Minutes of the URFA Executive Board Meeting 11/13/2024
Roll Call
Robert Sapienza, Paul Cinquemani, Woody Wall, Robert Reeg, and Tom Lynch
The meeting was brought to order, and the Pledge of Allegiance was solemnly recited. A moment of silence was observed for our departed members and Robert’s rules were waived.
Minutes: minutes were read and a motion to accept was made by Woody Wall and seconded by Tom Lynch
Treasure’s Report: Report was delivered by Robert Sapienza. A motion to accept the report was made by Paul Cinquemani and seconded by Robert Reeg.
Discussions and Motions: Treasurer Robert Sapienza reported that to avoidchecking account fees he needed to transfer funds from our general account into the checking account. Sapienza then made a motion to transfer $1,000 as such. The motion was seconded by Robert Reeg and so carried.
The on-going battle to preserve our traditional Medicare continues with the additional concern of co-pays not yet settled. Robert Reeg noted that this is the clearest danger facing the medical coverage of all city retirees, both now and in the future. This case will also set a national precedent. Therefore, a motion was made by Tom Lynch to contribute $5,000 from the URFA benefit enhancement fund to the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees. The motion was seconded by Robert Reeg and so carried.
The executive board continues to be concerned by the lack of interest shown by most of our member organizations in continuing their participation in the URFA. The main grievance is the URFA went dormant for several years. This is true but that is in the past. We have reorganized the URFA, recovered the funds, established new bank accounts, formed a new LLC, and obtained 501 C non-profit status. Additionally, thanks to the members who spent a great deal of time and effort to accomplish this, the URFA has been the foremost supporter in this continuing legal battle to preserve our Medicare. We will continue and hope to receive greater support in our next meeting which will be held on Saten Island on March13/2025.
The meeting was concluded at 13:05.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Reeg, Recording Secretary URFA
Minutes of the URFA Executive Board Meeting 08/22/2024
Roll Call
Robert Sapienza, Paul Cinquemani, Woody Wall and Robert Reeg
The meeting was brought to order and the Pledge of Allegiance was solemnly recited and Robert’s Rules were waived.
Minutes: were read and a motion was made by Robert Sapienza to accept, seconded by Woody Wall.
Treasure’s: Report was delivered by Robert Sapienza.
Motions: No motion were made at this meeting
Discussions: As previously reported, most of our FDNY retiree member organizations have not responded to the many attempts made by this board to contact them. In an effort to bring the groups in the NYC area up to date on the URFA and our on-going battle to preserve traditional Medicare, we will have a leadership meeting of the following member organization: Pennsylvania (Keystone), Hudson Valley East, Long Island, Orange, Rockland and Staten Island. The meeting will be held in Yonkers at Roary Dolan’s on November 13th, 2024, at 11:00. An email and a hard copy will be sent to the President of these groups this week.
The meeting was concluded at 14:45
Minutes of the URFA Executive Board Meeting 03/05/2024
Roll Call
Robert Sapienza, Paul Cinquemani, Woody Wall and Robert Reeg
The meeting was brought to order and the Pledge of Allegiance was solemnly recited and Robert’s Rules were waived.
Minutes: were read and a motion was made by Robert Sapienza to accept, seconded by Woody Wall.
Treasure’s: Report was delivered by Robert Sapienza.
Motions: No motion were made at this meeting
Discussions: The other FDNY retiree member organizations belonging to the URFA continue to show limited interest in continuing their membership in the URFA. Some of the reasons for this were stated in the minutes of the September 2023 meeting. Paul, Bob and Woody continued their efforts to contact these organizations and met with very little interest. The Southeast Florida retirees did respond and stated that they would try to obtain an updated list of URFA organizations so that we may contact them.
Our battle to preserve our traditional Medicare continues. We have been successful in court, but the city has appealed once again. At this time no further donation to the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees has been made. We will confer with Marianne Pitazolla to ascertain if additional funds are needed to continue the court battle. As such, if we need to donate, we have a standing resolution that a donation up to $5,000.00 can be made.
Depending on the requirements of this court battle additional funds may be needed. In that case a meeting will be announced, and representatives of our retiree organizations shall be invited to vote on transferring funds from our general account into the URFA Benefit Enhancement Preservation fund.
The meeting concluded at 12:59 PM.
Minutes of the URFA Executive Board Meeting 09/21/2023
Roll Call
Robert Sapienza, Paul Cinquemani, Woody Walls and Robert Reeg
The meeting was brought to order and the Pledge of Allegiance was solemly recited and Robert’s Rules were waived.
Minutes: were read and a motion was made by Robert Sapienza to accept, seconded by Woody Wahl.
Treasure’s: Report was delivered by Robert Sapienza.
Motions: A motion was made by Robert Reeg set aside up to $5,000 from the URFA Benefit Enhancement Fund to donate to the NYC Retired Public Service Employees Organization. The exact amount will be determined after conferring with Marianne Pizzitola and voted on by the other URFA board members. The motion was seconded by Robert Sapienza and so carried.
Discussions: The other member organizations belonging to the URFA have demonstrated limited interest in continuing their membership in the URFA. This is partially because of outdated contact lists and disinformation regarding the AETNA MAP being disseminated by certain individuals. A second effort will be made by Rodert Sapienza and Woody to obtain the current list of retiree organizations so as to update our own list and to reestablish contact with them.
Minutes of the URFA Executive Board Meeting 10/10/2022
Roll Call
Robert Sapienza, Paul Cinquemani, Woody Wohl, Ken Dolan, Robert Reeg was absent because of surgery.
The meeting was brought to order and the Pledge of Allegiance and Robert’s Rules were waved
Minutes: were not read because of Reeg’s absence.
Treasure’s: Report was delivered by Robert Sapienza.
Motions: A motion was made to name Robert Sapienza as the new Vice President due to the resignation of John Gilleeny.
A motion was made to donate $5,000 from the URFA benefit enhancement fund to the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees.
A motion was made to purchase letterhead stationery for the URFA.
Discussions: An effort will be made by Robert, Paul, and Woody to contact our member organizations to bring them up to date regarding recent changes.
Reply Reply All Forward
Minutes of the URFA Executive Board Meeting 06/20/2022
The meeting of the URFA Executive Board was called to order at 11:23
The Pledge of Allegiance was solemnly recited
Roll call:
Jerry Bellingham, John Gilleeny, Robert Sapienza, Robert Reeg, Joe Huber, Larry Mack, Tom Lynch (Hudson Valley), Larry Flaim (Florians). Ken Dolan by proxy through John Gilleeny
Minutes of the 5/31/2022 meeting was read and a motion to accept was made by Robert Sapienza and 2nd by Jerry Bellingham. The motion was unanimously approved and so carried.
Donation: John Gilleeny and his FDNY-TPR-RFA group made a $50.00 donation to the Benefit Enhancement and Preservation Committee of the URFA.
Motions:
A motion was made by Jerry Bellingham to amend the dues structure of the URFA By-laws, Article IX line 3. Motion was 2nd. by John Gelleeny, unanimously approved and so carried. The URFA dues structure for 2023 is as follows:
- For Member groups of the URFA with more than 300 Members:
$1.00 for the first 300 Members. - For Member Groups of the URFA with less than 300 Members, but more than 100 members:
1.50 per member. - For Members of the URFA with 100 Members or less:
$2.00 per Member.
A motion was made by John Gilleeny to have the URFA attorney, Rudy Migliore Jr. file an “Amicus Curiae brief” (friend of the court), in support of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees’ on-going Medicare legal action. The motion was 2nd by Jerry Bellingham, unanimously approved and so carried.
A motion was made by Jerry Bellingham to amend the URFA By-laws Article IV, to set a 2-year term limit for members of the executive board. The motion was 2nd by Robert Sapienza, unanimously approved and so carried.
A motion was made by John Gilleeny to apply to have the URFA enrolled in membership of approved FDNY affiliated organizations. The motion was 2nd by Larry Flaim, unanimously approved and so carried.
Discussions:
It was noted that according to our by-laws, the presidents of the URFA affiliated organizations are VPs of the URFA and may attend meetings, or by proxy, of the executive board with voting privileges.
The members attending were brought up to speed on the history of the URFA and how our organization became dormant for many years because of illness and COVID it failed to hold meetings and disseminate information to associate groups of the URFA and how and why we have reorganized with mostly new leadership. It was emphasized that many FDNY retirees, who retired prior to 9/11 have pension only around $30,000 per year and some fall below the Federal Poverty Level. Having to pay co-pays when they go for chemo or physical therapy several times a week will be financially catastrophic. It is vital at this juncture that we put the past behind us and move forward as a United Organization representing the retired FDNY firefighters throughout the United States
The President of the Florians, Larry Flaim refreshed our memories of how prior to around 1987, FDNY retirees were not required to enroll in Medicare. To save the city money by enrolling in Medicare the city offered to pay the 20% difference from what Medicare covers through our supplemental health programs. The city also agreed to reimburse members for their Medicare Part B expenses. By doing so, the retirees saved the city significant money. Our health care programs are not a gift from the city, they are a contractual and legal obligation.
The possibility of bringing Marianne Pizzitola to NY to address our member organizations regarding the on-going legal battle with the city regarding our Medicare benefits was discussed.
John Gilleeny mentioned there is a strong possibility of the NYCOPSR obtaining counselor relief to help with the cost of this legal battle, through new legislation against the city
All members are encouraged to “opt out”, electronically, of the city plan. Of the 250,000 retirees from the city only about 15% have opted out, mostly because many retirees are either uninformed or misinformed about the city’s plan. The city is using the fact that so few have opted out against us in court.
All members are encouraged to donate in support of our cause as well. Donations
are Needed!
To donate to the legal fund
Donation Instructions to Support Our Class Action Suit Against the City To Protect Our Retiree Healthcare Benefits
We worked decades for our benefits! Let’s make sure the City and the MLC don’t take them away!
A suggested, individual, $25 Donation* will continue the fight to keep our current benefits. Give more if you can, and/or often! If you cannot meet the minimum suggested donation, we appreciate whatever you can give towards this fight for our benefits. The NYCOPSR also added the option to make your donation recurring (monthly) as was requested.
The NYCOPSR is incorporated as a Non-Profit. ALL proceeds go to fund the legal challenge. Volunteer retirees are running this effort. Our 501C3 is pending.
TO DONATE, HERE ARE 4 SIMPLE WAYS!
1.Zelle using email NYCOofpublicserviceretirees@gmail.com
2. Make your check out to:
NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees PO Box 941
Venice, FL 34284 (the treasurer lives in FL)
3. Or click on this Paypal link:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=Q4VWJEYVJ9HTW&Z3&fbclid=IwAR0pEOc51x9xhc-CBb8vqAIkX97Bgg1Z02f1r9gQh9S3dOsVmAdob5jBbw8
4. We Now Accept Donations via VENMO
Adjournment: A motion was made by Jerry Bellingham to adjourn the meeting and 2nd by Robert Reeg. The motion was unanimously approved and so carried. The meeting was adjourned at 13:38.
United Retired Firefighter Association
Minutes of Executive Board Meeting 02/21/2022
The meeting was called to order by Paul Cinqueman at 1135
Pledge of Allegiance was recited
Minutes of previous meeting were read and accepted
Roll Call: Paul Cinqueman, Woody Wall, Ken Dolan, Tom Murphy, Robert Reeg, Robert Sapienza, John Gilleeny, Jerry Bellingham
Motions: Robert Sapienza made a motion to install Robert Reeg as Recording Secretary and Webmaster. Motion was so carried.
Paul Cinqueman made a motion to install Woody Wall as the Executive Secretary-URFA. Motion was so carried.
Motions by Paul Cinqueman to re-join the Alliance of Public Employees or Ken Dolan’s motion to join the RPA were tabled until further investigation could be made.
Robert Sapienza procured a postal box to receive communication for the URFA, the address is as follows. URFA, PO Box 209, Campbell Hall, NY 10916-0209
Following a speaker phone call to the URFA pro bono attorney Mr. Rudy Migliore was conducted. During the call Rudy was instructed to form a 501C tax exempt corporation in the name of, United Retired Fire Fighters Association. Paul Cinqueman, Robert Sapienza and Woody Wall’s names shall be listed on the certificate of incorporation. During discussion it was learned that our organizations previous certificates of incorporation have dissolved into the fourth dimension of time-space- geriatrics and amnesia.
The meeting was concluded at 1400.
United Retired Firefighters Association
Minutes of Executive Board Meeting 04/25/2022
The meeting was called to order by President Paul Cinquemani at 1120
Minutes of the previous meeting of 02/21.2022 were read and accepted.
Roll call: Paul Cinquemani, Woody Wahl, Robert Sapienza, Jerry Bellingham, Robert Reeg, Brian Wangh. John Gilleeny and Ken Dolan attended by phone.
Motions: Robert’s Rules of Order were suspended for the meeting.
Robert Sapienza made a motion to install Brian Waugh as the URFA accountant. Motion was so carried.
Motion made by Jerry Bellingham to support the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees with a donation of $15,000.00. Motion was so carried and a check was made out as such.
Robert Sapienza made a motion to authorize Robert Reeg to pay a reasonable sum (probably <$200) for assistance in establishing the URFA Website. Motion was so carried.
Discussions: The URFA savings account is currently in Paul’s name and needs to be transferred to the URFA name. Robert Sapienza and Paul will coordinate with this.
Robert Sapienza had received the URFA New York State Certificate of Incorporation and our seal, as well as the official documents for the URFA 501-C3 Fraternal Organization certificate.
A letter regarding the Benefit Enhancement Fund was approved by Paul and will be sent out to our member organizations.
Another letter needs to be composed explaining and encouraging our member organization the importance of protecting our benefits and staying informed (Reeg or Gilleeny will work on this).
Woody will speak to Ms. Pizzitole regarding the URFA rejoining the RPA.
The meeting was concluded at 1400