NARFE CHAPTER 126 Western Charles Indian Head Marylands Oldest

							NARFE CHAPTER 126 Western Charles / Indian Head Maryland’s Oldest Chapter February 1952 - April 2008 _______________________________________________________________________________ Future Features Thursday 1 May - Monthly Meeting 1PM - Byrd & Byrd, Family/Elder Law, Wills, Trusts Thursday 5 June - Monthly Meeting 1PM - Indoor Picnic, Entertainment ______________________________________________________________________________ From the President’s Pen / Ed Rice - 743-3055 - ricespad@comcast.net The last few months have been busy ones for NARFE activity in which I was involved. There was a State Federation Meeting in Bowie in February, and in March there were a luncheon meeting with Steny Hoyer in College Park, a Federation Resolutions Committee meeting in Bowie and a Region II Symposium in Gettysburg. The message was loud and clear from the State Federation Meeting and the lunch with Congressman Hoyer that NARFE members need to be especially vigilant of member benefits. The bleak State and National fiscal outlooks make any attempt to improve benefits a long-shot. It is very possible that current benefits may even come under attack. The State structural deficit makes it every member’s responsibility to actively support NARFE goals like increasing the tax exemption for seniors. At the National level, the rising cost of entitlement programs and the war in Iraq may result in a Congressional review of Federal retiree benefits to find funds to lessen the impact on others. NARFE is establishing coalitions with other organizations with similar goals such as teachers and law enforcement to strengthen its lobbying influence. There are also two political action committees, NARFE-PAC (National level) and MD-PAC (State level) that need our financial support to promote NARFE positions. Maryland resolutions that were considered for submission to the National Convention dealt with unanimity of support for NARFE official positions, enabling seniors to age in place, NARFE member community service recognition, dealing with NARFE National position vacancies and amending the bylaws to promote the one member-one vote concept for National Officer and Regional Vice President positions. The Regional Symposium provided training opportunities for members from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and the District in areas such as NARFE Chapter presidency, parliamentary procedure, service officer, secretarial, networking and public relations. I was impressed with NARFE public relations staff member Chuck Timanus who said he would be available to speak at one of our future Chapter meetings. I was also impressed with our own Jeanette Green who did her usual outstanding job teaching the secretarial segment of the training. The networking training gave me some pointers on setting up a Chapter web site which is one of my goals. Keep up the good work recruiting new members and getting people out to our meetings. ________________________________________________________________________ Help! Bring duplicate NARFE magazines and/or those read to chapter meetings; we’re planning re-distribution. Need a ride to chapter meetings? Call Mary Savoy. Suggestion for guest speakers? Call Warren or Jeanne Bowie. Have an eligible friend, relative, neighbor? Call Bea Bernard. _______________________________________________________________________________ Highlights from the Symposium - Jeanette Green, Secretary Publicity Invite the media to

April 2008

1

your meeting; you will learn who to contact, their responsibility to the public, how to reach your proposed audience. Matching Funds available. Parliamentarian Contrary to popular belief this subject is NOT dull, it’s all common sense. Four points Presiding Officer needs to know: State [repeat proposed motion], Debate [hear pros and cons], Tabulate [count votes], Enunciate [announce result]. Editor A chapter newsletter is a means of reaching potential chapter members, and all chapter members, not just those attending meetings. It should not repeat info found in NARFE, but should include chapter participation in legislative actions, Service Officer info, committee reports, motions adopted at a meeting, names and contact info of chapter officers. Secretary Chapter minutes do NOT report she said/he said conversations, are NOT lengthy, but are a SUMMARY of what transpired at a meeting, i.e. guest speaker comments, committee reports, plans for chapter involvement in local or Federation activities. _______________________________________________________________________________ Legislative - Ron Bush - 934-8311 - brenda_bush@hotmail.com On 20 March Brenda Bush and Penny Norris attended the hearing of HB79. They were 2nd and 3rd in the room and got front row seats; then the room was packed. NARFE’s HB79 was not the first bill to be heard but it was interesting to hear the other ones. Dick Strombotne, President, MD Fed and Bill Ferguson, Chairman, Fed SLC, were among those who gave testimony for HB79 [Income Tax Exemption Amounts for Blind and Elderly]. They spoke well and had many facts but received a cool reception. One Delegate asked: Why should they consider giving the elderly and the blind a larger exemption when they had already given one to the poor. Dick quickly reminded the Delegate of part of his testimony: The Fiscal Note for HB79, 1) fails to report that in 2006 the Senate passed Senator Astle’s bill, SB22, with a provision to increase the exemption for blind and elderly taxpayers to $2400. The House Ways and Means Committee disagreed. Ultimately, as approved by the General Assembly, SB22 provided a $5000 exemption for the military retirees only and 2) the Note also does not report that in the 2007 Special Session, after Governor O’Malley recommended a doubling of the exemption for blind persons and elderly taxpayers to $2000, the Senate agreed. The House disagreed and an increase in the general personal exemption to $3200, with a means tested phase-down, was the final result…again…the blind persons and elderly taxpayers were left out. Our team is working hard for that bill so Penny and Brenda decided to test the waters on the Senate side of the road and stopped in to talk to Senator Mac Middleton. They caught him eating lunch and were invited in. The gist of what he said was: In these times if we want to have a bill passed we have to either find the resources/money ourselves or tell them whose programs are not necessary - the money is just not there. Of course, he said it nicely, but in the end they were thankful that he was candid. Brenda reminds us to look harder for those resources, talk a lot louder and show them, There IS money! _______________________________________________________________________________ Chapter Officers and Chairmen 2007-2009 - Other Numbers Listed w/Articles Please direct comments / questions to appropriate Officer / Chairman Secretary - Jeanette Green - 645-3319 Lunch Reservations - Betty Wilson 743-9445 Treasurer - Lou Tannich - 932-8474 Chaplain / Sunshine - Marie Welch 609-6065 Historian - Julie White - 743-3604 Program - Warren / Jeanne Bowie - 753-9508 Social - Mary Savoy - 932-6109 Facilities - Bill Albrittain - 934-4160 / Don Wilson 743-9445

April 2008

2

Telephone Tree - Mary Kay Albrittain - 934-4160 and Brenda Bush - 934-8311 Membership / Bea Bernard - 870-9361 - beabernard@comcast.net Welcome to new members Joyce Brown, Evelyn Davis Bea needs the date/year of your birth to prepare paperwork for Honorary Life Membership for your 85th birthday. When you reach 85 with 20 years NARFE membership you no longer pay National and Chapter dues. Current and Retired Federal Employees [same fee*] $33 new member; Multi-yr for renewals 1 yr $29 + chapter $5 = $34; 2 yrs $52 + chapter $10 = $62 save $6; 3 yrs $74 + chapter $15 = $89 save $13. [*CFEs joining prior to 1/1/08 grandfathered in. Renewal - 1 yr dues $25, 2 yr dues $45, 3 yr dues $60 as long as you remain CFEs. On retirement renew annually as above] Dues Withholding OPM deducts $2+/month from your annuity; no more notices, checks, postage and you’ll help save thousands of dollars/year for NARFE. The chapter will pay $5 to each member converting to Dues Withholding! _______________________________________________________________________________ Thank Ron/Brenda Bush for the beautiful floral centerpieces on chapter lunch tables, Ed/ Helen Rice for lunch table decorations, Bill/Mary Kay Albrittain for the candy cups! _______________________________________________________________________________ Alzheimer’s/Lupus / Retha Sammons - 375-7005 Speakers/info available from local hospital, University, NIH, local offices - with books, VCRs, pamphlets. Please continue your Bakeless Bake Sale and help NARFE with its new Alzheimer’s Research goal of $8,000,000; and Lupus Research. Send to Retha Sammons, 7348 Gabriel Drive, Bryans Road MD 20616. Name_________________________________________Phone______________ Alzheimer’s $______ Lupus $______ Divide Equally $_____ _______________________________________________________________________________ Lunch menus by Catering by Anita. Make all checks for $10 per person, payable to NARFE 126, mail to Betty Wilson, 1 Glymont Rd, Indian Head 20640. Reservations Deadline Pre-Paid - Thursday preceding 1st Thursday. Absolutely No Exceptions! Anita needs enough time to prepare enough lunch for all reservations. If you have a reservation and find before noon of Thursday deadline you will be unable to attend, call Betty to change it to another month. Menus May - Pork BBQ, Au Gratin potatoes, Coleslaw, Salad, Rolls/Butter, Coffee, Iced Tea, Cookies Jun - Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Green Beans, Salad, Rolls/Butter, Coffee, Iced Tea, Brownies Reservations for Lunch, Thursday 1 May 2008 Name[s]______________________________________________Phone_____________________ Reservations for Lunch, Thursday 5 June 2008 Name[s]______________________________________________Phone____________________

April 2008

3

NARFE CHAPTER 126 NON-PROFIT Jeanette Green, Editor PAID 927 Sloan Avenue Waldorf MD 20602-2871 PERMIT #265 WALDORF MD US POSTAGE

_______________________________________________________________________________ Recruitment/Retention Contest through 30 June 2008. Each category will include two contests; one based on gross numbers, one based on percentages to level the playing field between small/large chapters, for a total of 12 winners. First place $500, 2nd place $300, 3rd place $200. Recognition/check at National Convention in Louisville KY. Consider Thank-Yous, Birthdays for your current/retired friends/relatives/spouse. NARFE pays $8 for every CFE you recruit. _______________________________________________________________________________ If you move and / or change your phone number notify Bea Bernard ASAP so she can change her Membership records and notify NARFE *** If you know of someone who is ill or has passed away notify Marie Welch, Chaplain / Sunshine Chairman, ASAP, so she can send the appropriate card _______________________________________________________________________________ Our Legislators Sen Ben Cardin - 410-962-4436 - 100 S Charles St #1710, Balto 21212- www.cardin.senate.gov Sen Barbara Mikulski - 202-224-4654 - 1629 #400 Thames St, Balto 21231 senator@mikulski.senate.gov Rep Steny Hoyer - 301-464-5710 - 4201 Northview Dr #307, Bowie 20716 www.house.gov/hoyer Gov Martin O’Malley - 1-800-811-8336 - State House, Annapolis MD 21301 governor@gov.state.md.us State Sen Mac Middleton - 301-870-1747 - POBOX 1735, Waldorf 20604 thomas.mclain.middleton@senate.state.md.us Del Sally Jameson - 301-843-0202 - POBOX 333, Bryantown 20617 sally.jameson@house.state.md.us Del Murray Levy - 301-858-3325 - 216 Lowe Office Bldg, Annapolis 21401 murray.levy@house.state.md.us Del Peter Murphy - 301-858-3247 - 1-800-492-7122 x3247 215 Lowe Office Bldg, Annapolis 21401 - peter.murphy@house.state.md.us Charles County Commissioners - 301-645-0550 - POBOX 2150, La Plata 20646 _______________________________________________________________________________

April 2008

4