General Membership Meeting Minutes For May 11, 2022

by | Jun 1, 2022 | Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, May 11, 2022 @ 11:00 am

The May 2022 General Membership meeting of the Dallas Police Retired Officers Association took place at the A.C. Garrett Masonic Lodge, 7119 E. Grand Avenue, Dallas, TX 75223

Present:           President David Elliston

Vice President Sally Lannom

Secretary Ken Seguin

Treasurer David Potts

Treasurer-Emeritus Crista Walker

Director Joe Richtsmeier

Director Dale Erves

Absent:            Director Boux Bland

Communications Director Carol Richtsmeier

DFR Advisor Larry Williams

  1. President Elliston called the meeting to order at 11:00 am.
  2. President Elliston led the membership in the Pledge of Allegiance.
  3. President Elliston announced the names of the 16 police and firefighters who had passed away during the month of April 2022 according to the DPFPS website.
  • Police
    • Alfred Watkins, Oscar Shinpaugh, Gregory Smith, Walter Clifton Jr, Sam Wooley, John Sullivan, Ricky McGee, James Pierce, Melvin Bell
  • Fire
    • Larry Gatchel, Frank Gamez, Richard Timmons, Allarry Daniels, Raymond Lee, Denzil Cooper, D.W. Jones
  1. Director Erves delivered the invocation.
  2. The minutes from the April 2022 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 James Freeman. Motion carried by acclamation with none opposed.
  3. President Elliston announced that Director Place 3 Dale Erves had tendered his resignation from the board on April 13 to take effect May 11.  President Elliston then presented him a restaurant gift card donated by the Executive Board.
  4. President Elliston announced that with the concurrence of the Executive Board, he was appointing Treasurer-Emeritus Crista Walker as the new Director Place 3 to fill the remaining period of Dale Erves’ term of office (until March 2023).  He then administered the oath of office to Director Walker.  Re-defining of the Director Place 3’s duties to include membership accounting, within the DPROA Constitution may take place around February 2023 if an election is called.
  5. President Elliston advised a court hearing had been set by Judge Kristina Williams of the 192nd Judicial District Court who had ruled in favor of the Dallas Police & Fire Pension Fund (DPFPS) with regard to a request for Summary Judgment on the Annual Adjustment lawsuit.  The DPFPS attorneys had requested that DPROA pay the attorney fees of $237,000 and as much as $650,000 through all appellate levels.  Judge Williams is supposed to hold a hearing on the request on May 18, 2022 at 10:15 am.  If she should award any amount to the DPFPS attorneys, no amount is payable until the case has been through all appellate levels.
  6. President Elliston noted that three members of the DPFPS Board of Trustees are leaving the board – Tina Patterson, Gilbert Garcia, and Robert French.  Only one person (name unknown) has filed to run for a trustee position.  Secretary Seguin stated that he had heard from former mayoral candidate Scott Griggs who said he would review the information on becoming an elected pension board trustee and would consider the possibility of filing by the deadline of May 11.
  7. President Elliston and Vice President Lannom both intend to speak at the pension board’s semi-annual public meeting scheduled for May 12, 2022 at 8:30 am.  They verbally shared with the membership their prepared statements.  Secretary Seguin will post a Facebook message encouraging retirees to attend the meeting.
  8. President Elliston reminded members present that 2022 dues were supposed to have been paid by January 31, 2022.
  9. President Elliston said that he was going to ask members Eric Garrett, Ray Kelley, and Chuck Schmidt to help out with the “Updates on Website and Membership Data Base.”  He may also call upon Shawn Weisfeld of Dallas Give Camp for assistance.  Access to the DPROA website may be stopped until technical issues are resolved
  10. President Elliston has been trying to coordinate with Knights of Columbus Hall manager David Salazar about use of the facility as a new meeting location.  Nothing has yet been resolved.  Secretary Seguin volunteered to go by the hall later in the day and serve as the liaison.
  11. President Elliston advised that the monthly Treasurer’s Report was available for review by members and was in possession of Treasurer Potts.
  12. The next board meeting is scheduled for June 8, 2022

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 am.

//s//

Kenneth E. Seguin

Secretary

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