Coalition of Oak Ridge Retired Employees (CORRE) Board of Directors Meeting
December 18, 2024

Call to order –Whitehead

November 8 CORRE Annual Members Meeting and November 20 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes –Riggs, approved

December Treasurer Report – Petrie, approved

Contractor Contact Team Reports

CNS – Gibson reported Via issues, stipend and direct deposit issues continuing; several CNS site operations are moving off site.
Simmons and Golden Security –Burton reported continuing to schedule meeting; meeting was to be on October 31.

UCOR – Riggs reported additional efforts with Stephanie Strickland to increase communications to Grandfathered Retirees on RRA and Stipend usage; Strickland sent information to McSpadden, Communications Director, for newsletter publications; no K-25 Reunion planning meeting this month; K-25 Reunion will be held the last Saturday in April (April 26, 2025). Action for Riggs to contact Hickey regarding DUF6 conversion and expanded scope work and whether there could be Grandfathered Employees transferred into the Grandfathered Pension Plan with/without asset transfers.

UT-Battelle – Gibson said the drug plan information will be determined in 2025. Gibson also said Scott McIntyre reported no planned changes in 2025 but is monitoring impact of legislation on offerings.

ByLaws – Shelton reported Master Plan review work to be done in February 2025.
Committee Reports

Planning – Gibson stated the Strategic Plan was done in 2021and asks that we hold a brainstorming session; McSpadden will contact our previous facilitator and plan for a February 5 target date.

Nominations. – no activities at this time; nomination plan is in the By-Laws and is reflected in the CORRE Annual Work Plan; Board Roster will be updated.

Communications—McSpadden plans a meeting in January with Communications Committee members; he reported on the many communications efforts: emails to large and small groups; phone numbers for some members; postal mail to legislators; media interviews (radio/tv) and in-person meetings; email is the most important and the most difficult and have had to go through Mail Chimp which costs $25/month; he will cancel after the December mailing; Ray Smith writes for the Oak Ridger and he has offered to help us with writing and publishing our requests; we need to contact him and get on his list. Birk took an action to contact Smith and Sam will call him; Dave will check on getting on TV again if we can identify a subject to cover. McSpadden said the Board needs database training and should have read-only copies of this database (File Maker).

Other DOE Sites – Gibson reported the Sandia Social Club itself has shut down and the Sandia Social Club website has shut down; a new Idaho website is up and active.
Government Relations – Nothing new to report.

Annual Meeting –McRae will contact Y-12 to reserve the New Hope Center for the first Friday, November 7, 2025, to hold the next CORRE Annual Members Meeting.

Pension Fund Analysis – Gibson discussed inflation factors; Medicare premium costs; and annual funding notices may look different next year with actuarial differences across differing Contractors due to lack of a prescribed model notice.

Executive Committee – Whitehead reported the new updated information packages using November 2024 inflation data went out to Legislators on December 17; some new activity and offers to help with getting our requests to Legislators with Wasilko leading the effort and looking at a 2.5% COLA for all retirees in 2025; more on this will be forthcoming.

Bylaws – Riggs will work with McSpadden to finalize to completion the Guideline for new membership and contributions efforts between the Secretary and Treasurer, which will satisfy the revision of the Bylaws of 2024.

The 2025 Annual Work Plan with revisions from the 2024 Plan was sent out by Whitehead with a high-level Action Plan approach for Committees to meet and make assignments, and he received no comments. The mailing list of Board members must be updated; Whitehead will send an email to obtain new Board member information for Riggs and McSpadden to communicate. The 2025 Annual Work Plan was adopted and approved.

2025 CORRE Board Committee Organization Chart was approved. Whitehead sent email to Larry Brown requesting him to be an Advisor to the Board. Donna Cox will get with John Clayton to handoff independent review (CY2023 & CY2024) process. Terry Byrd is a compensated (Website) Advisor, Garry Whitley is a Policy and Planning Advisor, John Clayton is a Financial Advisor, and Larry Brown will be a Strategy Advisor -- all appointed by President Whitehead and approved by the Board.

Adjournment at 11:08 with wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and Happy 2025.