Between Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts and putting up lights I was reminded that I have to have my article written for the January Newsletter. I want to wish you a happy and healthy New Year. It's hard to believe that another year has passed. After retirement they just seem to fly by. I remember as a child when summer vacation seemed like a lifetime.

Usually in the January Newsletter I am able to report on a pleasant and enjoyable RFFOW Christmas Luncheon but this year it appears that the Grinch stole the luncheon, because it was a disaster. We immediately had problems when we first arrived around 9:30 am. There was no heat in the building and the main bathrooms, men and women's, were out of order due to broken water pipes.

The roof scuttle was open to bring in air and fans were running to dry out the bathrooms which caused cold air to pass through the banquet room as if it was a wind tunnel.

After about four attempts by staff members, the microphones would not work and made it almost impossible to address the group. There were numerous problems which in a cold room with no food were difficult to deal with.

We were scheduled to be seated and served at 12:00 and waited until 12:45 before the staff began serving. Two and three were served at a table of eight while the others at the same table waited up to thirty minutes for their meal. At 1:45 some of our guests had still not been served. The salad was limp as if it had been sitting out. Some tables didn't have any salad dressing and many had rolls but no butter. The food was cool when served and appeared to be piled on a small plate.

We suspect that the food was prepared off site which was not what we had agreed to and was not delivered to the Elk's on time. Some of our guests left before ever being served. This is just a brief description. The problems were many and very difficult to comprehend. The only good thing I can say is that we had our usual number of about 165 members and guests in attendance.

Most everyone was gracious and reassured us that it was not our fault. After a brief discussion with the assistant banquet and special events director, two firm letters and a phone message to Mark Caldwell the special events director, we are refunding all charges to our guests. We are now in the process of sending a letter of apology and the personal check we received of a refund check to everyone.

This process will take some administrative time and expense and should be completed by the time you receive this Newsletter. If you should have, but didn't receive a refund, or if your refund was incorrect, please contact us for the proper adjustment.

Please see the notice that the January RFFOW Meeting will be held Saturday January 9th at the usual location, St. John's Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave N, Seattle. (Page 5) After we decided that we would change the meeting date to a Wednesday and narrowed down the location to the Lake City Elks, we are now undecided due to the many problems with the Christmas Luncheon. Please be patient and watch for an announcement regarding a change.

Please see the note to Jerry Taylor the President of the Retired Seattle Police Officers from Ron Larsen and the response letter from Jerry to Ron Larsen. Jerry's letter is outstanding, polite, educational, professional and a correct response to a puzzled and uninformed member of the RFFOW.

I don't understand why a respected retired firefighter, a member of the RFFOW whom I have never met, would contact Jerry Taylor and not the RFFOW regarding an issue or question involving the RFFOW. Mr. Larsen's comments about the pension bill being opened indicate a lack of knowledge on his part as a Director of the Coalition.

Back to 2000 when the Coalition was formed, we explained the statement "that a law is being opened" is a misnomer. Anytime a bill is introduced the particular law is open but only for the scope, object and title of that bill. Any legislator can attempt to have a bill introduced in any legislative session at any time. Any amendment to the bill must meet the scope, object and title of the original bill. We have been successful in having about ten LEOFF 1 bills passed since 2000. Last session SB 6078, a LEOFF 1 disability bill, was introduced at the request of the Select Committee on Pension Policy. We are working with the Committee and hope to have this bill discussed during this coming session.

I will discuss this bill and other pension legislation at the January meeting and in the February Newsletter. In addition, the two issues I mentioned in the December Newsletter were for discussion only. In fact, the LEOFF 2 Board will have a bill introduced to add the spouse of a LEOFF 1 or LEOFF 2 member killed or retired on a disability pension, eligible for free tuition to a state university or community college. A member retired on a disability could just as easily have been added. Presently this eligibility is only for dependent children of a member killed or disabled in the line of duty. I want to remind everyone that if they have a question, complaint or concern regarding the RFFOW to please feel free to contact me. I will always be courteous and respond or advise you accordingly.

I had a brief discussion with Mike Folker, the Finance Director for the City of Hoquiam, in response to my two letters regarding the city's new policy for the payment of LEOFF 1 medical expenses. I found Mr. Folker to be very cordial. He suggested an additional three week period for us to meet or for the city to make a decision on my request to have the new policy repealed.