Retired Peace Officers Association of California

!!NEW MEMBERS INSURANCE OFFERINGS NEW!!

Attention!

Now Active Public Safety members can enjoy Associate Membership and our new outstanding insurance offerings. See membership application to see if you are eligible.

Associate Membership Application PDF

RPOAC Board of Directors Meeting

June 30, 2009, Atlantis Hotel Reno, Nevada

Agenda

I. Call to Order

II. Pledge

III. Moment of Silence

IV. Roll Call

V. Approval of Minutes

VI. FOP Presentation

VII. President’s Report

VIII. Treasurer’s Report

IX. Executive Director’s Report

X. Membership Report

XI. Insurance Report

XII. Executive Session

XIII. Old Business

XIV. New Business

XV. Good and Welfare

XVI. Adjournment

The RPOAC Quartley Magazine PDF

Questions RPOAC members are asking!

Why did this happen?

Should I keep my Membership in RPOAC?

These are the main questions whose answers are being sought.

They were motivated by our letter of March 16, 2009.

It should be noted at the outset that the dispute between RPOAC and PORAC over RPOAC’s right to obtain insurance coverage for its members is a secondary issue. The primary dispute between the two organizations began in 2006, when PORAC formed an organization called “RAM” (for Retired Associate Member). When RPOAC learned of the organization, it voiced strenuous objections with PORAC leadership, because RAM would effectively be in competition with RPOAC for membership and representation of retirees. PORAC leadership then began a campaign of misrepresentations to RPOAC that RAM would never be in competition and that it ultimately would be disbanded and go away once RPOAC changed its bylaws. Based upon their 25-year relationship, RPOAC believed PORAC and spent $30,000 in the following year (of 2007) to change its bylaws to the satisfaction of PORAC. However, in early 2008, PORAC reneged on its promises and in fact, it continued as it had all along to nurture and develop RAM as a competing organization.

About that same time, in early 2008, RPOAC started getting numerous complaints from members regarding what were described as sub standard insurance programs offered members by PORAC. This was not a new question but one that our leadership had been concerned with.

For years the main subject that was presented to PORAC and the main answer received was that nothing was available because of the demographics of our organization. That means our membership was too old for favorable rates to be offered without having an impact on the PORAC membership having to pay more to offset the increased risk of RPOAC members.

Consequently, we asked PORAC if there was any reason RPOAC could not make some inquiries of it’s own about insurances that could be developed just for our members. PORAC answered this question by advising that we should go forth.

An inquiry was initiated and we learned that there was in fact insurances were both better quality and cheaper. With that information our full board of directors got a unanimous vote supporting going forward with implementation of those offerings for our members.

It was at this point that the PORAC Insurance and Benefit Trust of PORAC warned that if we went forward with our plans they (PORAC) would punish our organization. WE reminded PORAC that the RPOAC was a California Corporation for almost thirty years and we had a duty and responsibility to our members to provide these members with the best choices available. The PORAC response was that we had to stop, or “something bad” would happen to our organization.

In spite of the threats we went forward with offering the choices to our members, as was our responsibility.

Then at the 2008 PORAC annual meeting the following adverse actions were presented and implemented:

1. Removal of the RPOAC representative from the PORAC Board of Directors.

2. Removal of the RPOAC pages from the PORAC magazine,

3. Removal of our organization from the magazine and the PORAC website.

4. A reduction in our voting strength at the PORAC conference, by a factor of 1,400%.

5. Essentially granting all previously held RPOAC powers and rights to PORAC’s RAM.

6. Doubling of RPOAC dues per member, while at the same time cutting in half the dues for RAM members.

After these actions were implemented by PORAC it is clear that taking away the rights of RPOAC and doubling the dues could only have serious financial consequences. Nevertheless, we requested that PORAC identify those of our members that subscribed to the PORAC Anthem Blue Cross insurance program so that we could pay their membership dues and protect there eligibility to remain in good standing with PORAC. The response of PORAC? Our request was, “rejected”.

It should be noted that this same information had been previously requested, so that we would have the demographic information as we sought insurance rate quotes, and all efforts were rejected by PORAC.

These are the factors that caused us to initiate the letter to all of our membership on March 16, 2009. As we recommended in that letter, members subscribing to the PORAC Blue Cross insurance were urged to join “RAM”.

At the same time we are asking for all current RPOAC members retain their membership with us so that we can continue to represent your interests at the state and federal legislative levels.

We encourage you to keep an eye on the website (www.rpoac.org) for more information and your mailbox for our new publication featuring retiree information and updates on important issues

April 14, 2009

To All Members of RPOAC

Re: Refund of RPOAC Membership Dues

Dear RPOAC Members:

This will confirm that RPOAC will not issue refunds of dues to its members who decide to cancel their membership in RPOAC.

This letter confirms what was previously sent to our members and to counsel for PORAC in earlier correspondence.

Thank you.

Very truly yours,

Dennis Wright

Minutes of Meetings

RPOAC Annual Meeting of Members Minutes 2007