January 2024
Honoring Yesterday – Protecting Tomorrow
Vol. 55, No. 1
January Calendar of Events
1—(Mon.) RESDC Office Closed
11—(Thurs.) RESDC Board of Directors Meeting
In person at RESDC Office, 9:30 a.m.
15—(Mon.) Martin Luther King Jr. Day
RESDC & SDCERA Closed
View the NETWORK
as a printable PDF
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”
▪Thomas Jefferson
COMING HOME—OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 2024
When: Wednesday, February 28 at 11:00am
Where: San Diego Office of Emergency Services
County Operations Center
5590 Overland Ave, San Diego, CA 92123
Program: Our RESDC “Coming Home” event invites RESDC members to visit and celebrate County sites.
On February 28, 2024, we invite you to join your fellow RESDC members in “coming home” to the County’s Office of Emergency Services.
The Office of Emergency Services (OES) coordinates the overall county response to disasters. OES is responsible for alerting and notifying appropriate agencies when disaster strikes; coordinating all agencies that respond; ensuring resources are available and mobilized in times of disaster; developing plans and procedures for response to and recovery from disasters; and developing and providing preparedness materials for the public.
Event Highlights
11:00 am – Reception & light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments available
11:20 am – Welcoming Remarks by RESDC and County of San Diego OES Staff
11:45 am – Guided Tours
Stay tuned to the February Network for further details on the event including directions and parking information.
This is a FREE event and space is limited to 80 attendees. RSVP is required.
Choose your registration method:
Register Online: Click here and then click the green ‘Register’ button and follow the steps.
Register by phone: Call our office at (619) 688-9229 during our office hours of 9:00am – 2:00pm, Monday – Friday.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Chris Heiserman
Welcome to 2024. We ended 2023 on a high note with an in-person return of our popular Holiday Luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel Mission Valley at Hazard Center. More than 200 members and guests celebrated the season together, feasting on a traditional turkey dinner, listening to live seasonal background music from an accomplished choral group, and capping the annual membership business meeting with approval of RESDC’s 2024 budget and installation of the Board of Directors and Officers. Attendees also enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with former co-workers and participate in a raffle for valuable gifts. We were especially pleased that a few trustees from the SDCERA Board of Retirement and their administrative staff joined us for the luncheon as well.
A tip of our cap to our regular event sponsors, My Senior Health Plan (MSHP), a RESDC affiliate that provides free counseling on Medicare coverage options, and Pacific Group Agencies (PGA), which administers insurance plans and other benefits available to RESDC members (dental, vision, pet, travel, and more). Their support of the Holiday Luncheon allows us to keep the special occasion affordable.
Last year was a tough one, and this year will undoubtedly be controversial and even more challenging. By nature, I am cynical and pessimistic, but at the beginning of 2024 I choose to be hopeful. This is my attempt to count our many blessings and search for silver linings. We are indeed fortunate to be San Diego County retirees, as well as SDCERA and RESDC members. We have a valuable benefit that many other retired Americans don’t have – a regular guaranteed Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for our pension distribution. Many public sector retirement funds across the country have no such COLA assurance, and some have not offered any COLA increase to their retirees for several years.
While we live in a region with a notoriously expensive standard of living, there is some validity to the notion of a “sunshine discount” as a positive trade-off associated with residing in southern California. Some of us have had our grown children and grandkids relocate to more affordable communities (Temecula?); but at least they didn’t move out of state. We have friends who often remind us of the attractive features we enjoy in San Diego County:
- Wonderful year-round weather and easily accessible micro-climates (coastal, inland valleys, mountains and desert).
- World-class Zoo, Safari Park, museums, and beaches.
- Wide array of great cultural activities.
- Myriad sources for outdoor recreational experiences.
- Craft breweries and wineries; and,
- More
One of our neighbors (also a RESDC member) who joins us for hikes in the mountains or on local park trails on beautiful clear sunny days has a habit of looking around and declaring emphatically: “WE LIVE HERE!” There is also a kind of silver lining for some in the steep home prices in the San Diego region. For those who have resided here for many years, the rising equity for homeowners provides an economic cushion in retirement.
RESDC’s flagship communication tool is this newsletter, THE NETWORK. Along with our website (www.resdc.net), the newsletter provides announcements of social and educational events and relevant information of concern to retirees. We encourage members to offer ideas for articles they would like to see in the newsletter and invite them to share with fellow retirees special occasions in their lives (travel, significant milestones, etc.). We have a great deal in common on our individual retirement journeys with family and friends.
Wishing you and yours a Happy, Healthy and Memorable 2024. □
CHECK OUT THE RESDC YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
Have you missed any of our Virtual RESDC presentations? Here is how you can watch our past online presentations on the RESDC YouTube channel!
Step 1. Go to www.resdc.net
Step 2. Scroll down a bit, and click the button RESDC YouTube on the left column.
Step 3. Now you are on the RESDC YouTube channel. Now you can select a video to watch!
Step 4. Click the “Subscribe” button. Subscribing to the RESDC YouTube channel means that you will be updated when new videos are uploaded.
View Curated Playlists
On the RESDC YouTube channel you can also view curated playlists of videos from county partners such as Live Well San Diego and Aging and Independence Services.
Step 1. Access the RESDC YouTube channel by following the instructions above.
Step 2. Scroll down. You can select a playlist of videos that you would like to view. □
RESDC MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS
By Carlos Gonzalez, RESDC Scholarship Committee Chair
Welcome to the 2024 RESDC Merit Scholarship Program. This year, RESDC is offering SIX $2,000 merit scholarships and ONE $1,000 community service award. Two of the six awards are dedicated to the memory of two RESDC Board members: (1)the La Rue Pierce Community Service Award for $1,000. La Rue Pierce was a pioneer for the RESDC merit scholarship Program, as well as, a community service advocate; (2)The George S. Shoemaker Memorial Scholarship Award for $2,000. This award is dedicated to George’s “spirit of service.” George passed away January16, 2022, after serving on the RESDC Board of Directors for 30 years.
RESDC’s scholarships are offered to eligible graduating high school seniors. Eligible applicants must be a child (adopted child), grandchild, stepchild, or step-grandchild of a RESDC member in good standing (as defined in our bylaws).
The scholarship application will be available online beginning Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at: www.resdc.net/scholarship-program. You can stop by the RESDC office (8825 Aero Dr, Suite 205, San Diego, CA 92123) to pick up the application (the application may be emailed to applicant upon request). Please contact us at resdc@resdc.net.
The deadline to submit applications is Friday, March 8, 2024; applications postmarked after this date will not be considered. Final results will be communicated directly to individual participants early June 2024. We recommend that applicants start this process immediately and coordinate all references for a complete and timely submittal. Incomplete application packages will not be considered.
Theo and Evelyn Yakel Scholarships
All RESDC Scholarship applicants are also eligible to apply for the Theo and Evelyn Yakel Scholarship, which is available through The San Diego Foundation. In 2024, the foundation awarded a record-breaking $4 million in scholarships to more than 1,000 local college students. To apply for The Yakel Scholarship go to www.sdfoundation.org and fill out the Common Scholarship Application.
A document verifying that the student’s sponsor is a RESDC member must be uploaded when applying for the Yakel Scholarship through the Common Scholarship Application. Applicants may email the RESDC office at resdc@resdc.net or call the RESDC office at: (866) 688-9229 to obtain this signed document; please state the name of the student applying for the scholarship. The foundation will not accept applications without a signed RESDC verification form. □
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
William Andrews, Probation
Michael Bender, HHSA
Tammy Bennetts, Sheriff
Jodi Breton, District Attorney
Michael Carter
Russell Christensen
Anna Kennedy, HHSA
Megan Moore
Jeffrey Morse, Sheriff
Lisa Wesley, HHSA
*Associate Member
The surviving spouse of a member is eligible for RESDC membership. For enrollment assistance, call:
(619) 688-9229. □
LOG IN TO OUR MEMBER SELF-SERVICE SITE
The RESDC Member Self-Service site is designed for members to get the most out of their membership.
What can I do at the Member Self-Service site?
- Join the Membership Directory. Do you want to see if any of your old co-workers or friends are members? You can join our membership directory so you can contact or be contacted by old friends.
- Register for RESDC Events. Conveniently reserve your spot or purchase tickets to one of our popular events. These include attending a Padres game, a theater performance, the annual Health Fair Picnic, the annual Holiday Luncheon, RESDC Roundup Social Mixers, or one of our many informative General Membership Meetings.
- Purchase See’s Gift Cards. Through our online store, you can purchase $25 See’s Candies Gift Cards for $22, a savings of $3 each. Note: Limit 10 per customer.
Go to resdc.wildapricot.org and log in today!
Note: When you became a member of RESDC, you were sent an email containing a temporary password. This password, along with your email address on file with RESDC, will be your login information. If you no longer have access to this email, please email resdc@resdc.net to request another temporary password. □
BITS & PIECES
Nancy Watson Evans retired from IHSS, a division of HHSA, in 2000 as a Social Worker. She celebrated her 87th birthday on December 10th. On August 5, 2023, Nancy married James Phillip Debus whom she met at church. For their honeymoon, they drove up Highway 1 almost to the Oregon Border and then turned inland to visit Clear Lake, which is the largest lake in California. They stayed on both sides of the Lake. The trip was beautiful with great scenery on the coast and inland. The wedding was small with only 6 people attending but their children had a reception party on August 19th with 85 people attending.
RESDC President Chris Heiserman was honored in December 2023 by State Assemblywoman Dr. Akilah Weber as her 79th Assembly District’s “Senior of the Year.” He was deemed “a distinguished California civil servant and community volunteer.” He was recognized for his many years of public service in State and County government, his 18 years as an elected member of the San Miguel Fire Board, his 10 years of volunteer service on the RESDC Board, and his more than 30 years of community involvement with the Kiwanis Club of Spring Valley. In addition, Chris dedicated several years as the President of the non-profit Dictionary Hill Open Space Advocates, which in 2017 celebrated the acquisition of Dictionary Hill by San Diego County and the creation of the 175-acre Dictionary Hill County Preserve for community residents and visitors to the area to enjoy forever. Assemblywoman Weber presented a framed Assembly Resolution to Chris at her annual Community Recognitions Event December 2, 2023. □
PURCHASE SEE’S CANDIES GIFT CARDS ONLINE
You can now purchase See’s Candies gift cards in our new Online Store using your RESDC discount!
RESDC members are offered $25 gift cards for $22, a savings of $3. Gift cards are redeemable at any See’s Candies location or online.
To purchase gift cards online, go to: resdc.wildapricot.org/online-store
Note: You need a RESDC member self-service login in order to access the online store. If you need one, please email resdc@resdc.net. □
FREE SMOKE ALARMS FOR SENIORS
RECENT EVENTS
New Issue Brief: The National Retirement Risk Index with Varying Claiming Ages.
Nearly half of U.S. households face retirement readiness risk according to a study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (CRR)
(https://crr.bc.edu/).
The study is based on the National Retirement Risk Index, or NRRI, which uses data from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances to assess the potential risk of not having enough income in retirement. A household is considered at risk if its projected income replacement rate is more than 10% below the target rate.
The brief’s key findings are:
- Households ages 62-75 have substantial earnings.
- The National Retirement Risk Index, which assumes all households claim Social Security – and retire – at 65, does not count earnings after 65.
- So, about half of all earnings for those 62-75 are excluded from the Index and could distort the results.
- Introducing more realistic claiming ages for low, middle, and high-income households solves two problems:
- Increases the earnings in the Index to two-thirds, with the rest going mainly to high earners where it has little impact.
- Produces a more sensible pattern of percentage “at risk” by income group.
- One thing that doesn’t change is the overall percentage of today’s working households at risk: that’s still about 50 percent.
To access the full brief, visit: https://crr.bc.edu/publication-type/brief/
New County Supervisor Sworn Into Office.
Excerpt from the County News Center article. (www.countynewscenter.com):
A new member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors was sworn in Tuesday at the County Administration Center.
Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe will represent the Fourth Supervisorial District for the remainder of the current term ending in January 2027.
Supervisor Montgomery Steppe was sworn in by her father-in-law Cecil Steppe and joined by her husband Steve while reciting her oath. She becomes the county’s first Black woman supervisor.
“We know that today marks a momentous occasion in our county’s history, filled with promise, filled with hope and filled with progress,” Supervisor Montgomery Steppe said. “As I stand before you, deeply humbled and immensely grateful, l am acutely aware of the weight of responsibility and the honor to be chosen by the people as the first Black woman to serve on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in the history of this county. I am truly honored.”
District 4 voters selected Montgomery Steppe to fill the vacant board seat during the Nov. 7 special election. She previously served as a council member for the City of San Diego. □
IN MEMORIAM
Reed Bennett, Dept Public Works
Betty Boone
William Burns, Public Defender
Louise Burson, Sheriff
Colleen Carlson, Environ Health
William Carnie, Marshal
Teri Clement, Probation
Michael Collette, Sheriff
Frank Cordle, Sheriff
Genevieve Dominguez, Probation
Patricia Doria
Vivian Duclos, HHSA
Delores Ebner, Auditor & Controller
Joyce Erickson
Mike Garza
Truth Hackett, HHSA
Bettie Hamilton
Francis Hammes, District Attorney
Sylvia Hernandez, HHSA
Cecilia Herrill
Mary Herron, HHSA
Coradell Hickman
Ronald Hoyt
Mike Lancaster, HHSA
Terrence Lawson, Sheriff
David Love, Sheriff
Alicia Marion, Probation
Frank Martin
Martha Meurer, Housing/Commty Devlp
Valerie Montague, Superior Court
Luong Nguyen, HHSA
Lois Niman, Housing/Commty Devlp
Octavio Osuna, Animal Services
Craig Pease, Facilities Mgmt
Lorraine Quasebarth
Kathleen Rex
Julianna Rhinehart, HHSA
Arthur Settles, HHSA
Martyn Shepherd. General Services
Anna Smith, Assessor/Recorder/Cty Clk
Theodore Snyder, Public Defender
Victoria Spreng, HHSA
Elinor Thursby
Carol Warnock
Jean Watson
Charles Whitney, HHSA
Irene Wilkinson, HHSA
Alfonso Williams, Sheriff
Patricia Williams, HHSA
*Active Employee
MEMBER PRIVACY
Any retiree or surviving spouse who does not want his/her death notice published in the “In Memoriam” column may notify the RESDC office and your privacy will be maintained.
The Surviving Spouse of a RESDC member is eligible for RESDC membership. For enrollment assistance, please call (619) 688-9229. □
SDCERA DATES FOR 2024 ELECTRONIC PENSION DEPOSITS
| Month | Deposit Date |
| January | 31 |
| February | 29 |
| March | 29 |
| April | 30 |
| May | 31 |
| June | 28 |
| July | 31 |
| August | 30 |
| September | 30 |
| October | 31 |
| November | 29 |
| December | 31 |
Retain this calendar for quick reference for the dates you will receive your electronic deposits. □
FACTS
AT A GLANCE
7.03%
Mortgage rates fell from 7.22% to 7.03% in mid-December, the lowest level since August.
Associated Press
THE NETWORK is the official monthly newsletter of the Retired Employees of San Diego County, Inc. (RESDC), a private non-profit organization.
The information printed in THE NETWORK is believed to be from reliable sources. However, no responsibility is assumed by THE NETWORK for inaccuracies contained herein.
Business and Inquiries: Business matters and address changes may be recorded on our voicemail at any time, call (866) 688-9229. Please spell your name so the correct member record can be located.
Retired Employees of San Diego County, Inc.
8825 Aero Drive, Suite 205 | San Diego, CA 92123
Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday
TELEPHONE: (866) 688-9229 Toll Free
FAX: (619) 688-0766
E-MAIL: resdc@resdc.net