Arizona Highway Patrol Association
Board of Directors
&
AHPA Charities Meeting
April 20, 2011
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT Page 2
AHPA STAFF PRESENT Page 2
MEMBERS PRESENT Page 2
GUESTS Page 3
THANK YOU NOTES / FLOWERS Page 3
NEW SWORN MEMBERS Page 3
NEW CIVILIAN MEMBERS Page 3
REJOINED MEMBERS Page 3
MEMBERS WHO HAVE RETIRED Page 3
MEMBERS WHO HAVE LEFT DPS Page 3
NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBER Page 3
SICK & DISTRESSED Page 3
DEATHS – FAMILY Page 3
DEATHS - LINE OF DUTY Page 4
CONSENT AGENDA Page 6
LEGISLATIVE REPORT – President Jimmy Chavez
Kelsey Lundy Page 6
FINANCIAL REPORT – Thomas Jonovich Page 8
TREASURER REPORT - Dave Schroder Page 8
RAFFLE REPORT – Colleen Girard Page 9
DPS OFFICER MEMORIAL UPDATE Page 9
PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT – Stacey Dillon Page 9
EXECUTIVE STAFF – Deputy Director
Lt. Col. Dennis Young Page 9
LEGAL REPORT – Greg Robinson Page 10
20 YEAR RING PRESENTATION – President Chavez Page 10
CALIFORNIA CASUALTY Page 10
OLD BUSINESS Page 10
NEW BUSINESS Page 10
REQUEST FOR FUNDING Page 11
DISTRICT REPORTS Page 11
UPCOMING EVENTS Page 11
NEXT MEETING Page 11
The April 2011 Board of Directors & AHPA Charities Meeting was called to order at 0900 hours by President Jimmy Chavez at the Phoenix Mountain Preserve & Conference Center located at 1431 East Dunlap, Phoenix, Arizona. President Chavez began the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:
President Jimmy Chavez
Executive Officer Patrick Eagan
District One David Stopke
District Two & Northern
Vice President Mark Haughey
District Three & Recording
Secretary Jim Bee
District Four Eddie Simpson
District Five (Metro Central) Tim Kvochick
District Six Joshua Howerton
District Seven Raul Garcia Jr
Southern Vice President Kevin McNichols
District Eight Deb Morrett
District Nine Brian Summerfield
District Eleven Bert Cheney
District Twelve (Proxy) Matt Rosemeyer
District Thirteen (Metro East) Bill Rogers
District Fourteen
(Metro West)(Proxy) Tim Kvochick
District Fifteen Jim Stanton
District Sixteen John Smith
Executive Vice President
& OCI Bob Gilbert
OCN II Jim Oien
Civilian Northern Zone (Proxy) Jim Bee
Civilian Zone II Vickie Toll
Civilian Zone III Patty Simpson
Civilian Southern Zone Lisa Campoy
Retired Northern Zone Brian Kolb
Retired Central Zone Wayne McBride
Retired Southern Zone J.R. Ham
Retired Civilian Betty Gallery
Treasurer Dave Schroder
Special Projects Benefits/
Charities Liaison Beverly Fuller
AHPA STAFF PRESENT:
Executive Secretary Colleen Girard
Legal Counsel Greg Robinson
Lobbyist Kelsey Lundy
Public Relations Stacey Dillon
Financial Advisor Thomas Jonovich
Insurance Advisor Robert Jagus
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Dave White Rene Valencia
Gregg Girard Bruce Flickinger
George Shapcott Ron Young
Deputy Director Dennis Young Andy Swann
Stephen Powles
GUESTS:
Jo Erickson
Chris Burger
FLOWERS / THANK YOU LETTERS:
Flowers – Sherri May
Thank You Letters – None
Cards – None
NEW SWORN MEMBERS: None
NEW CIVILIAN MEMBERS:
Civilian reserve Mario Betterncourt, Badge #91059
REJOINED MEMBERS:
Steven J. Lump, Badge #715
Deborah L. Lump, Badge #1182
MEMBERS WHO HAVE RETIRED:
Celina Gallagher, Badge #3791
Manuel J. Valenzula, Badge #4132
Mark Nielson, Badge #4724
MEMBERS WHO HAVE LEFT DPS:
Sworn: Jason W. Brooks, Badge #5691
Civilian: None
NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBERS:
Joe Gannuscio
SICK & DISTRESSED:
Retiree Gary Josephson, Badge #504, had a fall at home and broke his face from the eyes down to the chin.
DEATHS - FAMILY:
Retired Major Jack Monscheirn, Badge #29, passed away on Wednesday, March 16th.
Mrs. Jane Reaser, wife of retiree William Reaser, Badge #167, passed away.
Human Resources Analyst Terri Avila, Badge #1849, daughter Natasha Tosha Avila, passed away on Saturday, March 26th.
Retired Lt. Jack Dunn, Badge #355, passed away on Monday April 4th.
Associate Member Sherri May passed away on April 10th.
Mr. Lee Marona passed away on April 14th. Mr. Marona was a past Honorary Lifetime member and had been the Association’s Insurance broker in the 1980’s.
Retired Robert (Bob) Marlett, Badge #3725 passed away on April 18th.
DEATHS - LINE OF DUTY:
This year sixty Police Officers have died in the line of duty. This is nine more than this time last year. Fifteen have died since the last meeting:
Eight were killed by gunfire.
One died due to a heart attack.
One were killed in vehicle collisions
One was killed by assault.
One was killed in an aircraft accident.
One was killed during a pursuit.
One was killed after being struck by a vehicle.
One was killed by an animal.
Seven were from Municipal Agencies.
Three were from County Agencies.
Five were from State Agencies (Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, New York State Police, New Jersey State Police, Michigan State Police, & South Dakota Department of Corrections).
Fifteen were male.
One was female.
1) Police Officer Jermaine Gibson
Cathedral City P.D., California
Age 28 Years of Service – 1 Year, 6 Months
Killed Saturday, March 19, 2011
Vehicle Pursuit
2) Police Officer Andrew Dunn
Sandusky P.D., Ohio
Age 30 Years of Service – 3
Killed Saturday, March 19, 2011
Gunfire
3) Police Officer Craig Birkholz
Fond du Lac P.D., Wisconsin
Age 28 Years of Service – 2
Killed Sunday, March 20, 2011
Gunfire
4) Senior Police Officer Elmer (Buddy) Christian
Athens-Clarke County P.D., Georgia
Age 34 Years of Service – N/A
Killed Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Gunfire
5) Game Warden Pilot Daryl Gordon
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
Warden Service
Age 60 Years of Service – 25
Killed Friday, March 25, 2011
Aircraft Accident
6) Trooper Kevin P. Dobson
New York State Police
Age 43 Years of Service – 14
Killed Saturday, March 26, 2011
Struck by Vehicle
7) Trooper I Anthony R. Fotiou
New Jersey State Police
Age 53 Years of Service – 23
Killed Monday, March 28, 2011
Heart Attack
8) Deputy Sheriff Robert Britton
Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Texas
Age 54 Years of Service – 19
Killed Monday, March 28, 2011
Animal Related
9) Sergeant James Timothy (Tim) Chapin
Chattanooga P.D., Tennessee
Age 51 Years of Service – 27
Killed Saturday, April 2, 2011
Gunfire
10) Sergeant Eric Stein
Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa
Age 39 Years of Service – 11
Killed Monday, April 4, 2011
Gunfire
11) Trooper Jeffrey Werda
Michigan State Police
Age 43 Years of Service – 11
Killed Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Automobile Collision
12) Correctional Officer Ronald E. Johnson
South Dakota Department of Corrections
Age 63 Years of Service – 23
Killed Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Assault
13) Patrolman Jonathan Schmidt
Trumann P.D., Arkansas
Age 30 Years of Service – 4
Killed Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Gunfire
14) Deputy Sheriff Sherri Jones
Bowie County Sheriff’s Office, Texas
Age 54 Years of Service – 6
Killed Monday, April 18, 2011
Gunfire
15) Public Safety Officer Eric Zapata
Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Michigan
Age 35 Years of Service – 10
Killed Monday, April 18, 2011
Gunfire
For more information on these officers, refer to www.odmp
[Officer Down Memorial Page])
A MOMENT OF SILENCE WAS HELD.
CONSENT AGENDA:
1. Approval of March 2011 meeting minutes
2. Seat Proxies
3. Approval to destroy March 2011 meeting audio tape.
Motion made by Dave Schroder, seconded by Mark Haughry
to accept the consent agenda. Motion carried.
LEGISLATION REPORT: President Jimmy Chavez & Kelsey Lundy
1) Budget – No significant cut to the agency, main cuts were in fund sweeps.
2) Senate Bill 1614 & SB 1602:
a) Took away the furlough days for 2011 & 2012
b) Language allows the agency Directors to reinstate furlough days.
c) Changed the contribution rate for the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) from 50/50% to 53/47%.
d) Employees are not allowed to become a member of ASRS for 6 months & cannot receive health benefits for 90 days.
e) ASRS will be having stakeholder meetings to look into any action they can take.
f) Budget bill starts immediately so civilians will have additional funds taken out of their pay checks.
3) Pension Reform Bill - Senate Bill 1609
a) AHPA was opposed to the bill and did not make any deals regarding the bill.
b) All retirement systems ASRS, CORP, & PSPRS will fall under the new PBI formula. PBI replaces the current COLA formula.
c) Will take over after the COLA fund is depleted.
d) Effective June 29, no new payments will be going into the excess earning accounts.
e) COLA did not receive a rate increase.
f) PSPRS
i.) Increase employee’s contributions from 7.65% to 11.65%. This year there would be a 1% increase and then ¾ of 1% for the next 4 years.
ii.) There are over 230 risk groups for law enforcement in the state. Each risk group pays different rates into the system. The bottom rate would be 7.65% & the top would be 11.65% unless all the risk groups join together and then the employee could pay 1/3 the cost of the retirement and the employee pays 2/3 of the benefit.
iii.) If you commit a class 1-5 felony while on duty, and you take a plea agreement or no contest, you will lose your pension.
iv.) There are a lot of unevaluated items still being looked at by the Governor’s office.
g) DROPS
i.) If you have 20 years of service by December 31, 2011, the current system will apply.
ii.) After January 1, 2012, you will have to pay into the system after entering DROPs. The way the bill was written is that you will not be able to receive this money after you leave DROPs.
iii.) PSPRS did say that when you enter into DROPs you are a retired employee.
iv.) Employees with one day up to 19 years 364 days will be able to enter into the new DROP program.
v.) Employees hired after January 1, 2012, will not be able to enter into DROP.
g) If you want to buy back prior military service or law enforcement service, you can buy back up to five years under the current system until January 1, 2012. After January 1, 2012, the service has to have been done in Arizona.
h) If you are hired back as a contract employee after you retire, the employer has to pay a larger contribution into the system.
i) New hires will have to work 25 years to receive their 50% pension, which is based upon their highest 36 months.
j) They cannot receive any benefit until the age of 52½ years.
4) Discussion was held on the new personnel proposal. There will be two personnel systems:
a) LEMSC for full authority sworn state officer employees
b) DOA system for all other employees
c) Under LEMSC all sworn employees would be considered covered by due process. Just-Cause laws would apply. LEMSC would not be able to overturn the authority of the agency Director if you are fired. They can submit an opinion which could be used in Superior Court, which would have to be used to overturn the decision.
Under DOA, all employees would be covered unless you voluntarily transfer, promote, or take a pay raise other than normal cost of living. You would then become uncovered.
Part of the discussions were about possible lawsuits being brought forward against SB 1609.
FINANCIAL REPORT: Thomas Jonvich
The Association account is up 3% from last month.
TREASURER REPORT: Dave Schroder
General Checking: $ 222,112.74
Merchandise: $ 10,413.36
Bass: $ 1,651.10
Golf: $ 24,134.61
Raffle: $ 51,831.85
Charities: $ 10,684.50
PAC $ 7,035.90
Heber – AHPA Cabin $ 2,226.43
Merrill Lynch $ 466,647.59
Monument Account $ 10,568.91
Snedaker Account (Originally) $ 40,084.00
(Remaining) $ 16,467.24
Funding Requests (Budgeted) $ 5,000.00
Expenditures
July 2010 0.00
August 0.00
September 0.00
October 0.00
November 300.00
December 0.00
January 2011 250.00
February 1,250.00
March 1,000.00
April 0.00
May 0.00
Balance $ 2,200.00
Sick & Distressed (Budgeted) $ 4,000.00
Expenditures
July 2010 0.00
August 0.00
September 0.00
October 0.00
November 0.00
December 0.00
January 2011 0.00
February 0.00
March 0.00
April 0.00
May 0.00
Balance $ 4,000.00
Donations:
$20.00 from Betty Garjeda Burgett, Code 34 on I-19, on behalf of Officer Dusty Patterson.
$150.00 from Denice Reilly in memory of Sherri May.
$100.00 from EWOS Canada LTD, towards the Association’s Scholarships.
$750.00 from All City Towing, in appreciation of the job our men & Women do. To help off set the cost of sending survivors to the National Police Memorial during Police Week.
RAFFLE REPORT: Colleen Girard
In the process of preparing the 2011 raffle tickets.
DPS OFFICER MEMORIAL: Officer Raul Garcia, Jr.
Memorial will be held on May 2, 2011, starting at 0900 hours at the DPS headquarters in front of the Officer Memorial.
Coffee is being donated by Starbucks.
The Duthie family will be having a family reunion at the memorial.
PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT: Stacey Dillion
1. E-blasts have been going out regarding Senate Bill 1609.
2. Media releases & coverage.
3. Officer Memorial events.
4. Just-Cause Bills have been sent to the Governor.
EXECUTIVE STAFF: Deputy Director Lt. Col. Dennis Young
1) Update on a few injuries:
a) Officer Bulger had a birthday, surgery, & his wife is expecting.
b) Armando Cruz was shot in the shoulder & neck during a surveillance detail.
2) Looking for a replacement on the CORP Board, which had been
held by Lt. Col. Young. It is a volunteer position and if
interested need to submit a brief bio.
3) The current sergeants list will expire next month. No new
process has been started.
4) No new sworn officers will be hired in 2012 as of this date.
5) Hoping to expand the Department’s legislature orientation.
This year there were 15 that signed up, only three participated.
6) Tracs investigation/audit is still ongoing. There is a new
secondary employment audit pending.
7) DPS was given a special recognition award last week in
Tucson in reference to the shooting from Sheriff Dupnik.
8) Attended the lunch for Tucson dispatchers.
9) New uniforms are being wear tested, there are seven types. The new shoulder patch is being issued with no implementation date yet. The cost of the new patch is unknown.
10) The District 12 Commander position is either a critical-
fill or important-fill position.
11) The promotion of a civilian who was demoted and has not
been re-promoted was discussed.
LEGAL REPORT: Greg Robinson
Police Memorial Support Board
20-YEAR RING PRESENTATION: President Jimmy Chavez
President Jimmy Chavez presented to David White, Badge #3648, & Rene Valencia, Badge #3707, their 20-year rings.
Becky Miller, badge #4819, was not able to attend the meeting and has received her ring.
CALIFORNIA CASUALTY: George Shapcott & Jo Erikson
Presented the status report for 2011. Currently there are 210 auto policies & 113 home policies, for a total of 323 policies. California casualty also provided the lunch for today’s meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Vacant Board Positions:
Headquarters
Air Rescue
OCI I
NEW BUSINESS:
President Chavez advised the new Board representatives of the various working groups and to sign up.
Dave Schroder presented a golf team sponsorship and four-member team for the Special Olympics golf tournament to Kevin McNichols.