A Message from PEF Retirees President Ray Ferraro

Time to take stock for '99
First, let me wish all our retirees a happy, healthy new year.
However, I am sorry to report the passing of PEF Retirees Region 3 Chapter President Ed Kaiser.

In 1998, we lost three other former chapter presidents - Stacy Hammill of Region 7; Bart Howe of Region 8 and Alda Willis of Region 1. Alda was one of the retirees instrumental in the formation of our PEF Retirees.
May they all rest in peace. We thank them for their efforts on behalf of retirees over the years.

No retreat, no surrender

I have received many letters from active employees who say we should not have given up on Performance COLA.
We have not given it up.

The supplementation bill passed in 1998 covers the next two years. That means we have two years to convince those who control the five New York City pension systems to accept the concepts of state Comptroller H. Carl McCall's Performance COLA proposal.

Oops!

In the last issue, the retirement dates for those receiving a pension increase under the 1998 COLA Supplementation were incorrect. The dates should have read 1991 through 1993. We apologize for the confusion.

Cancer claims PEF activist Ed Kaiser
By Kara E. Smith
Following a long and courageous battle with cancer, long-time PEF activist and retiree Edmond Kaiser died on November 12, 1998.
Kaiser was Rochester Chapter president of PEF Retirees for the past six years, and had been very active in PEF until retiring in 1990 from his position as a nurse at the state Health Department in Rochester.

"He was a wonderful person who was always willing to give a helping hand," said PEF Division 284 Council Leader Ken McClenathan. Kaiser served as the PEF Region 3 treasurer during McClenathan's years as Region 3 coordinator.
"Ed also loved a good party," said McClenathan. "He was always one of the first ones up dancing at the PEF convention dances."
Linda DeVito, the current Region 3 coordinator, also mourned Kaiser's passing. "You could always count on Ed for a comment and a big smile," she said. "He was so cheerful and helpful - we always relied on him.

In fact, he was one of the people who really helped form the Rochester Chapter of PEF Retirees."
Kaiser was a no-nonsense kind of guy - a man of few words who, nevertheless, said what needed to be said - according to PEF Retirees President Ray Ferraro.

"Ed would yell, 'Cut it out, let's get back to business!' if we started going off course at meetings," Ferraro recalled fondly.
"He was a very dedicated unionist, right to the very end," Ferraro added. "He attended the October meeting of the PEF Retirees Executive Board even though he wasn't feeling well and needed assistance driving to Albany.

"We're going to miss him so much on the Executive Board," Ferraro said.
Kaiser is survived by his mother, a son, three grandchildren, an aunt, a half brother and a nephew.

PEF Retirees Chapter News
Region 3 (Rochester):
· Time - 12:30 p.m.;
· Date - Weds., Feb. 3;
· Place - Rochester PEF Office, 339 East Avenue,
Suite 305, Rochester;
· Contact - Harvey Meyers, Region 3 president,
at 716-248-5508 or PEF at 716-232-6469.
Region 8 (Albany):
· Time - Noon;
· Date - Monday, Feb. 1;
· Place - PEF Headquarters, 1168-70 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham;
· Contact - Cal Thayer, Region 8 president, 518-664-0070.
Regions 10 & 11 (New York):
· Time - 12:30 p.m.;
· Date - Weds., Feb. 17;
· Place - PEF NYC Office,
136 Church St., 4th Floor, New York City;
· Contact - Lorraine Ballard, Regions 10 and11 president, 212-874-1489.
Region 12 (Long Island):
· Time - Noon;
· Date - Weds., Feb. 24;
· Place - Long Island PEF Office, 1383-16 Veterans'
Memorial Highway, Hauppauge;
· Contact - Mary Reid, Region 12 president, at 516-666-3264.

Get help to help yourself.
For information or help call:
Retired Employees Assistance Program
212-766-0020, 212-227-3132
or 1-800-522-8700
(Volunteers needed in the metro New York area )