Oklahoma SCS/NRCS Retired Employees

Oklahoma SCS/NRCS Retired Employees

Minutes of Meeting

October 24, 2008

Oklahoma SCS/NRCS Retired Employees met at the Hometown Buffet on the NW Expressway in Oklahoma City.  Sixty four people were in attendance.

Randy Freeland, President, called the meeting to order and briefly outlined the agenda for the meeting.  He asked that everyone be thinking of a funny story of their SCS/NRCS workdays and Stan Rice would be in charge of that later in the meeting.   He reminded everyone to pay their dues and make sure their name was entered on the list.  He also reminded everyone to pay for their meals before going through the buffet line.  Hometown Buffet has been very gracious to open the side door at 10 am to allow early entrance to the restaurant for us to visit prior to the meeting; however, if people forget to pay for meals, this may change.   Mike Barrick offered a prayer and everyone enjoyed a buffet meal.

President Freeland again called the meeting to order.  Sandra Hough, Secretary/Treasurer, read the April 25, 2008 minutes.  They were approved as read.  The treasurers’ report showed an ending balance of $932.74 after the expenses were deducted for the meeting.  Dues collected at the last meeting totaled $335.00.  There were 342 meeting notices mailed for a total cost of $252.73.   There were 7 notices returned for incorrect addresses.  Several of those were re-mailed with current addresses and one returned with a note that spouse of retiree was deceased.  Sandra read a note from Darrel Wells expressing his regrets in not being able to attend the meeting due to the birthday of his 90 year old mother.  Sign in sheet was routed to record the names of those in attendance.

The Oklahoma Website for retirees is being maintained by Bill Porter in the State Office in Stillwater.    Randy has been working with Bill to update the website with current information.   He passed out business cards with the location of the website:  http://www.cyber-shack.net/nrcs/

Fred Fortney read a list of retirees who have passed since our April 2008 meeting:  Carol Payne, Secretary to the Assistant for Programs; Julia Martin, widow of Swede Martin; A. J. Schwarz , SCT, Duncan & Wife Betty, Marlow;  Erwin Leaverton, Planning Party Leader; Edmond; Mary Lou Wheeler, widow of Fred Wheeler; Charles Tarrant, SCT, Hinton; Pauline Meyers, Stillwater; Erdene Jones, District Secretary, Sayre; and Glen Stillman.   A moment of silence was observed and Fred offered a prayer.

President Freeland asked that those in attendance who had not filled out an information sheet please do so.  Sheets were passed out and were either to be returned at the end of the meeting or mailed to him. 

President Freeland asked for a show of hands of those attending the meeting for the first time:  Robert Maples & wife Charlene, Chandler; Dan Runnels and wife Sharon, Sand Springs; Eddie Rathbun and wife Linda, Rush Springs; and John Beard and wife Mary Ann, Hugo.  Others in attendance were given an opportunity to introduce themselves and their spouses, if in attendance.

Vice-President Stan Rice asked retirees to share funny stories from their careers with SCS/NRCS.  Retirees were asked to keep the stories brief.  Many volunteered stories to the delight of those in attendance.  Everyone was invited to bring some funny stories to future meetings.  This will be an on going agenda item at future meetings.

Randy Freeland shared an article about Greg Kindell, RC&D Coordinator at Pawhuska.  Greg recently spent a year in Iraq helping organize farmer union organizations in that country.  He was given the Meritorious Service Award by the U. S. Department of State.

There was no other business to bring before the group and the meeting was adjourned.

The next meeting was scheduled for Friday, April 24, 2009, at the Hometown Buffet on the NW Expressway in Oklahoma City.

Addendum to Minutes of October 24, 2008, Meeting of the Oklahoma SCS/NRCS Retired Employees

After the meeting on October 24, 2008, the officers realized that an election of new officers had been overlooked.  Don Bartolina and Fred Fortney were consulted and offered a simple solution to the oversight:  the current officers would serve for another year.  Don Bartolina made a motion to keep the current officers another year and Fred Fortney seconded.  The current officers have agreed to serve another year:  Randy Freeland, President; Stan Rice, Vice-President; and Sandra Hough, Secretary-Treasurer.

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