President's Report
… Elections in November
… The
nominations petitions have been received by the Election Committee, chaired once
again by Scott Whitney, and are posted elsewhere in this issue. I am very
pleased with the number and quality of the candidates, including a number of new
faces, as well as the incumbents. For the first time in Local 655
history, we will be electing a slate of officers to run the Local for the next
two years by mail ballot only. Please discuss this with your fellow
members as we are looking forward to an involved membership. I can’t begin to
express to you how important this process is …
Florida Philharmonic
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy … As of the status hearing on September 19, we
have agreed to another extension until November 14. During this time, the
attorney for the FPO will be filing a liquidation plan with the court for the
sale of the building and the material goods owned by the FPO. Excluded from this
liquidation (for the time being) is the music library and the endowment funds
that will be controlled by the FPO (in order to allow a group that is attempting
to re-organize the orchestra locally), adequate time to raise the funds
necessary to purchase the music library and gain access to the endowment funds
in order to move forward … Palm Beach Opera CBA “Signed, Sealed &
Delivered” … The contract
between Local 655 and the
Palm Beach Opera has been ratified and signed. Congratulations and “thanks” to
the Orchestra Committee, which included Rochelle Gnagey Skolnick (Former Chair,
who put most of this report together), Diane Weisberg (New Chair), Jennifer
Potochnic, Erika Venable and Karen Hebermehl (Alternate, who will fill the
remaining term for Rochelle Gnagey Skolnick), as well as AFM Symphonic
Negotiator Chris Durham. … To Be, Or Not To Be … Speaking of
questions, the life insurance issue is back in the forefront. Time and space
doesn’t allow for a discussion here, but we will be getting information to you
regarding the three choices: 1. “Keep It”, 2. “Dump It”, or 3. Local 655
Benevolent Fund (a plan that we hope will be a workable compromise between the
two hard choices)
… We’ll
stay in touch…you do the same …
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