South Carolina Association of
County Office Employees
County Office Employees
President's Report
| It has been an honor and privilege to represent and serve SCASCOE this past year as your President. At this time, I would like to especially say thanks to Melanie Harriott, PT in Hampton, and Janet Player, PT in Jasper/Beaufort. They have really stuck by my side this past year. A great big thanks goes out to my boss, William Koger, Hampton County CED. William has been an asset to me. He has listened and given me advice on many occasions, and I want to thank him for that. William, will you please come up and receive your gift from me? I want to reassure SCASCOE members that you all are being well-served by a group of wonderful and talented individuals who have agreed to spend some of their private time away from their families to: 1. Promote the welfare of our Agriculture industry 2. Cooperate with the SC FSA Committee, SED and the State Office Staff to improve a better working environment. 3. Help ensure we are treated and represented fairly 4. Maintain and improve the agencies benefits With South Carolina having a National Convention, I believe that we accomplished a goal that we didn’t even think we could ever accomplish. Thanks to a lot of hard work and dedication. South Carolina is still talked about whenever I go to other Conventions. About how great the Convention was and how hot it was at that time. I want to start off by asking you all a question – “May 23, 1959, does that date ring a bell to anyone?” That was when the 1st NASCOE Organizational meeting was held at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. 50 years ago. This year, we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary. NASCOE/SCASCOE has continued to be involved in two basic goals that were started when the organization was formed: 1. improving employee welfare 2. serving agriculture Immediately after forming the NASCOE Organization, everyone agreed a priority item should be – to obtain Civil Service Retirement, plus Health and Life Insurance for county ASCS employees. Today, that benefit is still being provided to NASCOE/SCASCOE members. Today, I would like to talk to you about the 4 things that NASCOE stands for: Loyalty, Service, Courtesy, and Effort. Loyalty – NASCOE needs loyal members in their organization. If a member is not happy with our organization, that fact will come across to everyone else. Without loyal members, it’s harder to grow our organization and more costly to service the members we have. Service – Work done by one person or group that benefits another. Work done by NASCOE/SCASCOE benefits the members by going to Washington DC and trying to better our benefits that we have today. For instance, Cliff Fussell, our SEA Executive puts in a lot of service to NASCOE for us. Just ask him what his schedule is like. Going-Going-Going. He’s like the energizer bunny with big feet. Courtesy – Courtesy is being polite and having good manners. It is a gracious way of speaking and acting which gives others a feeling of being valued and respected. When you speak with manners – for example, “Thank You,” “Please,” “Hello,” “Excuse Me,” it makes the other person feel well respected. I always tell my 6 year old son, Josh, to be polite and have good manners. Quote: “If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world.” Francis Bacon Effort – Use of physical or mental energy; hard work. Give it your all. When you say that you are going to do a job, give it your all. When you were small and played baseball, soccer, softball, basketball, or football, I’m sure you gave it your all. You didn’t want to let your team members down. Well, don’t let SCASCOE down. Give it your all. Go out and tell other employees who are not members about what SCASCOE does for them and us. Also, get involved. There are many jobs out there for you to do, and there are many talented people to do those jobs. Everyone has special talents – whether it’s working with the website, going to Washington, DC to represent SC and talk with the Congressmen and Senators, working with Negotiating Items and Consulting with WDC Staff, serving as SEA Exec, NASCOE Vice-President, or NASCOE President. I found a poem in the History of NASCOE book (1959 – 1984) entitled “Good Deeds” by William A. Bixler If I can fill the smallest place And do a kindly deed And not tomorrow but today Supply some little need, And do some humble, simple task, And not neglect to see Where I can do a little thing To bring a remedy To all the heartaches and the fears In someone’s lonely breast, I’ll bring a small instead of tears To those who are distressed. If often is the little things That we oft overlook; We just forget it takes the springs To make the flowing brook; And so our seeming little words And deeds, when rightly done, Can bring some satisfaction at The evening’s setting sun. One of my goals as SCASCOE President is to increase membership. This past year, the SCASCOE Board decided to have an incentive plan to try increase membership. Everyone who paid by check or payroll deduction by December 31, 2008, will be eligible to participate in a drawing for $110 on Saturday, June 6, 2009. The prize will be a grade7/step 1 amount refunded to that person. Listed below are percentages of membership from 1965 – 1984. If you as a SCASCOE member have any ideas on how to increase membership, please let me know. Membership for South Carolina 65-66 98% 66-67 95% 67-68 94% 68-69 98% 69-70 98% 70-71 100% 71-72 100% 72-73 100% 73-74 100% 74-75 100% 75-76 99% 76-77 98% 77-78 98% 78-79 99% 79-80 97% 80-81 98% 81-82 98% 82-83 98% 83-84 99% In closing, please understand that SCASCOE Officers are doing everything within their ability to represent the interests of all members. My door is always open for advice, opinions, etc. Please feel free to contact me, any other SCASCOE Officer, or your District Chairperson for clarification, reassurance, or for someone to listen. Again, thank you for the opportunity to serve you. SCASCOE is your organization, and I want to serve it with the best of my ability. Nancy Meyer |