Greetings 

COVID-19 vaccines are becoming more available. Congrats to the SD Fire-Rescue Department for offering vaccinations to City retirees over 65 and then to open up their vaccine clinic to the eligible general public. I hope most of you have had at least the first of the needed two vaccinations.

We’re having more and more REA members join us for our monthly General Member Zoom meetings. Our February meeting featured speaker Mike Zucchet, General Manager of MEA. He gave a very informative talk and answered a number of questions, mostly about Prop B. If the Prop B proponents do not appeal the latest court ruling in the next 90 days, it is possible that negotiations between the City and the several unions could begin in the next several months. It is clear that all new City employees will be enrolled in SDCERS when this legal process finally ends. The more complex issue will be to negotiate how to make approximately 4,000 existing employees “whole,” since they were previously denied entry into the City’s pension system. Stay tuned.

Our March REA meeting will feature Dr. Wilma Wooten, SD County Public Health Officer. Dr. Wooten has been at the forefront of the County’s COVID-19 program. There are increasing pressures to more fully open our schools and to allow high school outdoor sports so it should be a very interesting presentation. Please join our meeting on March 9th to hear the latest.