect our benefits. It needn't be a full time job, but it is a worthy endeavor.

As previously mentioned, the Two Rivers Board will be implementing a few changes to encourage the membership to become active participants. We now hold meetings on the third Tuesday of each month, and will hold a 50/50 raffle at the door. One half the proceeds will be used for Chapter refreshments and the other half will be paid to the winning contestant. We will continue to schedule speakers who educate us on retiree interests. In September of 2010, Two Rivers is sponsoring the State RPEN Board meeting in Mesquite and we will be recruiting members to assist in the planning and registration for that event. We will also hold elections for our Chapter positions in the coming year. We encourage you to attend our meetings and be active in protecting our benefits. The next four meetings are listed in the article below.

Announcement Postcard for Upcoming Meetings

You are invited to attend the Two Rivers Chapter meetings for the Retired Public Employees of Nevada.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 @ 9:30AM
Moapa Valley Senior Center
325 N. Cooper Ave. Overton, NV.
Speaker: Carol Bishop- Extension Services

Tueday, October 20, 2009 @ 6PM
Marilyn Redd Park
Mesquite, NV.
Baked Potato Pot Luck (Bring your favorite topping)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 @ 9:30 AM
Lost City Museum Tour
Overton, NV.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 @9:30 AM
Mesquite Senior Center
102 W. Old Mill Rd.
Mesquite, NV.
Virgin Valley history presentation