December 2, 2011

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This is CCPOA's 5150 information hotline for Friday, December 2, 2011.

CCPOA NEWS

Supervisory Update  –  CCPOA’s Supervisory vice president Kevin Raymond issued another update recently addressing the SO6/MO6 statewide bid document regarding the procedure which was set to begin on November 28. In his memo, Mr. Raymond notes that the document is in draft form, “However due to the time frame of the bid and the fact that this document is already circulating we are sending it out in this form. We continue to seek a final version from the state. As soon as we receive the final version we will forward that as well,” Raymond said.  The memo also discusses some issues which arose out of SYRCC concerning displaced members and their ability to participate in this program.  For more details, please go to the CCPOA website where we have linked the document on the #2 box on the front page.

More News for CCPOA Members–  In an effort to provide more information of interest to CCPOA members, we’ve added a couple of buttons on the right side of the front page of the website where we are grouping news stories on current topics which include prison realignment, pension reform, private prisons and parolee problems.  Please visit the CCPOA website where we post the information daily.

CDCR NEWS

DVI Warden to Retire  – Deuel Vocational Institute Warden Socorro Salinas has announced she will retire Dec. 15 after 31 years in the state prison system.

Salinas, whose tenure has drawn both praise and criticism, leaves after four years as top official at Deuel.  Of warden Salinas’ retirement, CCPOA’s DVI Chapter President Bob Cox said “We’ve had our go-arounds, but she has devoted 31 years of her life to her career, and I believe it’s a retirement well deserved.”  Cox also told the Stockton Record that, “It’s going to be a new chapter in her life, and I hope she has a good time with it.”  The full story is linked on our website.

Salinas Valley Walk-Aways Captured–  Two minimum-security inmates who walked away nearly two weeks ago from the Salinas Valley State Prison have been captured, CDCR announced this week.  One inmate was captured in Compton, the other in Madera.  No word yet on the additional charges these inmates these inmates will face.

CDCR Pays City $10 Million for Empty CCF–  The state of California may be broke, but it is going to commit itself to paying nearly $10 million in lease payments over the next 5 years for a facility it has no plans to use -- the now-closed Taft Correctional Facility. The Taft City Council approved a series of contract amendments with the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at a brief special meeting Tuesday night that will continue lease payments for the CCF into 2017. The full story from the Taft Midway Driller newspaper is linked on our website.

Another Adelanto Private CCF to Close–  The state has canceled its contract with the privately operated Desert View Modified Community Correctional Facility, the  contract termination officially takes effect this week.  San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials say they’re not planning to utilize the privatize jail beds.  The Sheriff’s spokesman said, “The issue with taking advantage of private prisons or private jail facilities has come up over and over again throughout the years; however, it’s not something that the county is considering. It’s too costly and there’s just not the funding really even to consider something like that.”

CAPITOL NEWS

Pension Reform Hearing at Capitol–   Gov. Jerry Brown yesterday urged a legislative panel studying potential changes to public employee pensions to act quickly on reforms he has proposed in order "to win the confidence of the people."

Brown has asked lawmakers to place on next year's ballot constitutional changes that would implement portions of his proposals, which include requiring public workers to pay half the cost of annual contributions to their pension plans, raising the retirement age for most workers and establishing a so-called "hybrid" system that would include both a scaled-down pension and a 401(k)-type retirement saving plan.    Testifying on behalf of CCPOA before the joint legislative committee was former Assemblyman Dave Elder, who chaired the Assembly Public Employees & Retirement committee for a decade.  Mr. Elder stated that CCPOA is open to discussing pension reform proposals, noting that compromises and agreements are most effectively negotiated at the bargaining table.  We’ll have more on the pension discussions when they resume in January.  We have linked a number of news articles to the website discussing the pension proposals.

Initiative Filed to Repeal Collective Bargaining–  The Legislative Analyst’s Office has released its review of a proposed ballot measure that would repeal the Dills Act and related provisions regarding excluded employees. The measure would also prohibit state employees from engaging in strikes against a state employer.  We have posted the LAO summary on the front page of the website.

NOTICES

Retired Chapter Meeting–  Will be held on December 17 at the Holiday Inn Express in Sacramento.  The meeting will take place from 1:00 -5:00 pm.

Please notify Debbie Rollins if you plan on attending by calling 1-800-821-6443, ext. 239 or email: debbie.rollins@ccpoa.org

Knott’s Berry Farm– Just a reminder that Knott’s Berry Farm will be providing free admission  for you and a guest as part of its “18^th Annual Salute to Fire and Police Personnel” which begins on Thanksgiving and lasts until January 31, 2012.  Please see the flyer posted on the front page of the website for more details.

Finally, when staff assaults occur, please send a completed staff assault alert form to Nicole Gomez at nichol.gomez@ccpoa.org.

Thanks for calling the 5150 hotline and have a safe shift.