DPROA General Membership Meeting Minutes for August 9, 2023

by | Aug 16, 2023 | Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, August 9, 2023 @ 11:00 am

The August 2023 General Membership meeting of the Dallas Police Retired Officers Association took place at Knights of Columbus Hall, 10110 Shoreview Drive, Dallas, TX 75238.

Present:           President David Elliston

                        Vice President Sally Lannom

                        Director Boux Bland

                        Treasurer David Potts

                        Director Joe Richtsmeier

                        DFR Advisor Larry Williams

Absent:            Director Crista Walker

                        Secretary Ken Seguin

                         Communications Director Carol Richtsmeier

Presentation:

  1. President Elliston called the meeting to order at 11:05am.
  2. President Elliston led the membership in the Pledge of Allegiance.
  3. President Elliston announced the names of six police and two firefighters who had passed away during July.
  • Police
    • Chris Jackson, Harold Andrews, Floyd D. Pettigrew, David M. Kunkle, William D. Cobb, Stephen R. Norris
  • Fire
    • Robert P. Trail, Harold W. Minter
  1. Ret. Capt. Dwight Walker announced that Barry Whitfield had passed away and that his funeral would be tomorrow and then delivered the invocation.
  2. The minutes from the July 2023 meeting had been previously posted on the DPROA website.  A motion was made by member Robert Gutkowski to accept the minutes as posted; seconded by member Tom Moore.  Motion carried by acclamation with none opposed.
  3. President Elliston reported that there was no new information on the Annual Adjustment / Benefit Supplement lawsuit.
  4. President Elliston announced that the run-off election for Firefighter Trustee had been conducted and Mathew Shomer won over Armando Garza 257 – 196
  5. President Elliston announced that our attorney David Feldman had passed away but that will not have any impact on our case as George Vie has been prosecuting our suit.
  6. President Elliston noted that the Ratliff Company lobbyist had provided the monthly report but that there were no bills that were passed that had direct impact on DPROA membership.
  7. Elliston reported that he addressed the Dallas City Council yesterday during a briefing on the proposed 2023/2024 Budget.  He explained that our primary concern is the plan to push through a General Obligation Bond to the voters as early as next March.  This will be before a plan to fix the pension can be finalized. He said Cara Mendelsohn called him last Saturday and informed him that the City Manager is pushing hard to get this bond before the voters in March. She would like to see it pushed out to November.
  8. Elliston reported that Executive Director Kelly Gottschalk had approved the change to the authorization form for dues to be deducted for widows/widowers who wish to transition to an associate membership starting in January of 2024.  We will start announcing the change in November and members desiring to change can submit their new forms before January 15, 2024, to have their dues withheld out of their January check.  Tom Moorman asked if those members wanting to change need to fill out a new form.  Elliston reported they only need to notify us by letter of their desire to change.
  9. Elliston discussed the letters being mailed to members re the hacking of personnel files.
  10. Elliston reported that Mayor Johnson has appointed Tom Tull to replace Bill Quinn on the DP&FP Board.  Both Larry Eddington and Dwight Walker know Tull and they think he will be a good advocate of us.
  11. Elliston reported that Heath Hyde was requesting the DPROA endorse him to House Seat District 2 to replace Bryan Slayton.  We interviewed him this morning and will do a little more research before deciding on an endorsement.
  12. Elliston reported on the “Other Income” reported in the second quarter of DP&FP financials of 47.5 million.
  13. Tom Moore asked if we win the lawsuit will we get back pay? Elliston replied “No” The court will declare the new law illegal and the law will revert back to how it read prior to passage of HB3158.
  14. The next General Membership meeting is scheduled for September 13, 2023. Sally announced that at the next meeting we will have insurance representatives talk to us about Medicare and that meeting will be open only to members and their family.  David Potts announced that we received a thank you card from Sarah Dodd.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:59 am.

//s//

David Elliston

Acting Secretary

Submit a Comment