Nominations for a Directorship on the SLOCEA Board of Directors have been received and election ballots will be directly mailed to the homes of all SLOCEA members in good standing by Monday, August 2nd.
Your election ballot must be returned in the security numbered and postage-paid envelope provided with the mailing by 5:00 p.m., Friday, August 27th. Your sealed election ballot will be placed in a security sealed ballot box and will not be opened until the day the election ballots are tallied. The election ballots will be opened by the 2010 Board of Directors Election Committee members.
The 2010 Election Committee will be appointed by SLOCEA’s President; Deborah Smith-Cooke, in accordance with SLOCEA bylaw Article VII Section 4: Prior to the September meeting of the Board of Directors, a special committee appointed by the President shall meet and count the ballots in each election being held. The results shall be certified by the signatures of the committee membership and shall be presented in writing to the Board at its regular September meeting. Most importantly, any SLOCEA member in good-standing can volunteer to participate on this committee. Member involvement is strongly encouraged and most definitely welcomed.
The 2010 Board of Directors Election Committee will be appointed at SLOCEA’s next board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 18th. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please attend the next board meeting or submit your request to President Deborah Smith-Cooke at dsmith.cooke@gmail.com. It would be great to have you on this committee!
A new SLOCEA policy regarding Write-in candidates was established at the July 21, 2010 Board of Directors meeting. Effective immediately, Write-in candidates must receive a minimum of 15 valid votes to be elected to a directorship, in keeping with the spirit and intent of California Elections Code §8605.
Please cast your vote and return your election ballot in the provided security numbered postage-paid envelope. Any election ballot received in non-security numbered envelope or with the security number defaced will be deemed invalid and not counted. All elections ballots must be returned to SLOCEA’s business office no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 27th.
Check your mail box today for your ballot. Your vote can and will make a difference!
It’s your Voice, your Vote, YOUR ASSOCIATION!
Here are the candidates for Directorship on the SLOCEA Board of Directors:
Bargaining Unit #1: Public Services
3 positions available
Dora Drexler (Incumbent)
Air Pollution Control District
Air Quality Specialist III
I requested to be appointed to a vacant SLOCEA Board of Directors position last year because I was very interested in more clearly understanding how SLOCEA was governed and because I wanted to fairly represent our members. I did not really understand how SLOCEA worked. The challenging times SLOCEA has faced and difficult topics that have had to be addressed by the Board since my appointment, have given me unprecedented insight into SLOCEA workings. I believe that there are great opportunities for SLOCEA to become a stronger and clearer voice for its members. We need to learn from difficult times, make changes and improvements, and move forward in a positive direction.
As a member of the Communications, Scholarship and Bargaining Committees, I have had real opportunities over these last months to work directly with other Directors and members to benefit all of us. I, along with others, believe strongly that the membership deserves to have their questions answered and in these challenging times, to understand the issues facing us. As a result, we have developed the Communication Corner in the Blade. This is just one example of the types of improvements that SLOCEA needs to continue to develop and I am committed to working towards.
I have been fortunate to be a part of SLOCEA, working in a real way to protect the interests of all our members. In these difficult times, I believe that my sincere desire to fairly represent my colleagues, my willingness to tackle tough topics, my commitment to SLOCEA and my enthusiasm are assets that will continue to benefit SLOCEA and its members. I ask for your vote and look forward to helping make SLOCEA stronger for all of us.
Melissa Johnson
Permit Technician
Department of Building and Planning
I am submitting this, my letter of intent, to run for one of the available Public Service seats on the Board of Directors (the board) this coming term. I have expressed my interest to serve on the board several times in the past year through both written and verbal communications. As a member in good standing I make it my priority to attend meetings regularly that I may be aware of what is going on first hand. I feel being there in person also gives me a better understanding of how the board operates, especially during difficult situations. It has been a wonderful learning experience.
Bob Mich (Incumbent)
Department of Social Services
Departmental Automation Specialist II
These are some of the most challenging times we’ve ever seen. The question is, how do we get through them? We start by sticking together. This is no time for divisiveness and petty politics. Protecting our rights. Protecting our benefits. Protecting our jobs. We need to protect our jobs. We've got to stand together – look
out for each other – and fight to give our families the security they deserve, now and for the long term. We've also got to keep our own house in order. SLOCEA’s reserves are safe and auditors routinely praise our members as having one of the best financial management systems they’ve seen. We now need to apply the same smart management systems over our retiree and pension systems. We can do it, if we’re smart, if we’re organized, and if we keep working together.
Thank you for the opportunity to work for you and with you. I’m grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me over the years – and I hope you’ll give me the chance to continue to serve.
Gina Pinto (Incumbent)
Public Health Department
Social Worker IV
In the upcoming 2010-2012 SLOCEA elections, I ask for your vote in the Public Services Unit. I am invested in using history to avoid repeating mistakes and building on our strengths as an association. I have been a San Luis Obispo County resident for 31 years and a County employee and SLOCEA member since 1989. I am raising my family here and I know I am not different in wanting a secure a future for my family and my community. I believe SLOCEA contributes to that end and our best defense is our unity and strength in numbers. I do my best to listen to our members and bring back your concerns and questions as our current structure allows. As a member of our Bylaws committee, I have and will contribute whatever time it takes to bring forward changes that are more reflective of our members’ desires. I have made a commitment to reaching out to and responding to members, especially those with questions or those seeking clarifications, even when I do not know all the answers or when the answers are not pleasing. When I do not have the answers, I do believe my performance proves I follow through on my commitment. I am not afraid to speak up during board meetings or to be the loudest voice in opposition to the “way we have always done things.” I support preserving every SLOCEA represented job, bringing those we represent to a fair wage and cost of living with truly comparable counties, and to fight tooth and nail for our pension rights. For me, the most difficult part of serving our members is in the knowing changes do not always happen as quickly as we would like. I follow the rules, even when I do not like them and I work harder to bring rules into question and revision when they do not serve us well in order to affect changes that reflect the best interest of the majority of our members. I hope you will give me an ongoing opportunity to serve you and our membership.
Kermit Spears
Public Health Department
Departmental Automation Specialist II
I would consider it a privilege to serve on the SLOCEA Board of Directors. I was born and raised in San Luis Obispo. Though I am 31 years of age, I have over 10 years of County work experience in the area of IT. The departments where I have served have been the Sheriff's Department and Animal Services. Currently I work with the Health Agency. I love the San Luis Obispo area and look forward to raising my son in this area.
Documents were meant to live, breath, and adapt. Times have changed and I feel we need someone who will work with SLOCEA who has a vested interest of where we are going. Economic times demand careful planning to ensure that our SLOCEA members have stability. In a recent meeting with SLOCEA, at the Health Agency in January, I mentioned that we should have not received any increases or retroactive pay. The decreases of our benefits made people uncertain about our representation. The retroactive pay could have been used to save jobs. I was encouraged by co-workers to run in this election because they feel I am willing to analyze, challenge and ask the difficult questions. The choices that the SLOCEA Board of Directors need to have a clearer understanding of cause and effect. We don’t always understand the impact because it is not being explained by SLOCEA.
I trust that this provides you with a sense of what kind of questions I would ask and direction I would seek as a SLOCEA board member for Public Services BU01.
Bargaining Unit#2: Trades, Crafts & Services
1 position open
Vacant
Bargaining Unit #13: Clerical
1 position open
Marydiane McClure
SLO County Child Support Services
Legal Clerk
My name is Marydiane McClure. I've been a county employee and SLOCEA member for 15 years. I work for the Dept of Child Support Services as a Legal Clerk. I decided to be a more active SLOCEA member, and have served as a steward for the past 7 years. The monthly steward meetings I attend keep me up to date with issues relating to our day to day work. I'm currently serving, and have previously served, as a member of the SLOCEA Negotiations Committee. I recently attended the Negotiations Training Camp. I have attended several Board of Directors meetings and am learning a lot about the workings of our association. I believe diverse perspectives are needed when important decisions are made by the Board. I would like the opportunity to participate further and serve as a member of the Board of Directors representing Bargaining Unit 13: Clerical.
Tracy Wanek
Planning Department
Accounting Technician
In this tough economic and political climate, we employees are facing unprecedented challenges. Now, more than ever, we need our employee association to excel in representing us.
As a member of this year’s negotiating team, as a steward, former Personnel employee, and currently as an Accounting Technician in the Planning Department’s Accounting Division, I’ve gained a very clear perspective on the issues confronting us employees and on how SLOCEA can help us.
If elected to the Board, I will continue to focus on listening to members, being an active voice and advocate for us, and honoring the democratic process.
Susan Wells
Agricultural Commissioner
Administrative Assistant III
I have been with the Agriculture Department since 1997. I serve as a Steward and have attended many board meetings. For many years I have relied on other county clerical staff to represent me on the SLOCEA Board of Directors. After seeing the polarization of our association for the last year, I have decided to run for office representing the clerical unit because I want to lessen the conflict by examining the issues with a new perspective and finding ways to resolve them. Our union is not about me, or a few individuals, it’s about all of us. Each one of us deserves to be heard and our concerns and our questions answered. My vote will be cast in a manner that will benefit our members at large.
I’m continuing to learn about our association’s internal decisions and how they impact us financially. As a SLOCEA board member my decisions will be based on listening to input from our members and my analysis of how my vote will affect all of us. My desire is fair representation for all with an open door policy. I’m willing to work hard to benefit our association. I will make those hard decisions when needed without pressure from other sources. I will cast my vote with you in mind and with the knowledge of how my decisions will fiscally impact and benefit you as a member.
My promise to you is that I will do my best to keep an open mind, with an outlook toward our future welfare and the needs of all members.
Director At Large
2 positions open
(Any County, Court Supervisory or LOCSD member in good standing represented by SLOCEA)
Kristen Barnhart
Library
Librarian II
I have worked for the SLO County Library system for over 31 years and have loved my work fiercely. Libraries are my passion and to have the honor of working and living in our county is priceless, however, the cost of living here is Not! I have worked or temped in Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, Los Osos and have been assigned to the San Luis Library for the last 15 years. I am now a Librarian II and have the scars to prove it!
I first became the Library Steward as a way to not only give my department a voice and to keep our staff informed but also as a way to give back to SLOCEA for all the hard work they have done for me. When I chose to redefine my role in the Library as part-time when my daughter was born almost 20 years ago SLOCEA sent me Gail West as my rep and mama bear all rolled into one. I will always be grateful. I became a board member as a way to redefine myself again as that same daughter went off to college and I had more time to give.
I have been riding the County roller-coaster for long enough to see the big picture. I made the choice to support SLOCEA and will continue to serve and represent all County employees. By attending conferences with other independent public employee unions I have also started cultivating the information and skills to see and work for our rights as we continue to fight for our rights. Thank You
Jim Mallon (Incumbent)
Assessor
Appraiser III
I first came to the Board in an appointed position in February of this year. I am now asking for your vote to continue in a full term as an At-Large representative. This has been a challenging year for the Board and it has been my honor to serve. I came in with a fresh perspective and the stated goal of helping to foster better communication and transparency between the Board and its membership. I believe we are making big strides toward that goal.
I am currently serving as Chairman of the Communications Committee, and in that capacity have instituted the new “Communications Corner” Q&A column in the Blade. I hope that our sincere efforts to address specific questions and concerns will ultimately allow every member of SLOCEA to feel that he or she has a voice – and a stake – in the betterment of this organization.
These are trying times. The economy is still bumping along, and now more than ever we need to stay united in the struggle to save jobs and protect our hard-won benefits. We have done well on both matters so far, and I believe these issues remain paramount. In times like these, every job is precious and every retirement is well-earned. I will continue to work hard to protect your interests on both counts.
I believe that I bring a new voice, new ideas and new vitality to the Board. I am engaged in the process and genuinely interested in making every member of SLOCEA feel like a valued, well-informed part of the association. I ask that you give me your vote and allow me to continue the effort to make SLOCEA a more open, responsive and transparent organization.
Diana McPartlan
Victim Witness Assistance
Victim Witness Assistance Coordinator II
Hi, my name is Diana McPartlan. I am running for the "At Large" position at SLOCEA. I work for the District Attorney's Victim Witness Assistance Division. After all of the meetings I attended this year I felt compelled to run for office. Over the past year, we have heard many rumors which created confusion, fear and distrust among SLOCEA members. In my experience, the best way to handle rumors, and not sure what is true and what is not true, is to get involved and try to make our association better. I feel very strong about the "team work" approach. I feel as association members we are family and need to work together to make life better for all of us. I know these are extremely hard times but together I do feel we can make some positive changes. I have held offices and been involved in many organizations in the past including PTA's, School Site Counsel, and Parents for Safe Schools Program. I am volunteering to serve on SLOCEA negotiating team this year to preserve our jobs and benefits.
I have been married for 24 years and have two children, one who just graduated from college and the other getting ready to go to UC Davis. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for considering me as a candidate for an "At Large" position on the SLOCEA Board Member.
Court Supervisory Unit
1 position open
Vacant
Los Osos Community Services District
1 position open
Vacant