Submitted by Jimmy Warden
NAPS Secretary/Treasurer
The fall 2021 Executive Board meeting was called to order at 1 p.m. on Oct. 17 by President Ivan D. Butts. Pioneer Area Vice President Tim Needham gave the invocation; Texas Area Vice President Jaime Elizondo Jr. led the Pledge of Allegiance. New England Area Vice President Bill Austin was appointed sergeant-at-arms. Secretary/Treasurer Jimmy Warden conducted the roll call of officers; all board members were present.
Butts welcomed board members, saying he was glad everyone arrived safely as there were travel issues at the nearby Washington airport that resulted in major delays. He welcomed the new board members and said he expects they will add great value to the board and NAPS membership. Butts said there is a full agenda planned; he is looking forward to the guest speakers, as well as topics for discussion that will be presented.
Executive Vice President Chuck Mulidore also welcomed the board members. He said it has been an interesting transition lately as the building just went through major repairs, including replacing walls inside some of the offices. The front of the building had to be repaired as a result of water damage from rain. Everyone whose offices were in the front of the building had to temporarily relocate. Mulidore said he is looking forward to the future.
Warden welcomed all the board members, saying he was happy to see everyone again in person and to know everyone was doing well. He said he is looking forward to the future working with Ivan and Chuck; the transition has been going well. This past week was a difficult one because of the tragic loss of postal lives at the Lamar Annex of the Memphis Post Office. Warden asked everyone to remember those who lost their lives.
New board members John Valuet, Bill Austin and Dee Perez introduced themselves. Pacific Area Vice President Chuck Lum moved to reelect Southern Region Vice President Tim Ford as board chair. There were no other nominations; Ford was reelected.
A motion was made to adopt the agenda and program. A discussion ensued regarding the Sept. 4, 2021, board meeting when NAPS Parliamentarian Bruce Bishop informed the board that, according to “Robert’s Rules of Order,” if a motion is made and the agenda and program are adopted, then it cannot be changed and must be strictly followed. Per “Robert’s Rules of Order,” Bishop explained, it is not necessary to adopt the agenda; the chair can elect to follow the agenda and program. The motion was withdrawn.
Ford welcomed board members, informing them of the rules regarding meeting protocol.
MINK Area Vice President Bart Green recommended, seconded by Needham, to accept the minutes of the spring 2021 Executive Board meeting, March 21-24, and the pre- and post-national convention board meetings, Aug. 28 and Sept. 4, as previously submitted to the board. The recommendation was adopted.
Warden gave the financial report. As of Oct. 1, 2021, NAPS investments totaled $13,176,199.49. On June 1, 2021, NAPS investments totaled $13,601,587.01. This is a 2022 fiscal year-to-date decrease of $425,387.52 or 3.23%.
As of Oct. 1, 2021, the NAPS General Fund Signature FCU Checking account balance was $367,684.07; the Signature FCU Money Market account was $1,338.88, for a total of $369,022.95.
As of Sept. 30, 2021, NAPS Property, Inc. had $106,854 in cash on the balance sheet. There are $115,228 in outstanding liabilities (security deposits, prepaid rents and accrued expenses), which means all cash is encumbered; there is no free cash flow.
Tower Strategy vacated its space at the end of November 2020. The space was released in May 2021 to Real Estate Counselors PLLC. Strategic Partnerships vacated its space on the first floor when its lease expired on Sept. 30, 2021; the space remains vacant. Tenant LRB currently is with legal. A settlement agreement has been drafted whereby the tenant would surrender the space voluntarily as of Jan. 31, 2022. NAPS is awaiting final execution from all parties.
Current cash projections assume continued vacancy on the 2nd floor. STOLADI Property Group is working on leasing the space at the market rate of $29 per square foot. The overall pace of leasing remains slow because of COVID-19.
The cash forecast for FY22 assumes $50,000 of contributions from the landlord (NAPS Headquarters) will be required monthly to cover the deficit created by delinquency from LRB and current vacancies and building operating expenses. However, to the extent a settlement is reached with LRB and a portion of the outstanding receivables are collected, these contribution requests may be lowered.
Total square footage of rentable space is 44,922, not including common areas, such as the lobby, hallways and restrooms. The total vacant square footage is 15,750:
As of Oct. 1, 2021, NAPS Headquarters social media results were as follows:
Facebook had 3,162 followers (up from 2,911 in October 2020; or 8.65%). Posts continue to garner an average of approximately 300 to 1,000 views; the most engaging posts get about 1,000 to 4,000 views organically. The post with the highest reach so far in 2021 was from Aug. 25, 2021, (about 4.2k+ reaches/views): “NAPS Newsbreak—NAPS Approves USPS EAS Pay Decision Through May 20, 2023.”
The next highest posts/reaches included:
Facebook continues to be highly trafficked; competition for organic views on the timeline is fierce. Because so many people are on the platform and more advertisers pay for ads every year, NAPS is competing to have its posts seen (even by people who already follow the page).
Each year, the NAPS page is competing with more organizations/people/pages to show up in people’s timelines when they scroll through Facebook. Boosting posts can be a cost-effective way to get more reach. It is relatively inexpensive and can allow NAPS posts to be seen by more people.
Most of NAPS’ web traffic from social media continues to come from Facebook (90%+). Still, it’s very important also to be on the other platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, for visibility.
Twitter followers as of Oct. 1 were 644. Typical monthly impressions are approximately 5,000, depending on the type of news shared.
Instagram followers as of Oct. 1 were 308.
LinkedIn followers as of Oct. 1 were 47.
Website traffic for 2021 shows the number of users is flat, about the same as January to September 2021. The number of overall page views has increased slightly as has the time each user has spent on the site. The data also shows that users visiting a page are clicking through more pages
(fewer people are leaving after just visiting the first page on which they land). This is evidenced by the bounce rate decreasing by about 3.4%.
Email continues to be a large driver for readership and traffic to the website. News pages and magazine articles posted regularly are some of the most-visited pages. It’s important to repost the magazine articles on the website because it allows members and prospective members another avenue to get this information. It also provides consistent/regular fresh content for the website, which is important for Google and other search engines.
In addition to the magazine articles, NAPS is considering developing an ongoing content plan to have more original news/blog articles or other types of content written and shared on the website. Articles from The Postal Supervisor get a lot of traction and are great, but if/when it makes sense, NAPS will explore creating more original content and articles exclusively for the website. This could help continue to grow web traffic, which is the goal. A board member suggested also putting podcasts on the website besides the NAPS Chat or posting on YouTube.
As of the August DCO (reflecting DCO membership through PPs 16 and 17), NAPS had 26,190 members (24,838 active and 1,352 associate; 94.84% and 5.16%, respectively). Total membership from a year ago (PPs 16 and 17, 2020) was 27,473 (26,118 active and 1,355 associate); an overall total SPLY decrease of 1,283 members or (4.67%).
As of the August 2021 DCO, the total number of active nonmember EAS employees was 8,569. This number is based on the USPS payroll files of nonmember EAS employees who are coded nonpostmasters. Based on current membership totals, there are approximately 25.65% nonmembers.
NAPS continues to encourage membership growth by providing sponsors of new members a $25 NAPS check.
Local and state branches continue to receive their NAPS Nonmember and Change Summary Reports, along with their DCO and Mail reports on a monthly basis.
Per a board motion, the contract expiring before the March 2022 Executive Board meeting is that of Bruce Bishop for parliamentarian services.
Al Lum, Labor Relations Admin Group (LRAG), and Mulidore gave their DDF report. Updates on wins, losses, settlements and a review of current cases were provided. Due process is a major concern; requesting information is ignored in many areas. Lum recommended that branches contact him to notify him when a case has been sent to him. Also, ensure the person seeking the DDF is a NAPS member.
A copy of the DDF request form also must be sent to Mulidore so he is aware of the case and can verify membership. A copy of Lum’s presentation will be posted on the NAPS website.
Karen Young, NAPS editor, reported that everything went well at the convention. The hotel cooperated tremendously with photocopying the Daily Newsletter. An idea for area photos at next year’s convention is to set up risers in the convention hall so delegates won’t have far to walk.
Printing costs are rising for the magazine, especially paper, as well as its availability. NAPS may need to adjust advertising rates. The NAPS resident officers and board thanked Young for the outstanding job she does in publishing The Postal Supervisor.
NAPS attorney Bruce Moyer gave the board a confidential update on legal issues facing the organization. He also discussed the oral arguments in NAPS v. USPS heard at the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals on Sept. 21. Moyer thanked the board for allowing him the privilege of continuing to work with NAPS; he fully understands the work that needs to be done. Butts thanked Moyer for his work.
Butts next welcomed USPS Inspector General Tammy Whitcomb and Special Agent-in-Charge Imari Niles. Whitcomb thanked NAPS for its participation in discussing and addressing issues.
They explained the Office of Inspector General (OIG) works to prevent and detect fraud, waste and misconduct and performs audits to determine the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of postal programs and operations. The OIG reports to Congress and the USPS Board of Governors.
The OIG’s latest areas of focus include ongoing mail delays and service performance; changes in the agency’s network structure and process; the financial condition of the Postal Service, including maximizing revenue and controlling costs; reduction in mail and the growing reliance on packages; and the USPS response to COVID-19.
OIG reports are posted to the website—USPSOIG—and can be viewed by the public. Service performance can be viewed on the website for a specific area by clicking on the map.
Investigations by the OIG include internal mail theft, narcotics, mail delay and destruction, financial fraud, health care fraud, contract fraud, employee misconduct, workplace environment violations and computer crimes. A copy of the OIG presentation is posted on the NAPS website.
Regarding new business, Moyer provided the link of oral arguments in the NAPS v. USPS appeal, as well as a link to the commentary article published in Law360. The links are on the NAPS website.
A discussion was held on the Postal Employees Relief Fund (PERF). A motion was submitted by Mulidore to contribute $30,000 to PERF; the motion passed.
There was a concern submitted by a member that NAPS was not involved in the RIF. The board discussed this allegation; the statement is untrue. NAPS definitely was involved and was in continual contact with Postal Headquarters requesting data. Butts, along with other board members, reached out to the NAPS members who were listed as still affected. NAPS disagreed with the way the process was administered and earlier had informed Postal Headquarters of its concerns.
Discussion followed regarding the website. The feeling is the website needs to be more user-friendly and have information updated more often. NAPS Headquarters intends to assign staff member Allison Portnoy to these responsibilities.
Mulidore and Director of Legislative & Political Affairs Bob Levi reviewed legislative, regulatory and political activities over the past six months that impact NAPS members and provided an update on the 2022 Legislative Training Seminar (LTS).
Levi briefed the board on upcoming meetings scheduled to discuss NAPS issues, including a meeting with the White House. The concern is why H.R. 3076 is not moving to the House floor to a vote. If H.R. 3076 was passed, the legislation would help open the door to get other postal bills better recognized, which won’t be considered in committee until H.R. 3076 is on the floor.
There has been an increase in listeners for the NAPS Chat podcast. The series focuses on NAPS issues; members are encouraged to listen. Links are on the NAPS website.
There was discussion on the three USPS Board of Governors members whose terms are scheduled to end in December. Also, there are two bills pending to adjust COLA for retirees. H.R. 304, introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), requests the same COLA for CSRS and FERS employees. H.R. 4315, introduced by Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), requests a change in the calculation to employ CPI-E for all retirement COLAs.
Mulidore wants to find new ways to generate SPAC contributions. He then presented Western Region Vice President Marilyn Walton with her certificate for becoming a member of the President’s Ultimate SPAC ($1,000+) level. All board members who have reached the President’s Ultimate SPAC level were acknowledged. Mulidore urged board members to lead by example.
Rocky Mountain Area Vice President Myrna Pashinski, New England Area Vice President Bill Austin, Pacific Area Vice President Chuck Lum, Eastern Region Vice President Richard Green and Pioneer Area Vice President Tim Needham also received certificates for reaching the President’s Ultimate SPAC. A copy of the presentation is on the NAPS website.
President Butts welcomed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to the meeting; new board members introduced themselves. DeJoy said the postal associations and unions have been welcoming and supportive; he greatly appreciates the relationships.
The PMG shared that outside entities have been a challenge and created difficulties. The Board of Governors previously asked for a $70 billion bailout before his arrival in summer 2020, but he feels a bailout is not the answer. Rather, the agency needs to embark on making changes to fix the service. The 10-year plan was devised to adjust after three years.
DeJoy said that, as a professional logistician, he cannot describe the lack of precision with the network; it was exhausting looking at report after report because of the duplicate structure. When he joined the Postal Service, it was forecast to run out of cash within three months.
Regarding hiring, an OIG report stated the USPS met its hiring plan, but, DeJoy stressed, it means nothing if employees aren’t retained; there’s a 40% turnover rate. The organization was designed to push everything down, but that is changing. DeJoy has 16 direct reports and cross-collaboration has begun.
The company cannot just fix a problem, he surmised, but should also teach how to fix the problem to achieve gains for the organization. Also, Operations needed to improve; transportation is a key—run the trucks on time. This was tried last year, but the plan failed on the first day.
This is changing, the PMG stressed, as the new team is engaged and learning. The agency is engaging in the transformation in order to succeed. He said the most important source to the organization is its supervisors.
When he was asked to take the position of PMG, DeJoy said he felt it was needed and he could be successful—a major pandemic was going on and he could make a difference. DeJoy shared that he has a vision and the responsibility to achieve it in order to be successful. Therefore, decisions need to be made.
A strong, robust plan is needed to run the organization. Service is at approximately 91% and additional network is being looked at: 4,000 to 5,000 employees to the delivery network and about 40,000 to the logistics network; 50% of the workload is in delivery.
Additional staffing is not needed in delivery just for peak season, he suggested. Staffing should be based on the USPS’ needs throughout the year. We can’t wait on Congress for relief, he urged. Routes should be built on eight hours’ work for eight hours’ pay. Carriers should be arriving at delivery points the same time each day.
Also, plant overtime is down to 11%. This past year, transportation had 55,000 trucks only 30% full; 10,000 trucks were being run 10% full. None of the plants seem to be set up the same. Much focus is being placed on these issues in order to increase efficiency and precision.
DeJoy said his previous company had 275 plants that all did something different, but had a common approach. There is a major effort underway as to what plants and transportation should be like. The focus is to deliver mail and packages, but the network needs to be redesigned; it is outdated. The focus is on plants and transportation on which capital will be spent.
The PMG also stressed the agency will focus on engagement. For peak season, staffing started early. Plants are running better and expect a 10% yield, he shared. Trucks now are up to averaging 47% capacity.
DeJoy said a number of contractors canceled their contracts with the Postal Service because of its insistence that they be on time. Many employees have converted to career. He is expecting a good peak season.
A challenge right now is getting product into the country. It’s expected that product will be delivered in January—not because of the agency’s service, but because of availability of the product. Regardless, overall, DeJoy anticipates a successful peak season.
The PMG took questions from the board. He emphasized that HR and Operations need to work together with the many initiatives and pilot programs being tested. This includes having NAPS at the table during discussions and implementation.
The PMG told the NAPS board he was involved in decisions to revise NPA goals. The former NPA was too complex; more emphasis needed to be placed on goals on which an employee has direct control, as well as realistic targets. He said the Functional Effectiveness indicator addresses that issue.
DeJoy reiterated that staffing needs to be where it should be so there’s stability, which will help address retention issues, onboarding and security. Once there is stabilization, there will be better control of Operations. We can focus on developing new hires and selecting the right people, he stressed. Also, the security of post offices is being reviewed to ensure employees can report and leave each day safely and securely.
NAPS asked what it can do to help. DeJoy responded he wants NAPS and its members to believe in the organization and embrace change. He acknowledged it can appear to be a hard path, but the Postal Service could not have continued the path it was on and expect to be successful.
A recommendation was made that the PMG hold meetings with frontline employees so they can see his enthusiasm and positivity. DeJoy shared that he has been visiting the field every two weeks. He also has had Zoom meetings with many groups and attended their functions, such as the NAPS National Convention and its fall board meeting.
He also has been making videos and many visits to plants and offices trying to spread the message. DeJoy said he is trying to expand that reach; his enthusiasm comes from seeing the remarkable work that postal employees perform and he witnesses in his site visits.
The PMG’s focus right now is on peak season. After Jan. 1, there will be more changes, especially with the package business.
Next was a presentation on operational excellence by Jewelyn Harrington, senior director of Operational Excellence, and Jason Hewitt, manager, Continuous Improvement.
There are two Operational Excellence teams: Chief Delivery Retail Officer and Chief Logistics Processing Officer. The focus is on customer needs, empowering employees and continuous improvement that drives performance. That is achieved when every employee can see the flow value to the customer and is empowered to fix that flow.
Thinking differently, leading differently, working differently:
Thinking—mindset of support/value driven, customers/value, workforce, managers, executives and executive leadership team.
Leadership Principles—respect every individual and lead with humility. The program has 10 principles of operational excellence in four categories: results, enterprise alignment, continuous improvement and cultural enablers.
Working—huddle, gemba walk, reflection, improve.
This system is to help with engagement. Using the Postal Pulse, engagement is being monitored. A copy of the presentation is on the NAPS website.
Butts next introduced Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Human Resources Officer Doug Tulino. NAPS’ new board members introduced themselves. Tulino thanked the board for allowing him to visit and speak with them. He talked about how the Postal Service is working on the 10-year plan, “Delivering for America.” Tulino said he is very optimistic about the future as he has been a part of where the Postal Service has been and now sees where it is going. He stressed this is a great opportunity to grow the business. The vision, he pointed out, is from PMG DeJoy and is about the people.
Questions were taken from the board. He explained the agency has been divided into three major departments: Processing and Logistics, Retail and Delivery and Commerce. All departments should know their role. If they are unsure, they need to elevate the issues to field HR.
Tulino said inappropriate behavior is not being tolerated; it needs to be reported so it is addressed immediately. When employees are spoken to appropriately, it contributes to a positive environment. NAPS stated that, at times, messages aren’t communicated as originated from USPS Headquarters. Tulino said he has addressed this issue with Josh Colin and Isaac Cronkhite to ensure this message gets down to all levels.
The culture is changing and the agency is focusing on developing its employees, Tulino pointed out. One size doesn’t fit all; Cronkhite is looking into this. Clarity also is needed. People need to know what they are being asked to drive. And for them to be compensated fairly, they need to know what is needed to drive their performance.
There needs to be a viable operating plan that drives behavior. Employees need to know what is realistically needed to be done to drive positive behavior. The objective is to be at 95% efficiency in all areas. Presently, that is not occurring, but it is achievable, he stated.
Tulino told board members the employee hiring category needs to be looked at differently; think differently about each category. CCAs are converted on a specific time. The Postal Service needs to be more flexible; it cannot be working new employees so many hours. Function 1 has 25,000 more employees than last year; there is less reliance on holiday help.
This now will be done for Customer Service. CCAs are at 84% retention loss; RCAs are at 81% retention loss.
Long workhours are an issue for non-career employees, as well as supervisors, who are required to work extensive hours. Tulino said too many hours are spent on 204-Bs. Perhaps there needs to be an apprentice program for supervisors and minimize or eliminate the need for 204-Bs.
No company should be forced to keep employees who cannot perform, Tulino urged. If an employee cannot perform the basic job functions during their 90-day probation period and the USPS has provided training and coached them on performance, then consideration should be given to separating the employee.
The December consultative meeting was held in conjunction with the fall board meeting.
There was no old business. Following were Executive Board committee updates:
Ethics—Central Region Vice President Craig Johnson (chair), Central Gulf Area Vice President Roy Beau doin, Eastern Region Vice President Richard Green, Northeast Region Vice President Tommy Roma and Western Region Vice President Marilyn Walton. Johnson had no updates; he thanked his committee.
Constitution & Bylaws—Texas Area Vice President Jaime Elizondo (chair), New England Area Vice President Bill Austin, North Central Area Vice President Dan Mooney, Rocky Mountain Area Vice President Myrna Pashinski and Northwest Area Vice President John Valuet. Elizondo had no updates; he acknowledged and thanked his committee.
SWCs—Northeast Region Vice President Tommy Roma (chair), Secretary/Treasurer Jimmy Warden, Mideast Area Vice President Tony Dallojacono, Capitol-Atlantic Area Vice President Troy Griffin, Northwest Area Vice President John Valuet and former Rocky Mountain Area Vice President John Aceves.
The SWCs process still is under the guidelines agreed on through the consultative process in 2012. The agreement (instructions) can be found on the NAPS website and on the USPS Blue page.
Roma said the committee had concerns as some of the TACS duties are assigned to lead clerks. This workload has been taken from supervisors’ duties. It was discussed that not all TACS duties are assigned to the lead clerk; the supervisor still maintains some of the responsibilities.
The committee currently is gathering information that substantiates additional duties assigned to supervisors over the past two years. The committee is preparing so when it meets with Postal Headquarters to discuss and review the SWCs program, the committee will be ready to present its data. There also was concern and discussion that maintenance employees should receive the full one-point credit—not .75. Roma acknowledged and thanked his committee.
Duties and Responsibilities—Cotton Belt Area Vice President Shri Green (chair), Central Gulf Area Vice President Roy Beaudoin, Illini Area Vice President Luz Moreno and Pioneer Area Vice President Tim Need ham. See page 37 for the committee’s recommendations.
Green acknowledged and thanked her committee.
Legislative—Western Region Vice President Marilyn Walton (chair), Executive Vice President Chuck Mulidore, Eastern Region Vice President Richard Green, New York Area Vice President Dee Perez, Southeast Area Vice President Bob Quinlan and Michiana Vice President Kevin Trayer.
Walton reported that, as executive vice president, Chuck Mulidore is the resident officer on the committee. Also joining the committee are Green and Perez. The committee is ready to get to work and will not miss a beat!
She said that, since this past spring, most of the legislative activity was focused on the recall vote in California of Gov. Gavin Newsom that ended on Sept. 13 in a resounding defeat. Supporters of the recall effort spent over $30 million.
Walton has continued in her role as communications director for the California Postal Employees Coalition. Letters have been sent to congressional delegations opposing the slowdown of mail and supporting H. Res. 109 that deals with changes to service standards.
Letters also have been sent supporting H. Res. 47, legislation reintroduced by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) that addresses privatization.
Most recently, support has been requested for H.R. 3076. Coalition members and California NAPS members have been asked to contact their representatives who serve on the House Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce committees asking them to move H.R. 3076 out of their committees to a floor vote by early November.
Using the talking points provided by Levi, Walton said she further explained why this bipartisan legislation would be good for the Postal Service’s financial soundness and addressing the ongoing pre-funding issue once and for all.
She also composed letters supporting the postal conglomerate’s concern regarding the Postal Service bidding on vehicles without considering the environmental impact.
Walton reported that she prepared an in-kind gift basket for the NAPS “Midsummer Night’s” raffle with the theme, all things Northern California. She was happy to report the successful bidder was on the East Coast.
Her monthly blog for NAPS members has continued a report called “Civics 101,” an effort to explain the workings of Congress. She also asks members to make regular contributions to SPAC and encourages them to become continuous contributors.
Trayer reported that the Michiana Area has been working to make up for lost time due to COVID in getting SPAC contributions. The area promotes SPAC raffles and encourages members to become continuous contributors. Grassroots efforts still are the most important and effective way to educate and gain support for NAPS’ agenda.
Trayer said he continues to reach out to legislators regarding alerts. The current ask is to gain support for H.R. 3076. They currently are planning on attending a legislative event with Levi in Washington, DC, for Rep. Brenda Lawrence.
Warden reported that Perez and Flushing Branch 164 President Jeff Goldman attended an event for Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) at Citifield. Perez was able to speak with Suozzi regarding issues pertaining to NAPS. Suozzi is a member of the House Ways & Means Committee.
Members of New York Branch 100 and Tommy Roma Branch 68 will be attending an event for Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) on Oct 18. Maloney is chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
All New York branches have been urged to contact their representatives, requesting they support H.R. 1623, 1624, 3076 and 3077. The branches also were asked to continue to support SPAC; it’s especially important now considering the bills that address NAPS issues.
Perez further discussed the event for Maloney. Branch 100 President Tom Hughes and Branch 68 Executive Vice President Walter DeBerry will attend in Perez’ absence. Perez shared talking points with the branches so members would be prepared to talk to Maloney. (Photos from the event were published in the December Postal Supervisor.)
Quinlan acknowledged it’s been a tough year trying to get legislation passed. Florida and Georgia have been busy contacting their lawmakers. He said they had some luck regarding H.R. 3076.
Florida and Georgia collected over $3,000 at the Southeast Area Training Seminar in Orlando this past September. Quinlan said he is in the process of setting up a Zoom meeting with Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL); he said he will report the results of the meeting.
Green said the Eastern Region will establish these goals for legislative activity:
1. Quarterly Zoom meetings with area vice presidents and state legislative chairs to drive NAPS’ agenda.
2. In person/Zoom meetings with representatives/aides to build grassroots relationships.
3. Quarterly reports to NAPS Headquarters/committee chair. Walton thanked her committee members.
PFP Advisory—Central Region Vice President Dan Mooney (chair), Immediate Past President Brian Wagner, Eastern Region Vice President Richard Green, Capitol-Atlantic Vice President Troy Griffin and New York Area Vice President Dee Perez. The committee met and discussed in detail the June, July and August NPA scorecards and the OIG report, “National Service Performance,” that was released on Sept. 20, 2021.
Members talked about possible mitigation strategies once the EOY scorecard is released. The EOY scorecard is not expected to be released until the FY21 financial results are finalized and released around Nov. 10.
Many “events” took place in FY21 that impacted NPA, among them the unprecedented 2020 national elections with court-ordered actions taken with mail-in ballots, the record peak season that gridlocked the transportation and mail processing networks, COVID still raging, legally bound emergency federal employee leave creating exceptionally large employee availability issues, all during a massive corporate restructuring. The committee will be looking at the impact of those and other events.
They also talked about what issues they will bring to the table in the upcoming NPA workgroup with USPS Headquarters to work on FY22 and FY23. NAPS feels strongly that changes are needed to the NPA process and will be working toward these with the workgroup. Mooney thanked his committee members.
Postmaster—MINK Area Vice President Bart Green (chair), Pioneer Area Vice President Tim Needham, New York Area Vice President Dee Perez and Michiana Area Vice President Kevin Trayer. The committee discussed setting up advocacy training throughout the country in pockets to do two- or three-day training on representation.
The training would take a deeper dive in handling, preparing and building cases. Also, what type of information to ask for and how to manage members during the entire process. This would provide more in-depth training for newer representatives.
With POStPlan on the horizon and the use of more lead clerks in Level-18s, NAPS needs to start reaching out and preparing to gain new members. Many affected postmasters could end up back in SCS positions. NAPS needs to be prepared and welcome them to NAPS.
The committee plans to work with the National Convention Postmaster Committee regarding setting up monthly training for EAS employees in the field and plants. These would be roughly hour-long sessions covering all matters of topics as they relate to postmasters’ day-to-day jobs. Examples are stamp stock accountability, SV/BV scanning, use of IV and other topics as recommended by the convention committee. In addition, looking for subject matter experts throughout the country to help in this training.
The committee would like to see the NAPS website redone. Currently, there are no plant, maintenance or postmaster sections on the site. The intent is to make the site more user-friendly and better aligned with the jobs in the field.
The committee would like the resident officers, as well as the Convention Postmaster Committee, to meet via Zoom on Nov. 9 to discuss some of these initiatives. Committee members want to hear from members in the field as to what they would like to get from NAPS. In addition, it might be a good idea to set up a yearly calendar for members similar to what UPMA shares in the field.
Green thanked his committee members.
Training and Advocacy—Rocky Mountain Area Vice President Myrna Pashinski (chair), Immediate Past President Brian Wagner, Southern Region Vice President Tim Ford, Eastern Region Vice President Richard Green and Pacific Area Vice President Chuck Lum.
The committee met on Oct. 17 and completed the “Officer Training Manual,” except for debt collection. The ELM has changed, so the process is different. The intent is to develop a flow chart on debt collection. The committee will review the manual one more time as a team and have another update up on the website by the spring Executive Board meeting.
The committee is working on the following topics:
Pashinski—Constitution & Bylaws and the request for branches to send copies to NAPS Headquarters as backup for branches.
Ford—“How to Stay Out of Trouble” is completed; it needs to be put into PowerPoint.
Lum—Leadership needs to be refined and reviewed.
Wagner—ELM 650 case study.
Also by the spring board meeting, the committee will review all the training PowerPoints on a flash drive and present the topics at the board meeting.
During the board report, the committee was asked to look at an issue regarding the EEO process and representative certification for employees who have been to 650 training. Pashinski thanked her committee members.
Membership—All Executive Board members are responsible for increasing membership. The board received an update from NAPS Membership Coordinator Emily Christophersen on getting updated branch officer profiles, as well as a discussion of new Finance numbers from the USPS that are causing some issues with NAPS’ membership program.
Plant—Pacific Area Vice President Chuck Lum (chair), President Ivan D. Butts, Texas Area Vice President Jaime Elizondo, Cotton Belt Area Vice President Shri Green and Illini Area Vice President Luz Moreno. The committee met Oct. 17 and had an open discussion, agreeing to determine strategies to develop a staffing model for supervisor, Distribution Operations.
Opportunity: Larger area of operational coverage.
Committee tasks:
Unfinished committee business:
The committee will continue to monitor transition on Logistics and Processing operations to establish plans to improve EAS staffing and work conditions. Lum acknowledged and thanked his committee members.
Sheri Davies of ConferenceDirect provided an update on the NAPS 2021 National Convention in Grapevine, TX. As of Oct. 20, NAPS had not received the final bill from the Gaylord. Sponsorship fees collected for the convention were $77,100. Marriott Bonvoy Reward points was an issue for rooms on the master bill. Points will be granted after the bill has been finalized.
Branding was discussed for the 2022 LTS. Five choices were presented; the board voted on which one to be used. NAPS intends to try a new, professional registration platform for delegates to use when registering and arriving at LTS. The resident officers will be given a demonstration. Should it be successful, it will be used at the 2022 National Convention.
Live-stream capabilities will be available for delegates to Zoom with congressional representatives as there may be limited access to their respective offices.
For the 2024 National Convention, Foxwoods Resort Casino has agreed to provide free transportation from the airport to Foxwoods, but not for the return trip. The convention contract has been signed for the convention.
The Hyatt Regency New Orleans’ room rate for the 2022 National Convention is $165. Any branch wishing to be considered to host the 2026 National Convention needs to submit by Dec. 31, 2021.
Stacey Herndon, PNC Investments, updated the board on NAPS investments. There has been volatility in the market, but NAPS has a good investment strategy that is conservative and balanced in nature, as well as structured for the long term. Thus, it is recommended that NAPS stay the course. It is not a good idea to pull out of the market at the bottom and attempt to buy in when the market rises; 40% of NAPS portfolio has no exposure to risk.
Negative returns are not projected. It is PNC’s view that the spike in inflation and the supply chain will subside and projects inflation will normalize at 3%. Interest rates will go higher, but it is undetermined how fast and long, perhaps late 2022. As of Oct. 20, investments increased 2.4%.
Jim Stokes and the STOLADI team provided an update on leasing vacant office space in the Vincent A. Palladino NAPS Headquarters building, as well as an overview of various issues that arise in the normal day-to-day operations of STOLADI’s onsite building management team.
Stephanie Gleichsner reported on the King Street Metroplace Owners Association (KSMOA). NAPS Property Inc. (NPI) is fully responsible for interior expenses for 1727-1729. As part of the KSMOA, NPI pays 58% of the share as it owns the most space. The plaza is shared with us only, the Wyndham and the Hilton—not 1731-1733.
In 1989, 1727-1729 was developed. NAPS bought the building in 1994. In 2021, the building was assessed for $11.3 million. NAPS appealed; the assessment was reduced to $9 million, reducing taxes. Three management personnel and three engineers are onsite; NAPS receives a monthly report.
Tenant LRB presently is delinquent in rent. It occupies approximately 20% of the square footage. An eviction notice has been served.
The budget includes $1.3 million for expenses. Special projects include replacing outdoor HVA units. There are 32 units; four are replaced yearly. The cycle will resume in 2029. Also, painting emergency evacuation stairwells. Capital expenses are paid by NPI; the budget was short last month by $8,000.
Parking income is down as many persons are working from home. KSMOA has five board members, including the three resident officers. NPI has been its first client; there would be $1.3 million in rent if fully leased. After operating expenses, NAPS would be earning about $400,000.
Building occupancy in Alexandria is suffering. STOLADI has tried banners to advertise the vacant space, but hasn’t found that to be effective being NAPS is situated off of King Street. STOLADI advertises NAPS has onsite management, parking availability; plans are done in three-dimension.
Motion #1—Submitted by Beaudoin, seconded by Elizondo, that:
“Money given to the host city for the national convention be changed from $5,000 to $10,000.”
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion #2—Submitted by Mooney, seconded by B. Green, that:
“Regional and area vice presidents be allowed to use their allowance accounts to attend one regional training seminar that’s published in The Postal Supervisor outside their region, per fiscal year. Expenses will be limited to travel reimbursement consistent with current policy; lodging expenses not to exceed those published in The Postal Supervisor for a maximum one day before training seminar to one day after seminar; food expenses not to exceed $150 per day for regional/area vice president and a guest; and registration fees. Substitution pay will not be authorized.”
Voting “yes” were, Butts, Warden, Roma, R. Green, Johnson, Walton, Austin, Perez, Dallojacono, Griffin, Needham, Trayer, Moreno, Mooney, B. Green, Quinlan, Beaudoin, S. Green, Elizondo, Pashinski, Valuet and Wagner. Voting “no” was Mulidore; Lum was absent. As board chair, Ford does not vote. '
The motion passed.
Warden, who was on the prevailing side, asked for reconsideration to Motion 2 that passed. He asked that it be changed to be in line with the current Duties and Responsibilities regarding attending training outside one’s area, but in the respective region. Mooney, who was the original maker of the motion, agreed and amended the original motion. The motion now is in line with the guidelines stated in the Duties & Responsibilities. The motion now reads:
“That regional and area vice presidents be allowed to use their allowance accounts to attend one regional training seminar that’s published in The Postal Supervisor magazine, outside their region, per fiscal year. Expenses will be limited to: travel reimbursement consistent with current policy; lodging expenses not to exceed those published in The Postal Supervisor for a maximum one day before training seminar to one day after seminar; food expenses for self only; registration fee for self only. Substitution pay will not be authorized.”
The motion passed unanimously as amended.
Motion #3—Submitted by Trayer, seconded by Roma, that:
“The NAPS Hartford Insurance coverage, be it well intended, has outlived the current professional business projection coverage needed for the executive board while on travel. It covers only death or dismemberment. Therefore, the resident officers will investigate the cost of adding an income protection plan, such as an Aflac-type monthly income, if a board member becomes injured for any reason or critically ill while on official travel. The resident officers have full leeway to enter into adding such a rider if they deem the cost reasonable.”
Trayer explained that retired board members have just as much financially at risk as a full-time EAS employee.
Voting “yes” were Butts, Muli dore, Warden, Roma, Johnson, Walton, Austin, Perez, Trayer, Moreno, Mooney, B. Green, Quinlan, Beau doin, S. Green, Valuet, Lum and Wagner. Voting “no” were R. Green, Dallojacono, Griffin, Needham, Elizondo and Pashinski. As board chair, Ford does not vote.
The motion passed.
Motion #4—Submitted by Walton, seconded by Trayer, that:
“The NAPS Executive Conference Room be named the Margarete A. Grant Executive Board Conference Room in honor of Grant. She was the first woman resident officer acting first as NAPS secretary/treasurer and finally as NAPS executive vice president. Grant was onsite to submit the bid for the purchase of the NAPS Headquarters building.”
The motion passed unanimously. As a matter of record, Ford voted “yes.”
Motion #5—Submitted by Mulidore, seconded by Wagner, that:
“Based on the extreme conditions faced by many postal employees and due to adverse conditions, such as fires, hurricanes, flooding and more, NAPS contribute $30,000 to PERF.”
Voting “yes” were Butts, Mulidore, Warden, Roma, R. Green, Johnson, Walton, Austin, Perez, Dallojacono, Needham, Trayer, Moreno, Mooney, B. Green, Quinlan, Beau doin, S. Green, Elizondo, Pashinski, Valuet, Lum and Wagner. Voting “no” was Griffin. As board chair, Ford does not vote.
The motion passed.
Motion #6—Submitted by Mooney, seconded by Trayer, that:
“Whereas the NAPS Constitution & Bylaws currently states the immediate past president shall serve for not more than one (1) two-year term, provided the immediate past president continues to be an active or associate member during such term, that the two-year term of immediate past president Brian Wagner be defined as Sept. 4, 2021, through Sept. 3, 2023.”
Voting “yes” were Butts, Warden, Roma, R. Green, Johnson, Walton, Austin, Perez, Dallojacono, Griffin, Needham, Trayer, Moreno, Mooney, Quinlan, Beaudoin, Pashinski, Valuet and Lum. Voting “no” were Mulidore, B. Green and Elizondo; S. Green was absent. As board chair, Ford does not vote.
The motion passed.
Motion #7—Submitted by Valuet, seconded by Beaudoin, that:
“New-member sponsorship checks will be mailed to the sponsoring member at the time the Form 1187 is received by NAPS Headquarters or as soon as possible thereafter.”
Voting “yes” were Butts, Mulidore, Warden, Roma, R. Green, Johnson, Walton, Austin, Perez, Dallojacono, Griffin, Needham, Mooney, B. Green, Quinlan, Beaudoin, S. Green, Elizondo, Pashinski, Valuet, Lum and Wagner; Trayer and Moreno were absent. As board chair, Ford does not vote.
The motion passed.
Motion #8—Submitted by Warden, seconded by Trayer, that:
“Whereas in the past when the president stepped down, the board voted to pay for the car leased by NAPS Headquarters as a departing gift. Because Wagner did not lease a car, that, instead, $25,000 be given to Wagner in recognition of his years of service to NAPS. The monetary gift will be given in January 2022.”
Voting “yes” were Butts, Mulidore, Warden, Roma, R. Green, Johnson, Walton, Austin, Perez, Dallojacono, Needham, Trayer, Mooney, B. Green, Quinlan, Beaudoin, S. Green, Pashinski, Valuet and Lum. Voting “no” were Griffin and Elizondo; Wagner and Moreno were absent. As board chair, Ford does not vote.
The motion passed.
Recommendation #1—Submitted by B. Green, seconded by Need ham, that all minutes of the 2021 previous board meeting (March 21, March 24, Aug. 28 and Sept. 4) be accepted as written as all have been previously shared.
The recommendation passed.
Recommendation #2—Submitted by Trayer, seconded by Moreno, that the resident officers enter into contract negotiations with Bruce Bishop to review his contract. The recommendation passed.
Recommendation #3—Submitted by the Duties & Responsibilities Committee, Change #1 based on Motion #2, that regional and area vice presidents be allowed to use their allowance accounts to attend one regional training seminar that’s published in The Postal Supervisor, outside their region, per fiscal year. Expenses will be limited to: travel reimbursement consistent with current policy; lodging expenses not to exceed those published in The Postal Supervisor for a maximum one day before training seminar to one day after seminar; food expenses for self only; registration fee for self only. Substitution pay will not be authorized.
Amend page 6, bullet #8, of Duties & Responsibilities, as follows: After the wording, “jewelry, such as watches,” add “clothing items, such as shirts,” and change the dollar amount from $1,000 to $1,250. The paragraph will now read:
“Member recognition by board members is encouraged. Member recognition, such as tickets to entertainment and sporting events; jewelry, such as watches; clothing items, such as shirts and other recognition rewards presented to members are not to exceed $1,250 per NAPS fiscal year, reimbursable through each board member’s regular expense account. These expenses will be tracked by the Secretary/Treasurer.”
The recommendation passed.
The dates for the 2022 spring Executive Board meeting are March 30 to April 2.
For the good of the association, new board member Bill Austin thanked board members for their great hospitality shown him as a new member. Wagner thanked the board for all the support they gave him during his service as a resident officer.
Butts thanked the board for their great work during the meeting. “It was great seeing everyone,” he said. “It is an honor working in this position. Safe travels home.”
Valuet led the closing prayer. Ford made a motion to adjourn; the motion was adopted.
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