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Over The Coffeecups
Warren Mitchell - Editor
TODAY'S
PROGRAM
Today
is "Friends Day", when members bring their friends to
share breakfast with us and learn about Kiwanis. Scott Powell
has name tags for our invited guests. Members will meet and
greet our guests as they arrive. President Winstead will have
members introduce their guests and tell something about them.
The purpose of Kiwanis and what it stands for
will be explained to our guests. Background information and
some of the history of Good Morning Kiwanis will be shared
with our guests.
It will be a time of fellowship and getting
to know new friends. Good Morning Kiwanis welcomes all of the
friends.
LAST
WEEKS PROGRAM
Jean
Ash met our speaker, Kay Ivey
when he first went to work as Communications Director for the
Alabama Forestry Service. She is a graduate of Auburn
University and the first woman to be elected Vice President of
the Student Government Association. She was sworn in as the
38th elected Treasurer of Alabama.
Kay started her talk by saying what a joy it
was to come on April 15th. She knew Jean planned it that way,
because he is a good planner. She wanted to thank him for
extending one individual's credibility to another as it means
a lot to a speaker.
Her father was a Kiwanian in Camden, Alabama,
and she appreciates Kiwanis and what we do. She is looking
forward to seeing some of us at HOBY, as she will deliver the
Sunday Commencement address to the parents and students. She
was a part of the HOBY program when she gave Hugh O'Brien some
of his first seed money to get the program started, when she
was working with the American Banker's Association in the late
90's.
It has been 15 months since the
inauguration. Part of her speech went like this; Citizens of
Alabama, our highest responsibility is citizenship. Your most
important duty is to vote. People of Alabama, I will serve
you. Working with a capable and professional staff, I will
administer the office of Treasurer using the motto on our
currency, "In God We Trust". So the administration began, but
she had to tell us for 2 1/2 months prior she wag given
absolutely the finest transition of any new state official.
She went to see the Lt. Governor, congratulate her and ask
about her schedule of transition.
After the election she told Kay, they were no
longer party officials, but public officials. Kay said she
was setting a high standard of transition and she would
perpetuate that when it came her turn.
She met with staff
and asked how they could improve the system and save money
down the line. Six months later those employees came to her
with 17 ways to save money. If they did business in a
different way, they could save $700,000 a year. That was
before anyone said the state was broke. We can take pride in
state employees when given the proper leadership. The 17 ways
are listed on their website and she gave us the address.
One division asked why 2 letters had to be to
the same individual. It was suggested to combine the two, and
that would save 1,000 letters a quarter, regarding unclaimed
property. That saved $5,100 a year in postage.
There were 5 cars assigned to the office.
She asked how they were used. One was assigned to a satellite
office; it was leased. It was used to go to work. Two cars
were turned in that had 198,000 miles on them. A van was kept
with 100,000 miles that could barely get to the Post Office.
The Treasurer has a Ford Taurus with 98,000 miles when she got
it. She drives it when she goes out-of-town. A leased Crown
Victoria cost $570 a month with just an automatic transmission
and power windows were cancelled; a good example of how to
save money without passing a law.
She asked that every board meeting be
announced 2 weeks in advance. No decisions would be made
before a board meeting.
She wrote a new contract for the college
fund; put out bids. A Florida firm had it for 13 years. They
put out a proposal and an Alabama firm was interviewed. The
Alabama firm's software was superior and it saved $2 1/2
million over the year
The Treasurer's office manages the 2 college
programs and the unclaimed property program. The most
important duty of the Treasurer is to receive and deposit all
state funds and invest wisely. The income earned goes
straight to the general fund, which funds the essential
services of the state.
The general fund is always under funded.
When rates were high $60-70 million could be earned. Rates
are now low and only $18-20 million is earned.
The Alabama law concerning investments is
highly restrictive and out of date. Thinking outside of the
box, next May a bill will be introduced to change how the
state invests money.
Tax checks; 2,500 of them are done by hand.
Counties now get checks that are automated.
As tax payers, you need to know money is
spent. Kay enjoys serving the people.
LAST
WEEK'S GUESTS
The
Capitol City Club, had an interclub
with the following members; Ellis
Hill, Tom Peacock, Steve Nelson and Kal Schwartz.
TIPS
FOR APRIL 15th
Al
McLellan gave us investment advice.
There is a new tax form coming out, a one pager, that has 1
question; How much did you make and send it. How do you make
$1 million? Start with $2 million. Don't take any wooden
nickels and if you do, get a receipt.
On picking stocks; do your research, buy good
stock and hold it until they go up, then sell at a gain. If
they don't go up, don't buy them.
COMMENTS
President Winstead had some important
travel news. France has raised its terror alert level from
run to hide. The 2 higher levels are surrender and cooperate.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ken Carrick is still doing rehab and
hopes to be back with us in a couple of weeks.
May 1st will be the Ride To Read for
our Kiwanis District's fund raiser. There will be a poker run
starting in Millbrook.
May 6th - Members will read at
Dalraida School.
May 28th - HOBY Day at Huntingdon College.
Hotdogs will be cooked on the Green and we'll park cars that
morning.
Bill Scarborough announced that the
speaker list has been completed until June. He asked that we
be thinking of speakers to fill the slots for June.
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