Fredericksburg Reunion HPD News
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PRSRT STD HOUSTON POLICE RETIRED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION US POSTAGE PAID P.O. BOX 2288, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77252-2288 HOUSTON, TX PERMIT NO. 9155 THE With Honor We Served . With Pride We Remember OFFICIALETI PUBLICATIONR OF THEED HOUSTON POLICE RETIREDADGE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION VOL.R XII, NO. 5 B October - November 2012 Fredericksburg Reunion The Hill Country Reunion will be held Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012 at Motels Available: Lady Bird park pavilion, 432 Lady Bird Drive, Fredericksburg, TX. This is the same place as last year. Peach Tree Inn & Suites 866/997-4347, 401 S. Washington St. The Super 8 Motel 800/466-8356, 830/997-4484, 501 E. Main St. The doors will be open at 9:00 AM and coffee will be ready. The (US 290) meal will be served at 12 Noon and will be “Catfish with all the The Sunday House 830/997-4484, 501 E. Main St. (US 290) trimmings”. We will hold another “silent auction” so if you have Fredericksburg Lodge 830/997-6568, 514 E. Main St. an item or two that you can donate please bring it with you, or The Best Western Motel 830/992-2929, 314 Highways St. drop it off at any HPROA meeting prior to the reunion. The La Quinta Inn 830/990-2899, 1465 East Main St. (US 290) Days Inn 800/320-1430, 808 S. Adams St. There are several events in Fredericksburg schedule for this Quality Inn 830/997-9811, 908 S. Adams St. weekend, and all Motels will fill up fast. Please make reservations Motel 6 800/466-8356, 705 Washington St. as soon as possible. RV’ers desiring to stay at Lady Bird R.V. park should contact For additional information you may contact Lamar or Dee the park at 830/997-4202 and identify yourself as being with Kimble 830-995-2431. HPROA. HPD News - Blasts from the Past 2/18/1955 By Nelson Zoch Former Vice Squad Captain Foy D. Melton Jr. was acquitted of a narcotics charge before a Federal Court in Corpus Christi NOTE: yesterday. This was the second trial for the former Vice Squad Reprinted from old and ancient issues of the Badge and Gun. Captain, the first being held in Brownsville back in November. After the Civil Service Commission meets, Captain Melton is 2/16/1955 most certainly expected to be reinstated. Tuesday night, Chief Jack Heard issued orders on “military courtesy and military etiquette” which will require uniformed 2/22/1955 officers to salute their Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains and Chief Heard gives up on the salute order to his troops. Hinting Inspectors. They in turn will be expected to return those salutes. darkly at mutiny among the troops, sounding distinctly aggrieved A stiff, snappy salute is not necessary, but “soft, informal” salutes and even bitter, Heard issed a rescinding order on “military will do. The order went on to say that the Mayor, Roy Hofeinz, courtesy”. Apparently, a segment of police officers rebelled at will also be saluted by the uniformed officer, however, members these instructions, as Chief Heard’s rescinded order added that of city council need not be accorded this same privilege. Chief “it is a shame that we have such people, but fact remains that Heard, Asst. Chief McGill, and Sgt. Jack Renois demonstrated we do. Such members are not even loyal to themselves, and the proper manner for rendering this salute. certainly are not a credit to our department”. 2 The Retired Badge Oct - Nov 2012 Edition FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BILL ELKIN In trying to keep our members up to date It was stressed that even though some on those issues that would directly, or employee organizations wanted to indirectly, impact our retirement years, I keep in house all PAC (political action find that this is sometimes difficult to do. contributions) contributions, there is an It is because that sometimes important immediate need to fund the PAC of the issues and matters are always in a state of TSR, which has, and is still developing flux. What is important this week or month informational and educational programs is over showed by the most recent daily necessary to combat any upcoming event. So, I am always in a quandary legislative by those who seek to change of trying to prioritize the issues to report, or eliminate defined benefit pensions. even though they maybe in regards to TEXPERS, as an organization, is committed the recurring matters. Anyway, I’ll try to to the support of TSR and will work at the bring you up to date. legislature to that end. First, in an effort to stay abreast of the On September 12, I attended the Pension, latest developments in the matter of Investment & Financial Services Committee any impending attack on our pensions, of the Texas House of Representatives, I would like to report that the HPROA in Austin. This was an Interim meeting of Bill Elkin, Executive Director has rejoined as an associate member the committee with several charges to of TEXPERS (Texas Association of Public present for the committee members to The Chairman of HPOPS, Ralph Marsh, did Employee Retirement Systems). Several consider. Charge #1 was the one that make a presentation, giving a snapshot years ago this organization was a was of concern to us in Houston. It stated: of the system, and stated that our system member of TEXPERS, but after a couple Review local retirement systems that is considered to be in a good financial of years let our membership expire. Now are not a part of statewide systems, the condition. There were many other with the attack of pension, both locally, administration of these retirement systems, speakers, both from the employer side of state and nation wide, it was felt that and current liabilities. Study and make the issue, and from the employee side. renewing our membership would provide recommendations aimed at curbing Time will tell what recommendations are us with a networking ability with other rising pension costs to local governments. forthcoming from the committee. public pension systems. This would keep This charge was directly aimed at systems us up with what is going on in other parts such as those in Houston and some other On a more local note, The President of the of Texas regarding pension issues. large cities in Texas. HPOU, Ray Hunt, has offered the HPROA some office space in the original building As a result of renewing our association with Though Mayor Annise Parker had indicated at 1602 State Street. This is the building TEXPERS, I attended it’s Annual Education to the various Houston retirement systems that the “old” HPOA built during the time I Forum in San Antonio, Texas, on August that she intended to “roll out” her agenda was it’s president (It was built and paid for 19, 20 & 21, and remaining for the TSR for pension reforms around the time for the during that time). This office space will be (Texans for Secure Retirement) meeting committee meeting, she did not make an shared with COPS (Concerns for Police on the afternoon of the 21st. Many, if appearance. She instead sent a written Survivors), and will give us a place to meet not almost all, of the retirement systems two page letter to the committee, which with anyone seeking to hold an interview belonging to TEXPERS, is also a member of was read by a new lobbyist for the city, on issues that involve our organization. TSR. Discussions, for the most part, center giving out her points of concern over the There is no cost to us for the use. This was on the possibility of what legislation might three city pension systems and the areas certainly a very generous offer from the be introduced in the Texas Legislature this within the systems that she felt need to HPOU and President Ray Hunt, and we next year, in it’s 83rd Session. be changed. The letter was read and thank them for it. Our Board graciously received without comment. accepted the offer. The Retired Badge Oct - Nov 2012 Edition 3 A Message from Stephen Rayne, President HPROA Four new board members (M. Beale, S. Within a couple of weeks of your receiving Toth, R. Barnard and J. Harris ) were also this edition of the “Retired Badge” you, as elected. We were all sworn in by our past a Texas voter, will have an opportunity to president Jack Miller. protect or destroy your pension benefits. I am talking about the elections coming up On August 14, 2012, several days the first week of November. This important after our monthly meeting, sixteen ballot has you making choices on national, HPROA members and board members state, county, city and bond elections that volunteered to work answering may affect you greatly. It is important that telephones at a tele-thon to raise money you not only vote, but vote wisely. Your for the PBS (Public Broadcast System). pension benefits were given to you by our We went to the Channel #8 studios on state legislature and the state legislature the main campus of the University of can change them or take them away. Our Houston. We got grilled chicken and a members are located all over the state of salad for our dinner then about twenty Texas and they vote for state legislators minutes of training on how to use their from all over the state. computers. I wish I had a video of our Stephen Rayne, President HPROA reactions when we learned we had to Find out how your legislator feels about take and enter credit card information for defined benefit pensions (our pension).