Board Members
				Mark Durham-Proxy
				Laura Friesz-Proxy
				Leslie Lentz
				Ralph Ray
				Karey Wilkinson
				Sonny Carothers
				Pam Hand-Proxy
				John Roberts
				Delbert Hults-Proxy
				Nancy Linear-Proxy
				Dwayne Hart-Proxy
				Keith Walburn
				Kim Ferguson-Proxy
				Danny Patterson-Proxy
				Ed Tourville
				R.D. Bell
				Terry Dare-Proxy
				Vacant
				James Darling
				Vacant
				Ron Ellis

THE MOCOA OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED SO THAT WE MAY MOVE
By Cynthia Gross    Fri, August 8, 2008

The MOCOA office will be closed Thursday August 14th and Friday August 15th so that we can move to our new location.

The new address will be:

MOCOA
7141 Business 50 West
Jefferson City, MO 65109

All phone numbers will remain the same.

Thank you for your patience.

Announcement
By Cynthia Gross    Fri, August 8, 2008

Director Larry Crawford announced yesterday that within the next two pay cycles, all corrections officers, including those with less than 18 months service, will receive the additional step raise.

Thank you for you calls and support on this issue. - Gary Gross

2008 Legislative Session Report
By Cynthia Gross    Mon, May 19, 2008

As we are all aware by now, the legislative session ended without as much progress as we had hoped for. While this is somewhat disappointing, we must take into account the entire picture. We did receive the same 3% raise as other state employees, but custody staff will be receiving an additional step raise over and above this 3%. If you think the additional step raise is no big deal, just ask one of the many non-custody staff who didn’t receive it. They seem to feel it’s a very big deal. In fact, this current raise will place COI’s in about the same pay grade as a CCA. Just four short years ago, CCA’s were receiving the same pay as COII’s. That’s quite an improvement. If we step back and look at how much we are making now as opposed to 2004, it comes out on average to a 17% pay increase in only four years. I don’t know of any other group of state workers that can say the same. If we are able to continue at the current pace, it won’t be long before COI’s are making salaries comparable to caseworkers. That is a huge stride forward.
Another issue which needs to be addressed is the media reports of the huge state surplus. This is approximately 500 million dollars. On the surface, it would seem we deserve a much larger share of the pie than we received. However, the facts that aren’t reported are the funds already earmarked prior to any other considerations. Of this $500 million, $390 million will go into the state’s Medicaid program. Another large portion will be used to repay the “loan” former Governor Holden borrowed from the tobacco fund settlement in order to balance his budget. Of the approximately $60 million dollars left to distribute among all state agencies, $3.6 million is coming to corrections custody staff in the form of the additional step raise mentioned earlier.
Another consideration is the past successes you and your association have achieved. Since the inception of the overtime pay bill, a COI working minimal overtime is making more money than a caseworker. In my opinion, this is completely fair since we are held to such higher standards than most other state employees.
One of the more recent complaints I have heard is the so called ineffectiveness of such a large association. These complaints have been voiced by a very small but vocal percentage of our members. While we will never hold the ultimate bargaining chip of having the right to strike, your support and assistance over the last few years have resulted in the largest pay increases in the history of this department. These salary increases when coupled with such other achievements as overtime pay and shift differential pay have added a total of approximately $47 million dollars directly into the pockets of corrections officers. We are also currently working under the most staff-friendly contract in departmental history. We now have rights former generations of officers could only dream of.
In closing, let me say this update is not to congratulate myself or the MoCOA staff for  these achievements. While your staff, attorneys and lobbyists work as hard as humanly possible for these and other upcoming goals, none of it would have been possible without the support of the members. On behalf of MoCOA and it’s other staff, I would like to thank each of you for your continued input, support and assistance. Remember, as stated from the very first day, this is your association, and you are the ones ultimately responsible for these outstanding achievements.  

Sincerely,


Gary D. Gross
Executive Director, MoCOA

Current Capitol News
By Cynthia Gross    Tue, April 29, 2008

The Joint Committee on the Budget has completed the budget and it appears that corrections officers will receive a 3% increase plus $600 (one step). This increase will begin in July 2008. It now goes to both the House and the Senate for one final vote. This vote is usually just a formality.

Our legislation authorizing the Personnel Advisory Board to give special consideration on corrections officers salaries, based on the turnover rate, job hazards, etc. has passed the House and is currently in the Senate.

The Progressive Pay Bill has passed the House and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate. We will do our very best to keep it from being amended. However, the Senate is where it got amended last year. Last years amendment is what ultimately killed this legislation in the last legislative session.

Attention Veterans and Current Military
By Cynthia Gross    Thu, February 28, 2008

House Bill 1669, which is our proposed Bill that would grant two years of state retirement be added upon retirement, atno cost for prior of current military staff who have ten years state employment, was heard in committee. It now seems to being held up by the head of the retirement committee, probably at the request of MOSERS. This seems to be an attempt by MOSERS to quietly kill the bill by leavingit lay on rep. Maynard Wallaces desk. Mr. Wallace is the chairman of your retirement committee. This bill can only move if he allows it to. I ask that all interested parties contact Representative Wallaces office as soon as possible and voice their displeasure with holding up this legislation.

The few dollars a month this would add to veterans andcurrent military status state employees would not even be noticed inthe state budget and yet it would be a good gesture to those who have served us in the military.

You may voice your displeasure by contacting Rep. Maynard Wallace at 573-751-2042 or e-mail him at Maynard.Wallace@house.mo.gov.

Capital News Update
By Cynthia Gross    Tue, February 26, 2008

Things seem to be developing slowly in the Capitol this year, probably because it is election year.

The committees for handling legislation are now starting to hear bills and vote some of them out of committee.

Our legislation proposing state employees with military service be granted two years credit toward retirement after ten years of state service was heard in the retirement committee last week, but has not been voted on yet. If this is a bill that you are interested in please contact your legislators and ask they support it. Ref: HB-1669 Sponsor Rep. Jones

SB-938 sponsored by Senator Shoemyer allowing the Personnel Advisory Board to address corrections officers pay needs based on turnover and hazards of the job has not come up for hearing yet. However, other groups in corrections are already trying to attach to it which may cause some problems getting it passed. Again contact your Representatives and Senators and request their support to pass this legislation as it is written….NOT amended to include others.

In regard to our pay raise for this coming July, it is still in the budget and  seems to have the support necessary to stay in the budget in the House. Hopefully the results will be the same in the Senate when they handle the budget. The raise proposed is currently 3% plus one step.

The Progressive Pay Bill is being filed again. However, other groups are already lined up to attach to this legislation again. This will make the road to passage very rocky especially in an election year..

There was a question on the site regarding who MOCOA will support in the upcoming election. We have made no decisions in regard to this, and probably will not until after the August primaries. We don't attempt to tell anyone how to vote, simply attempt to get out the message who we thing is the strongest supporter of corrections officers.

In regard to the complaints on the lack of information posted on the website in reference to our legislation and raise, it is simply because there has been no substantial action on these issues.  Session in regard to legislation is really just getting started. The first month of each session is spent setting up committees and other business other than legislation.  I don't want to put out incorrect information or speculations that becomes false information and then be criticized for that. As there is accurate information from the capitol it will be posted.
Thank You,

Gary Gross

Member Update
By Cynthia Gross    Thu, October 25, 2007

For the past several weeks I have been working between the DEFERRED COMP folks at CITY STREET and the Department of Corrections attempting to get the approval for Corrections Officers to roll their overtime payments into their Deferred Comp, tax free, if they choose.

After talking to the department today, it appears this is going to become a reality in the near future. I believe you will be able to put any portion of the overtime pay into this program that you choose. However, there may be a set minimum or maximum amount required to complete the transactions. All of the details have not been worked out. As soon as they are completed we will release the information to you.

Keep in mind, if you are not enrolled in the deferred comp program, you are missing an additional $25.00 per month that the state will contribute to your deferred retirement account.

Gary D. Gross