MINUTES OF THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF: January 28, 2005.
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I. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Abigail Herman called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m., at the Oregon State Bar office. The following members were present: Chair Herman, Chair-Elect Martin Alvey, Secretary Linh Vu, and Treasurer Matthew Roy; Members Meg Carman, Dean Leaderer, Holly Somers, and Julie Masters, and; Bar Liaison Suzanne Cushing. Present by phone were Past Chair Rodger Hepburn and Member Jill Riechers. Not in attendance were Members Shelley Edling, Mark Thesing, Charles Mundorff, and Arthur Stevens.
II. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The minutes of the meeting of November 12, 2004, were approved. Consideration of the minutes of the October 8, 2004, was again postponed until the next meeting.
III. CHAIR REPORT
Chair Herman advised the Initial Section Report is due February 1, 2005. The report must provide the following information for the Section: statement of goals and objectives, subcommittees and their chairs, legislative contact, and meeting agenda through December 2005.
A. The following goals were identified: (1) Salishan; (2) Bench Bar forum, and; (3) enhance website.
B. Standing Committees: (1) Salishan – Chairs Sally Curey and Marybeth Wosko, liaison Holly Somers; (2) Communications – Chair Julie Masters, liaison Meg Carman; (3) Daughtry Award – Chair Rodger Hepburn; (4) Legislative – Chairs Chris Moore and Steve Cotton, liaison Martin Alvey; (5) Bench Bar – Chair (vacant), liaison Jill Riechers; Race/Ethnic – Chair Mark Thesing, liaison N/A, and; (6) Rules – Chair G. Duff Bloom, liaison Linh Vu.
C. Legislative Contact – Martin Alvey
D. Meetings scheduled for 2005: 2/18, 3/18, 4/15, 5/20, 6/24, 7/15, 8/19, 9/16, 10/21, 11/18, 12/16 (all meetings will be at noon at the OSB office, except for the 5/20 meeting at Salishan).
IV. TREASURER’S REPORT
A complete report will not be available the next meeting due to year-end accounting issues.
V. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Salishan
All speakers for this year’s Salishan have been confirmed. The subcommittee will be meeting 2/17 to discuss the following topics: whether dinner should be served or just the reception for Salishan 2006, proposed budget, status of golf tournament and donation to Gruber Trust.
B. Communications
The subcommittee has not met. Discussion was held regarding the need to have more input and contributions from the Executive Committee and Section members as to content of the website.
C. Daughtry Award
The subcommittee has not met, but nominations for award recipient are needed by February or March so that member voting can be held in April.
D. Legislative
The subcommittee has not met. Member Alvey advised of new legislation being proposed regarding Own Motion reform, requirements for perfecting aggravation claims, and classification of truck drivers as independent contractors. Discussion was held on whether the subcommittee will address the proposed legislation to revise subpoenas in WC matters to conform with HIPAA requirements.
E. Bench Bar
Feedback on the Bench Bar forum from November 2004 was positive, including comments regarding the location and free registration. The event was well attended, and Member Roy estimated over 100 people showed up. Discussion was held regarding credits allowed: 2.25 ethics, and .75 general.
Member Roy advised he will no longer be serving as chair of the subcommittee; discussion was held on obtaining a new chair, possibly current subcommittee members Sandra Haynes or Katherine Rosenbaum, or whether a general announcement should be made through the list serve and/or website.
F. Rules
The subcommittee has not met. Chair Herman will advise Presiding ALJ McCullough the committee takes no position on SAIF’s rule proposal to require claimants’ counsel to pay cancellation fee for last minute cancellations of depositions.
V. OLD BUSINESS – none
VI. NEW BUSINESS
A. Discussion of meeting agenda for 2005.
B. Members agreed to have meeting announcements sent via e-mail only.
C. Discussion was held about the website, its content, and what can be done to solicit contributors to the website. Items to be posted on the website include the annual report, minutes of each meeting, and links to resources. The link to the newsletter will be deleted for the present, as there has been no newsletter since 2/04. Possible people named to author the newsletter include David Wilson of LNW, Duffy Bloom, Brad Garber.