retirees Archives - Oak Ridge Today

CORRE has annual meeting Monday

Posted at 8:47 am October 29, 2018
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The Coalition of Oak Ridge Retired Employees has its annual meeting today (Monday, October 29).

The meeting is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. at the Pollard Technology Conference Center at 210 Badger Avenue in Oak Ridge.

CORRE is an organization of retirees that works to improve the welfare of all former employees and surviving spouses of the various managing contractors of U.S. Department of Energy facilities in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

On the agenda for the Monday afternoon meeting are reports on 2018 activities, election of board members and officers, and a report to the CORRE membership from President Bob Hightower. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Chamber opposes Hall tax changes that hurt local governments

Posted at 9:48 pm April 28, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce building is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce acknowledges the need for tax reform in Tennessee, but the organization has opposed changing the Hall income tax in a way that would hurt local governments, an official said Thursday.

Specifically, the Oak Ridge Chamber opposes modifying or ending the Hall income tax in a way that would result in a negative financial impact to local governments, Chamber President Parker Hardy said.

The Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill Friday that would lower the Hall tax on stock and dividend income from 6 percent to 5 percent in the 2016 tax year. The tax would be reduced by 1 percent per year after that until it is eliminated by 2022.

Oak Ridge officials expect to lose between about $100,000 and $120,000 in the fiscal year that starts July 1. There is an impact on other local communities as well—including Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County—but none of them will lose as much as Oak Ridge.

The eventual repeal of the tax could cost Oak Ridge as much as $700,000 per year or more. The city collected $708,454 from the Hall tax in 2015. [Read more…]

Anderson, three other counties join Retire Tennessee program

Posted at 10:18 am August 2, 2015
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Anderson, Carter, Sumner, and Unicoi counties align with 15 established communities

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Kevin Triplett announced last week that Anderson, Carter, Sumner, and Unicoi counties have been added to Retire Tennessee, the state’s retiree recruitment marketing program. That brings the total number of active Retire Tennessee counties to 19, a press release said.

“It’s great to officially add four new counties to this important state program,” Triplett said. “Tennessee has much to offer people making retirement decisions based on quality of life and cost of living. Our state has the lowest cost of living in the Southeast and second lowest in the nation, no state income tax, and low property tax. Add to that, the state’s breathtaking scenic beauty and unparalleled hospitality, and it’s only natural Tennessee would rank high among the population relocating after retirement.”

The four counties join Cumberland, Franklin, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Loudon, Maury, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Sullivan, Warren, and White counties as Retire Tennessee counties. Now in its ninth year, Retire Tennessee inspired more than 10,000 inquiries from potential retirees last year. Tennessee is one of only four states with retiree recruitment as a formal program and continues to gain momentum as a potential retirement destination for more than 78 million baby boomers. [Read more…]

Protesters object to benefits changes at Y-12

Posted at 2:37 pm December 4, 2014
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Protesters object Thursday afternoon to changes to health insurance benefits announced at the Y-12 National Security Complex in October. At center is Becky Montgomery, who retired from Y-12 in June after 35 years.

Note: This story was last updated at 10 p.m.

About 150 demonstrators protested outside the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday afternoon, objecting to changes in health insurance benefits that could take effect January 1.

The protesters, mostly Y-12 retirees, said they would end up paying much more for fewer benefits. They want the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration to reverse course.

“We’re here to try to stop it,” said Charlene Edwards, who retired from Y-12 in 2006. [Read more…]

CORRE has annual membership meeting on Monday

Posted at 10:37 am October 19, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Coalition of Oak Ridge Retirees will have its annual meeting at 2 p.m. Monday, October 20, at the Heritage Fellowship Church in Oak Ridge.

CORRE is an organization of retirees that works to improve the welfare of more than 12,000 former employees and surviving spouses of the various managing contractors of U.S. Department of Energy facilities in Oak Ridge. All retirees, their spouses, and surviving spouses are urged to attend and are encouraged to bring other retirees, a press release said.

CORRE expects about 200-250 retirees and spouses to attend, and invitations have been extended to members of the East Tennessee congressional delegation. [Read more…]

CORRE president: Pension plan prospects dim now, but future brighter

Posted at 6:01 pm October 8, 2012
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

CORRE President Dub Shults, right, tells several hundred federal contractor retirees on Monday that prospects for pension adjustments aren’t good now, but the situation could improve.

Living expenses for essentials such as housing and utilities rose between 37 percent and 72 percent in 14 years, but pensions didn’t increase at all for local retirees of some U.S. Department of Energy contractors.

A local nonprofit organization hopes to change that.

“We must continue to strive for an increase in pensions for all retirees,” said Dub Shults, president of Coalition for Oak Ridge Retired Employees, or CORRE. “This is our basic need.”

During an annual membership meeting Monday, Shults cited factors that have hampered the organization’s requests for pension adjustments for more than 13,000 retirees and surviving spouses of managing contractors of DOE facilities in Oak Ridge. Among those are the July 28 security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex, tighter budgets, and changes in contractors, pension plans, and leaders at DOE sites in Oak Ridge.

“The answer to our quest for pension adjustments is that prospects are dim,” Shults told several hundred people during the Monday afternoon meeting at the Heritage Fellowship Church in Oak Ridge. “We are not likely to get a pension increase in the foreseeable future.”

[Read more…]

Coalition of Oak Ridge Retired Employees has annual meeting today

Posted at 10:45 am October 8, 2012
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Coalition of Oak Ridge Retired Employees, also known as CORRE, will have its annual membership meeting at 2 p.m. today.

The meeting is scheduled to include reports on activities this year, election of board members and officers, and a presentation by CORRE President W. D. “Dub” Shults on frequently asked questions.

CORRE is an organization of retirees that works to improve the welfare of more than 12,000 former employees and surviving spouses of the managing contractors of U.S. Department of Energy facilities in Oak Ridge, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (also known as the former K-25 site), and grandfathered employees of WSI and UCOR.

In a press release, CORRE said it expects about 250-350 retirees and their spouses to attend today’s meeting. Members of the Tennessee congressional delegation have been invited to attend.