Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel
Starting on Oct. 11, MPSERS will hold member benefit seminars across Michigan, Florida and Arizona. The purpose of these seminars is to help members learn more about their healthcare plans and receive health and wellness information. For dates, times and locations, view the Michigan flyer. View all locations here.
The Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel has a local chapter that meets seven times a year at the Bungalow Inn and is open for anyone who has worked in education including cooks, bus drivers, custodians, teachers and administrators, and a number of other school related occupations.
Russell Smith, Manistee Chapter President
The local group has a strong following that includes 156 members. Today the News Advocate speaks with Russell Smith, who is president of the local group, about the activities and services it offers for its members.
News Advocate: Can you tell me a little about the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel’s history and how the group originated?
Smith: Established in 1951, MARSP is committed to being an advocate for all retired school personnel. The association has more than 100 chapters in Michigan, Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Tennessee and Texas. MARSP has more than 45,000 members in Michigan and throughout the United States. The association is an advocate for quality public education in a non-partisan manner making it possible for all retirees to be involved regardless of political leanings. The group also seeks the preservation and enhancement of current levels of pension income and health insurance through legislation.
News Advocate: Do members come from all types of educational positions in this area?
Smith: Our membership includes persons who have served as cooks, bus drivers, custodians, teachers and administrators and a number of other school related occupations.
News Advocate: Who are the officers and board of directors of the local group?
Smith: The board of directors for this chapter is responsible for the oversight and program development. The board consists of the following individuals:
* Russell Smith – President
* Vacancy – Vice-president
* Carol Urbanus – Secretary
* Evelyn Furman – Treasurer
Committee chairs also sit on the board of directors. They are:
* Winnie Toledo – Sunshine
* Frank Greco – Legislative
* John Brastrom – Insurance
* Mary Stewart – Scholarship
* Elaine Waldron – Membership
News Advocate: How often and where does the group meet?
Smith: Our group meets on the second Monday of the month in the months of April, May, June and September, October, November and December. The board of directors meets in the months of March and August. Meetings are held at 11:30 a.m. in the Bungalow Restaurant in Manistee.
News Advocate: How can someone become a member?
Smith: Persons wishing to become a member may contact one of the association’s officers, attend one of our meetings, or call directly to MARSP in Lansing, (888) 960-4022.
News Advocate: What types of things take place or are discussed at the meetings?
Smith: Monthly meetings always include current legislation, insurance issues and state of the organization. Generally we also have a speaker. September will be the Republican running for the 101 State House seat and next month will be the Democrat for the same position. For the month of November we have two speakers, one from BACN and another from Priority Health.
News Advocate: Does the group do any fundraising projects during the course of the year, and what types of programs do they support?
Smith: November is the month we have a food drive for the needy. In past years we have donated hundreds of pounds of food and money to pantries serving our area. The December meeting is devoted to a silent auction for our scholarship fund. Scholarships are awarded to students which are enrolling in course work that will lead to a degree in teaching. We do have a 50/50 drawing each month to support the Scholarship Fund and a pass the hat in June for the same purpose. Monthly we circulate a canister for Walk for the Cure.
News Advocate: Is there anything you would like to add?
Smith: Our members work tirelessly in the community for all kinds of projects. The Vogue Theater, Marilla Museum, and Fish in the Classroom come to mind. We are most proud of our program to provide out of classroom educational experiences (OOCEE) for our elementary school children. We did not retire, we only changed jobs. Our members realize that there is much to do in this world to make it a better place and they do it.
One of the many activities the local chapter of MARSP does is hold food drives for the local food pantries.
*This story appeared in the September 12, 2016, issue of the Manistee Advocate and was written by Ken Grabowski and used with permission.
This content is available for MARSP members only. Become a member today to view the article.
MPSERS’ Member Education Seminars to update members on healthcare changes for 2017 will take place during the following weeks in October, November, and December. A complete schedule with specific dates and locations will be posted on our website and social media as it becomes available.
Week of October 11, 2016 – Northern Michigan
Week of October 17, 2016 – West and Mid-Michigan
Week of October 24, 2016 – Southeast Michigan
Week of November 7, 2016
Week of December 6, 2016
By Marie Wilkerson, MARSP Foundation Chairman
MARSP Past President Don Miller died on Monday, August 1, 2016. Don served on the MARSP Board of Directors in various positions for 15 years and will be greatly missed as a leader
His first years on the MARSP Board of Directors came when he served as Area 12 Director from 1995 to 2002; including service as a regional director for 2001-02. He then took on the role of vice-president in 2002 and subsequently served as MARSP President from 2005-07
Don always brought insight and knowledge to the table regarding the function of MARSP, and will be missed for his quick wit and yet thoughtful suggestions for MARSP
He also served as legislative committee chairman and MPSERS Board Observer, as well as a director on the MARSP Foundation Board. He served as its secretary and was also the Foundation Endowment Fund Board Treasurer.
Mr. Miller joined MARSP as a life member in 1994 and served as vice-president, president and insurance chairman in his local Lapeer County Chapter. He was a loyal supporter of MARSP
Don was also very active in his local community. He won the “Male Citizen of the Year” award from the City of Lapeer in 2010. He served on boards and committees for the Literacy Center, Library, and Lapeer Housing Commission. He also volunteered his time at the Refuge soup kitchen for the homeless, Seven Ponds Nature Center, Master Gardeners, the Goodfellows, and was an active member of his church.
In his spare time he loved to work in his flower gardens. Don earned the status of master gardener. Don was a giving individual who will be greatly missed at MARSP!
Click here to view Don Miller’s obituary.
Governor Rick Snyder will be appealing a Court of Appeals ruling that the state must return contributions school employees made toward their retirement health care, and he will be doing it without help from Attorney General Bill Schuette. Click here to read a summary of the Governor’s rationale for continuing to pursue this multi-year case.
This content is available for MARSP members only. Become a member today to view the article.
The Court of Appeals ruled on June 7, 2016, that school employees were unconstitutionally required to pay 3% towards retiree health care from 2010-2013 as they were not guaranteed to see that money. The main effect of the ruling, which affirms a 2012 Court of Appeals ruling on the same law, means that public school employees who paid in the 3% from July 1, 2010 to January 9, 2013 will see those payments refunded, unless the state chooses to appeal once again.
The case is AFT-Michigan v. Michigan. Certainly, the decision will have significant ramifications for the state, schools and school employees, as over $600 million is currently sitting in escrow. Schools currently are paying a higher MPSERS rate due to the fact that this money was originally intended to go towards retiree health care, so if the money is ultimately refunded, schools will not see the MPSERS rate decrease they otherwise would if it were kept in the system.
Study confirms House passed DPS bills doomed to fail. Let’s hope the Senate rejects this irresponsible plan and supports quality education for ALL Detroit students.
Which Districts Get Into Financial Trouble and Why: Michigan’s Story
The irony of this study being released on the same day the House passed bills to address the financial instability of Detroit Public Schools is stunning. The report is only 23 pages long and it is pretty obvious the facts presented were never considered in the House deliberations. Of course, why let the facts get in the way of fiscal policy? (That’s sarcasm if you didn’t pick that up.)
The authors are some of the most respected education policy analysts around. The study explains why urban districts are continually getting short-changed under the existing policy for funding public school education in Michigan. I wonder how the Charter Schools would fare if they were required to accept every special education student who applies for enrollment until they reached the same proportion of these students as their public school counterparts? Or, how successful would they be if they saw their enrollments drop at a rate equal to the community population decline in their local public school district?
Here is a reality check, a substantial portion of the financial difficulties faced by urban public school districts are a direct result of factors that have almost nothing to do with the education delivered. Population shifts and an uneven playing field, specifically special education costs, transportation costs and pre-existing infrastructure costs, have been proven as the most central causes of financial difficulties in all public schools in Michigan. This is especially significant in large urban districts who have seen the largest population losses and resulting student population declines.
Unfortunately, the House ignored these facts and passed a series of bills to “rescue” DPS, which do absolutely nothing to formally address the issues that created this uneven playing field and led to the financial decline. (These factors also explain why Emergency Financial Managers consistently underperform in rebuilding communities and school districts.) What we are left with as a state, is a series of bills that are doomed to failure and essentially guarantee the money appropriated in the bills will be wasted and we the taxpayers will be stuck with a far larger cost than if they had simply studied the problem thoroughly before passing legislation that is overflowing with political favoritism.
We regularly hear from legislators how important it is to know the facts and build coalitions that are bipartisan. These bills reek of a lack of bipartisanship and clearly the facts have once again been ignored in favor of political expedience.
We find it interesting that the Senate, which has a huge partisan disparity, took significantly more time than the House investigating the needs of Detroit public education and arrived at a truly bipartisan plan with a great chance for success for the public school students of Detroit. Apparently it is true that the Senate is the site of deliberative decision making, while the House – well, let’s just say the House did have bipartisan opposition to the bills that passed.
The following websites offer information and tools to help you blaze trails as you age. In addition to these resources, check out the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging. It connects older adults, their families, and caregivers to information on local services and support. Topics range from volunteerism and healthy aging to legal assistance and transportation. Visit Eldercare.gov or call 800-677-1116 to learn what is available in your community.
Brain Health
Source: Administration for Community Living
Falls Prevention
Source: National Council on Aging
Go4Life Exercise & Physical Activity Campaign
Source: National Institute on Aging
Healthy Eating As We Age
Source: USDA
Health and Wellness Videos
Source: NIHSeniorHealth.gov
Long-term Care Planning
Source: Department of Health and Human Services
NIHSeniorHealth
Source: National Institutes of Health
Older Adults and Oral Health
Source: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Sleep and Aging
Source: National Institutes of Health
Advanced Care Planning Fact Sheets
Source: AoA’s Eldercare Locator
Elder Abuse (including Financial Exploitation)
Source: Administration on Aging
Elder Fraud and Financial Exploitation
Source: Federal Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force
Financial Protection for Older Americans
Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
OnGuard Online
Source: Office of Justice Programs
Protect Your Pocketbook: Tips to Avoid Financial Exploitation (PDF)
Source: AoA’s Eldercare Locator
Scammed? Now what … (PDF)
Source: National Council on Elder Abuse
Arts and Aging Toolkit for Organizations
Source: National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, National Center for Creative Aging, and New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Directory of Creative Aging Programs
Source: National Center for Creative Aging
Participating in Activities You Enjoy—More Than Just Fun and Games
Source: National Institute on Aging
Ready for Your Second Career?
Source: AARP Bulletin
Second Acts for the Greater Good
Source: Encore.org
Senior Community Service Employment Program
Source: Department of Labor
Health Benefits of Volunteering (PDF)
Source: Corporation for National and Community Service
Project Toolkits
Source: Corporation for National and Community Service
SeniorCorps
Source: Corporation for National and Community Service
Tips for Boomers Who Want to Volunteer (PDF)
Source: Corporation for National and Community Service
United We Serve
Source: Corporation for National and Community Service
Volunteering and Civic Engagement among Older Adults
Source: Corporation for National and Community Service