New for this year, our RC #45 scholarship, available to graduating seniors with a parent or grandparent in RC #45, had several applicants. Since our scholarship fund has had a very successful year in raising money for scholarships through raffles and voluntary contributions by our most generous retirees, The Scholarship Committee had previously decided to give 2 scholarships, each valued at $250.
NYSUT RC #45 has been working this summer to plan a fun fall get together for you at the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich. The committee has planned a delicious meal from a local restaurant called Wild Owl. For $25 you will get to meet and visit with other retirees, have a nice lunch and then tour the largest classic car museum in the Northeast with over 200 classic vehicles on display. Visit Home - Northeast Classic Car Museum for more information on this wonderful treasure.
NYSUT Retiree Council 45 Holds Annual Meeting
The NYSUT Retiree Council 45 held its annual meeting on June 20, 2023, at the CNY Living History Museum in Cortland, New York. The meeting was well-attended by 24 members, who heard updates on a variety of topics, including the upcoming regional conference, the Fix Tier 6 campaign, and the Cortland County Office of the Aging.
Mark Padgett, the NYSUT Retiree Services Consultant for RC#11 and RC#45, gave an update on the upcoming regional conference, which will be held on September 13, 2023. He encouraged members to attend and help reach the goal of 100 attendees. Padgett also discussed the future of NYSUT's retiree newsletter, which will soon become an opt-in newsletter.
Hello, Friends!
I started this letter while in Albany representing NYSUT RC #45 at the annual Presidents Conference and the Representative Assembly. We are being kept busy with one of the main topics being Fix Tier 6. NYSUT is providing us with plenty of information on what work we have ahead of us. This proactive plan has worked previously when members of Tiers 1 - 3 worked diligently to get us a better retirement tier with Tier 4. My husband and I were personally impacted by the fight and were able to retire under Tier 4's pension plan. Now it is our turn to pay it forward for the Tier 6 members. The more of us involved the more timely and effective we will be. I have included an article in this newsletter outlining some history and NYSUT's material to help you understand the gravity of the situation and action steps for you to take.
We spent time reviewing and adopting many of the 33 total resolutions that were presented at the 2023 RA. The resolutions pertaining to Fixing Tier 6 were passed and they stress the importance of mobilizing our members, inservice AND retirees, to help with the fight. Several LGBTQ+ resolutions were discussed and passed. Of special interest to retirees, Resolution 33 was adopted. This resolution asks NYSUT to initiate and support legislative efforts to improve COLA for New York State Teacher Pensions. We have had a few retirees asking about this over the last few years. There have been more than two decades of inflation since the basis of the COLA was computed on the first $18,000 of our annual pensions. It was my pleasure to be a part of that conversation!
Please consider sending in your voluntary contribution if you haven't already. Contact us if you wish to attend our spring general meeting and luncheon. We have a full slate of officers, delegates and board members who are all very excited to represent your needs over the next three years!!!
Stay safe this summer and enjoy your time outside and with family!! Please keep in touch.
In solidarity,
Vicki Darrow, President, NYSUT RC #45
Dear Fellow Retirees,
Hello! I am quite excited to be writing this letter and as our daily temperatures increases so do our NYSUT RC #45 duties. Personally I can NOT wait until spring weather in central NY. I have spent quite a bit of time in Wilmington, NC as well as visits to Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina. I am all for any place that allows me to hike, bike, and paddle a kayak or canoe.
Recently, while in Cortland for March, I explored the Lime Hollow Nature Center. We highlighted the nature center in our last newsletter, and I had to revisit it. The Chicago Bog was a breathtaking sight in the winter. Please send me another hidden gem for the May/June newsletter and help us retirees to explore our beautiful state. As RC 45 members, you know the wonderful hidden gems in your area. Let us hear from you! If you are not comfortable writing an article on our website, just send me a suggestion at
This spring as RC 45 President I have two obligations. The first is a two-day ED 51 Annual Meeting with several guests including Andy Pallotta (NYSUT President), Melinda Person (NYSUT Executive Director), and Beth Chetney (NYSTRS Trustee). There will be a Q&A session with her, and since there are a couple of resolutions regarding our COLA at the RA, it will be nice to hear from her. The second is the NYSUT Representative Assembly in Albany at the end of April. I suspect that "Fix Tier 6" will be a resounding theme throughout every NYSUT event.
We have three spring board meetings coming up, March 21st, April 18th, and May 16th. After that, we will be having a general meeting on June 20th at the CNY Living History Center. In addition to the general meeting, we will have a catered lunch, elections, and a tour of the museum. Please plan on joining us if you can.
Additional RC 45 election information and a nomination form:
https://nysut-rc45.org/index.php/who-we-are/our-board/2023-board-election-information
Feel free to attend one or all of our monthly board meetings as a guest. Learn what we do and how much fun we have doing it! Remember that RC #45 is your connection to NYSUT, the union you were a part of as inservice members. Join us in our endeavors as retirees. Contact me for more information.
Take care and keep in touch with each other here in the RC45!
In solidarity
Vicki Darrow - President, NYSUT RC #45
President, NYSUT RC #45