Month: August 2019

VCCCD Retirees are encouraged to attend Board of Trustee Meeting of September 10th

From Gary Johnson, Chair of the VCCCDRA Benefits Committee:

Chancellor Greg Gillespie has strongly proposed to AFT, SEIU and the VCCCDRA Executive Board that the District ABANDON its past 47 year practice of directly contracting for health care benefits with long familiar providers, and instead contract with CalPERS to provide the benefits at an estimated savings to them of more than 10 million dollars.  The consequence would have Tier II retirees receive Medicare and a Medicare supplemental plan as contract language provides for, and would also have Tier I retirees (hired before July 1, 1990 for faculty, and July 20, 1990 for classified) receive the same Medicare and a Medicare supplemental plan which is a substantial change that does not conform to contract language.

Significant concerns (of many) are:
  • The use of CalPERS as the benefit provider
  • The removal of Anthem/Blue Cross and replacement with a mid-level Medicare plan that is inferior to what we currently have
  • The removal of Dual coverage for employees who earned benefits but are legal partners in the same household
  • The length of the agreement (3 years) with no guarantees that benefits will not be challenged or lessened at the end of

    that date

    Obviously there are an abundance of issues and concerns involved in this proposal and the District thinking is still in the process of being revealed. The retiree Executive Board is closely monitoring Union negotiations, has good relationships with both unions, and Board of Trustee members, and is actively exploring all options available for a retiree response.

    AFT is urging a large turnout of active employees and retirees to show their concern by attending and speaking at the open session part of the next District Board Meeting and WE URGE YOU TO ATTEND AND EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS ALSO.

    Tuesday, September 10, 6:00 PM  (arrive early)

    VCCCD District Office

    761 East Daily Drive, Camarillo

    (original publish date: 08/21/2019)

    To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

Annual General Meeting Minutes for 2011 – 2019

In this post are links to pdf files for the Approved Annual Meeting Minutes for 2011 through 2019.  Please click on each date to view the meeting minutes file for that meeting.

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

Passing of Ten Retirees

The VCCCD Retirees Association has learned of the passing of the following colleagues.  Because we are unable to provide additional information on them, we invite the membership to provide any memories you may have of these departed colleagues in the comments below.

  • For Connie Drusen (passed on 12/24/2014), retired from VC; her obituary was published in the VC Star but is now archived and no longer accessible.
  • For Antonio Mariscal (passed on 06/30/2016), retired from OC; a notice was published in the Santa Clara Mortuary website, but no obituary was found.

For those listed below, no obituaries have been been found in a local mortuary nor in the VC Star.

  • Carl Burkert
  • Lucille Edgar (passed on 05/08/2016)
  • Marijane Farley
  • Betty Hill
  • James Pardee
  • Daniel Rios
  • Virginia Sommerhauser (passed on 10/25/2017)
  • Carmen Taylor

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

Howard Schiller’s Passing

Dr. Howard Schiller
Dr. Howard Schiller

The VCCCD Retirees Association recently learned of the passing of Dr. Howard Schiller on October 14, 2017.

Dr. Howard L. Schiller Ventura, CA August 8, 1927- October 14, 2017 In loving memory of Howard L. Schiller who was an extraordinary man who accomplished more in his life then most could dream about. He was incredibly kind, loving and generous. He was loved and adored by so many, he will be greatly missed. Served in the US Navy, Retired LAPD Sargent, Teacher, Retired Professor Ventura Community College, Ventura Superior Municipal Court Commissioner, Coast Guard Auxiliary Search and Rescue Commander. Most of all he was a loving Husband of 58 years, Father, Docpa and friend. He died peacefully at home with family and friends .

Published in Ventura County Star from Oct. 27 to Oct. 29, 2017.  To read his obituary, please click here.

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

Gary Brinkman’s Passing

Gary W. Brinkman
Gary W. Brinkman

Gary Brinkman, a founding faculty at Oxnard College in 1975, passed away on June 30, 2019.  Gary served as a counselor and taught Health Education classes.  In later years before his retirement, he served as the Articulation Officer for the college.

Gary graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree; earned a master’s degree from  California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; and an Ed.D from Brigham Young University.

We have not been able to locate an obituary for Gary.

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

Mike Taggert’s Passing (update)

Mike Taggert, Sr.
Mike Taggert, Sr.

The following was received from Rebecca Taggart Aaland, Mike’s daughter:

“Our loving, curmudgeonly, master story-telling father, Michael Taggart Sr. passed away peacefully on July 27th at his summer home in Michigan, at the age of 88. There was lightning and thunderclaps, gale-force winds, and rain as he left the house for the last time.

“Mike was many things.  He was an intellectual, attending Princeton University and Colorado College.  He taught English at The Ojai Valley School in the early 60s, was a hippie professor in the late 60’s and early 70’s, and later taught English Literature at Ventura College for many years. He was beloved by his many students.

“Mike was an irreverent tennis player, winning his first tournament in 1953.  In his 60s, he and his partner won the senior national doubles title, with oh-so-many matches in between.  He loved everything that moves fast, and was a serious, to put it mildly, collector of cars, boats and motorcycles, and his Ojai garage has been a destination for many vintage car and motorcycle enthusiasts over the decades.

“He is survived by his loving children, Rebecca Taggart and Michael Taggart, their spouses Mikkel Aaland and Lori Taggart, his granddaughters Miranda and Ana Aaland, and his long-time partner, Hiroko Yoshimoto.

“There will be a memorial on Sunday, September 8, starting at 5pm, at court one in Libby Park. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions in his name to the Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament (OVTC).”

The above obituary was published in the Ventura County Star on Sunday, August 25, 2019; click here to view.

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

VCCCDRA Annual Fall Social Event – Oct. 1, 2019

Attached is the flyer announcing the VCCCD Retirees’ Association Annual Fall Social Event, on October 1, 2019, at Marina Park, Ventura.  Open the flyer for details. We look forward to seeing you there!

For those of you living far away, even out of state or out of the country, who knows, you may find yourselves in the area on October 1.  It would be nice to see you and gives you an opportunity to learn what’s going on locally.

Please click Fall 2019 Social Beach Party-BBQ-flyer to view the flyer.

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

Virginia Johnson’s Passing

Virginia Johnson
Virginia Johnson

Virginia Johnson, part-time faculty at both Ventura College and Oxnard College, passed away on August 7, 2019 at the age of 94.  Virginia attended Glendale College as an art major and illustrator for the college newspaper.  She received a BA in Sociology from California State University, Northridge, and then a Masters in Vocational Education from California State University, Long Beach.  Virginia taught classes in journalism, English, typing and keyboarding, first at Ventura College and then at Oxnard College where she retired in 2004 at the age of 79.

A complete history of her life was published in the Ventura County Star on Sunday, August 11, 2019.  Please click here to read the obituary.

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

Update on the Don B. Medley Scholarship

From Rene Rodgriquez, President, VCCCDRA

On August 7, 2019, at our VCCCDRA Exec Board meeting, I was very pleased to report to the Board that we have received $11,795 in contributions from retirees to date.

The fact of the matter is that in just over 4 weeks after announcing to retirees that they could begin sending actual contributions, we received a total of $10,700, surpassing the goal of $10,500 that we needed to establish the annual $500 Don B. Medley Scholarship.

The following week, Pat Gage, Treasurer, and I went to the bank where Pat established the VCCCDRA account, and we deposited 201 checks totaling $10,900, $200 for lifetime dues and $10,700 for the scholarship.

TODAY, a day later, the total amount contributed stands at $12,320. The contributions keep coming in every day, and when the contributions come in for the outstanding pledges that remain, we will be very short of being able to offer a $700 dollar scholarship every year, instead of $500.

Let me encourage those who have yet to make an actual contribution that it is not too late to become a founding contributor to the Don B. Medley Scholarship.

For those interested in attending, we shall all be able to witness the first VCCCDRA sponsored Don B. Medley Scholarship awarded in June, 2020.

To download the Don B. Medley Scholarship Contribution Form, click here.

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.