Convention

Pursuant to the Constitution of the Retired Public Employees Council of Washington, this is the Official Convention Call.

Retired Public Employees Council of Washington’s 48^th Convention
Wenatchee Convention Center, 121 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801
September 27 – 29, 2022

Committee meetings begin at 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Session convenes at 9:00 am on Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Session adjourns on Thursday, September 29, 2022

Timeline of Convention Related Deadlines/Dates

Tuesday, February 28 – Delegate Allocation
Friday, March 4 – Convention Call sent to Chapters
Friday, June 17 – Chapter Financial Assistance Request Deadline
Friday, July 1 – Delegate/Alternate/Guest Registration Form & Fees
Friday, July 1 – Special Dietary Needs Request (see Registration Form)
Friday, July 1 – Committee Requests (see Registration Form)
Friday, July 22 – Committee Assignment Letters sent to Delegates
Saturday, August 13 – Amendments/Resolutions due in Council Office
Friday, August 26 – Amendments mailed to EB, Chapters & Delegates
Monday, September 12 – Resolutions mailed to Delegates
Tuesday, September 20 – Hotel Reservations Cutoff Deadline
Tuesday, September 27 – Convention Committee meetings
Wednesday, September 28 – Convention Convenes
Thursday, September 29 – Executive Board Elections/Convention Concludes

Section 1 – NOTICE OF ELECTIONS

Nominations for Executive Board Officers will be held during session on Wednesday, September 28th; Executive Board Officer elections and District Board member elections will be held during session on Thursday, September 29th.

Section 2 – DELEGATES/ALTERNATES TO THE CONVENTION

Pursuant to Article V, Section 13, “the number of delegates each chapter is entitled to elect shall be based on the number of dues-paying members on record with the council office as of the last day of March of each year….”

The Constitution also provides that each chapter may elect or designate a chairperson of the delegation and an alternate chairperson, please note on registration form. No delegate may be seated unless the registration fee is paid in full, and he/she has been certified as a delegate.

Section 3 – EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

Please note:

The Council Office reserves hotel rooms for the Executive Board members and covers the cost of their rooms and travel.
The Council Office covers the cost of convention registration for the Executive Board members.
Executive Board members are encouraged to be a member of their chapter’s convention delegation.

Article IX – Duties and Authority of Executive Board and Officers

Section 3. The executive board members shall attend conventions at the expense of the Retired Public Employees Council.

Section 4. By virtue of their office, the executive board members shall have a vote at conventions on all matters except elections. Only board members who are also a delegate from their chapters may vote in elections. On roll call votes they may vote as a board member or a delegate, but not both.

Section 4 – CONVENTION CALL DISTRIBUTION

The following are being sent to the Executive Board, Chapter President, Chapter Vice-President and Treasurer:

One copy of this Convention Call.
One copy of Delegate Allocation.

The following are being sent to each Chapter Secretary:

One copy of this Convention Call.
One copy of Delegate Allocation.
Two copies of the Convention Registration Form (Return one to the Council Office, and one for the Chapter to keep).

Section 5 – INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION & FEES

The convention registration fee for each delegate has been set at $120.00. This includes a convention packet, and three meals – lunch and banquet on Wednesday, September 28th, and breakfast on Thursday, September 29th.

The goal is to have every chapter represented at the convention. If your chapter needs financial assistance, contact the Council Office no later than Friday, June 17th.

The Convention Registration Form accompanied by full payment of convention registration fees for delegates, alternates and guests should be sent to the Council Office no later than Friday, July 1st. Please ensure that the Registration Form is signed by either the Chapter President or the Chapter Secretary.

Alternates and Guests may either pay the full registration fee ($120) for a convention packet and all meals, or they may purchase individual meal tickets at a cost of $39 for the lunch, $49 for the banquet and $32 for the breakfast ($120.00 for all three meals).

Please note the deadline for registration, payment of registration fees, individual meals, and any special dietary needs is Friday, July 1st.

Section 6 – MENU

Note: (GF) = gluten free, (A) = vegan, vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free, (VEG) = vegetarian.

Tuesday, September 27:

Delegates & guests are responsible for their own meal.

Wednesday, September 28:

Breakfast: Delegates & guests are responsible for their own meal.
Lunch Buffet: Hot Slider & Soup: Club slider with turkey, applewood smoked bacon and monterey jack cheese, Ham & cheese slider with Hormel cured ham and Tillamook sharp cheddar, tomato bisque, seasoned home-made potato chips, whole grain salad (GF), pasta salad (VEG), hearty green salad, (A) and iced tea.
Banquet (Choice): Both feature a salad and dessert.
- Wenatchee Orchard Chicken (GF) – Chicken breast flamed in sherry with dried apples, apricots, cherries and pears. Served with rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables.

– (or) –

Apple Cinnamon Pork (GF) – Cinnamon and spice-rubbed pork loin topped with fire-roasted fuji apples and balsamic glaze. Served with gorgonzola mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetable medley.

Thursday, September 29:

Breakfast Buffet: Wenatchee Sunrise Breakfast Buffet: Scrambled eggs (GF), biscuits & country sausage gravy, applewood smoked bacon (GF), sausage links (GF), breakfast potatoes (A), oatmeal (A), apple juice, coffee, fruit bowl and herbal teas.

Note: For Wednesday’s Lunch and Banquet, an alternate meal (yet to be determined) will be provided for those who indicate special dietary needs on the Registration Form.

Special dietary needs can be accommodated provided we have advance notice. Please indicate any special dietary needs in the indicated area adjacent to the delegates name on the Delegate Registration Form.

Please note the deadline for registration, payment of registration fees, individual meals, and any special dietary needs is Friday, July 1st.

Section 7 – LODGING AND RESERVATIONS

RPEC has contracted room blocks and rates with the following hotel for the nights of Tuesday, September 27 and Wednesday, September 28:

Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel (Primary) – 201 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, 98801

RPEC Rate: $109.00 per night, plus tax and fees for single or double occupancy.

Please follow these steps to reserve your room reservations:

Call Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel at 509-662-1234 or email at fom@wenatcheecenter.com
Let them know you are with Retired Public Employees Council of WA.
Complete reservation with agent. Reservations must be accompanied by credit card information to guarantee the reservation.

Reservations are the responsibility of the delegates, alternates and guests attending the convention. Some chapters prefer to make a reservation block for their delegates, so please coordinate with your chapter prior to making reservations. All reservations must be made prior to Tuesday, September 20th. The Hotel(s) will accept reservations at the group rate until this cut-off date or until the block is filled.

Handicap accessible rooms are available upon request but are limited in number, so please make reservations as soon as possible.

RPEC cannot guarantee the contracted rates for any other nights than listed above.

Section 8 – RPEC REFUND POLICY

Chapters whose delegates cancel their registration to the annual convention must provide documentation proving hardship in order to receive a refund, and the refund may not exceed 50% of the registration fee paid. Refund requests must be made in writing, along with proof of hardship (e.g. doctor’s note), to the Finance Committee. No refunds will be granted on individual meal tickets. Requests for exceptions to this policy must be submitted in writing and will be reviewed by the Council Executive Committee to determine whether the requests for refund will be granted.

Section 9 – RESOLUTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

If your chapter wishes to submit resolutions or amendments to the Constitution, they must be submitted in accordance with Article XI and Article XII of the current RPEC Constitution.

ARTICLE XI – AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

Section 1. Proposed amendments to this Constitution and By-Laws shall be submitted in writing to the council office, Olympia, Washington, at least forty-five (45) days prior to the annual convention of the Retired Public Employees Council. They shall bear the signature of the chapter president or secretary submitting them.

Section 2. Amendments may also be submitted by the council executive board and shall bear the signature of the council president or secretary.

Section 3. Each proposed amendment must be accompanied by a brief statement explaining why the amendment is needed.

Section 4. The council office shall submit proposed amendments to executive board members and to all chapters and convention delegates at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual convention. The Retired Public Employees Council executive board shall review and make a recommendation to the convention on any proposal to amend the constitution.

Section 5. A majority vote of the delegates voting shall be necessary for adoption of a constitutional amendment. Any adopted changes to the constitution must be sent to American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees International within thirty (30) days of the adjournment of the Retired Public Employees Council convention.

Section 6. Nothing contained in Appendix A (the chapter constitution) shall be in conflict with this Constitution. In all cases, the council constitution shall prevail. Properly adopted amendments to this Constitution shall, where applicable, automatically be incorporated into Appendix A (the chapter constitution).

ARTICLE XII – MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS – RESOLUTIONS

Section 1. Resolutions to the Retired Public Employees Council Convention shall be submitted in writing at least forty-five (45) days prior to the convention to the council office, Olympia, Washington. They shall bear the signature of the chapter president or secretary submitting them.

Section 2. Resolutions may be submitted by the executive board of the council and shall bear the signature of the president or the secretary of the council up till noon of the 1^st day of convention.

Section 3. Each resolution must be accompanied by a brief statement explaining why the resolution is needed.

Section 4. Copies of properly submitted resolutions shall be sent to delegates fifteen (15) days before the opening day of the convention.

Section 5. The president shall review all proposed resolutions and assign them to the appropriate convention committee. The convention committee will make any necessary changes in them, consolidate resolutions where appropriate, and report its recommendations to the convention delegates.

Section 6. Resolutions may be submitted by chapters from the floor of the convention with copies provided to all delegates prior to the afternoon recess on the first day of the convention; provided that the resolutions are accepted for consideration by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those delegates in attendance. A special meeting of the appropriate committee shall be convened to consider these resolutions.

Section 7. A majority of the delegates voting shall be necessary for adoption of a resolution.

Please note the deadline for receipt in the Council Office for Constitutional Amendments and Resolutions is Saturday, August 13^th.

Note: the provision for Late Resolutions can be found in Section 6 above.

Section 10 – CONVENTION Committees

The following Convention-specific committees – Resolutions, Constitution, Legislative, Sergeants-at-Arms, Rules, Elections, RPEC-PAC Raffle and Registration, will be appointed by the RPEC Executive Board President following the Friday, July 1st registration deadline.

Notice of committee appointment letters with meeting times will be sent on Friday, July 22nd to the appointed individuals and to chapter presidents.

There will be a President – Committee Chairs Conference Call scheduled for early August to discuss responsibilities and roles. Committee Chairs will be notified in advance of the meeting date and time.

Convention committee meetings will be held on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022 between 12:00 Noon and 5:00 p.m. and the morning of Wednesday, September 28^th prior to the convention convening.

Please indicate with your Convention Registration Form if any of your delegates desire to participate on one of the following committees:

Constitution
Elections
Legislative
Registration
Resolutions
RPEC-PAC Raffle
Rules
Sergeants-at-Arms