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REPORT: NEOEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
MARCH 24, 2007
KENSTON HIGH SCHOOL

NEOEA’s Representative Assembly held its spring meeting at Kenston High School on Saturday, March 24. Delegates elected a new President-elect and ten other members of the Association’s Executive Committee, enacted a new resolution, recognized award recipients, passed an amendment to the organization’s Bylaws, and took positions on balloting to be held when delegates from all over the state meet for their spring meeting in Columbus on April 20-21.

Delegates donated $3,400 to OEA’s Fund for Children and Public Education.

Delegates passed a new resolution, now added to the 143 other resolutions enacted for 2006-07 at the fall meeting. The newly-enacted resolution, “Protecting Students with Allergies,” which calls on educational governing bodies to develop plans to reduce exposure to allergens, educate parents, students, and staff on allergy-related risks, and improve procedures for protecting students at risk from allergies.

Delegates honored winners of Positive Image Awards, which are selected each year by the Public Relations Committee to honor members and locals whose actions show public education and educators in a favorable light.
• Bedford EA for its 2006-07 BEA Community Relations Program;
• Warren Parks (Bedford EA) for Bedford’s Ballroom Dance Team;
• Chardon EA for its “Friend of Education” award;
• Kathy McCartney (Clearview EA) for the "Million Pennies” project;
• Leila Uthman (Copley TA) for ESL Learning at Herberich Primary School;
• Hubbard EA for their "Thank You, Community of Hubbard, for Voting Yes" Video Thank You Card;
• Don Clark (Maplewood Career Center EA) for receiving the "Air Force Technology Teacher of the Year" award;
• Jim Messenheimer (North Ridgeville EA) for the "Feeling Is Believing" art display;
• Anne Marie Kline (Southeast Local District TA) for the Southeast Local/SELDTA Literacy Day;
• Tracy Piatt (Stow TA) for the “Links for Life” and "Adopt a Soldier in Iraq" projects; and
• Shirley Browning, Michael Scolara, and Melissa Zenz (Twinsburg EA) for "A Salute to Veterans" DVD.

Delegates elected Dale Kain (Mayfield EA) to serve as President-elect for 2007-08 and President in 2008-09, and Barb Catalano (Mayfield EA) to a second three-year term as ESP (Education Support Professional) Representative-at-Large.

Delegates elected Unit Representatives to fill vacancies in nine positions representing eight electoral units:
• Unit 1 NEOEA Representative: Carol Williamson, Lorain EA;
• Unit 2 OEA/NEOEA Representative: Sally Schuler, Olmsted Falls EA;
• Unit 4 NEOEA Representative: Becky Higgins, Copley TA;
• Unit 5 OEA/NEOEA Representative: Richard L. King, Howland Classroom TA;
• Unit 7 NEOEA Representative: Steven Pierce, Stow TA;
• Unit 8 NEOEA Representative: Margaret Palma, Youngstown EA;
• Unit 8 OEA/NEOEA Representative: Jeff Pegg, Warren EA;
• Unit 9 OEA/NEOEA Representative: Barb Armour, Brunswick Support Staff; and
• Unit 10 NEOEA Representative: Jené Schiros Wilson, ACCESS

Delegates passed a Bylaws amendment which authorizes the collection of a special dues assessment of up to $1 per member to fund grass-roots political education activities throughout the district.

For positions being elected at the spring meeting of Ohio Education Association delegates on April 20-21, delegates endorsed Bill Leibensperger for Vice President, Martha Mitchell for Ohio NEA Director #4, and Janifer Trowles for OEA Director-at-Large.

Regarding OEA Constitution and Bylaws issues on the April OEA ballot, NEOEA delegates took positions of support for four and a position of opposition to one:

• supported Proposal 1, a Bylaws amendment which would authorize a one-year dues assessment of $25 per member for costs associated with the school funding ballot initiative;
• opposed Proposal 2, a Bylaws amendment which would include employees of private institutions among those who could be organized by OEA;
• supported Proposal 3, a Bylaws amendment which would end officer nominations from the floor at OEA and district Representative Assemblies;
• supported Proposal 4, a Bylaws amendment which would change nomination procedures for other OEA Board positions and end nominations from the floor at OEA and district Representative Assemblies except where no candidate had timely filed; and
• supported Proposal 5, which clarifies the authority of the Nominations Committee in OEA elections.

The Representative Assembly meets again on Saturday, November 3, at a location to be determined.