December 2025 Minutes
President’s Council of Retired Employees
Friday 5 December 2025 at 8:15 am
Foster Board Room, 3rd Floor, Buchanan Alumni House and Zoom
Members Present: Louis Bassano, Richard Borgman (Vice Chair), Gail Dyer-Martin, Michael Eckardt, Richard Judd (Secretary), Jennifer Perry, Thomas Sandford (Chair), Althea Tibbetts; Ex Officio Member: Sarah McPartland-Good,
Minutes: Althea moved, and Gail seconded a motion to accept the minutes. Approved.
Membership: Tom inquired to the Associate Dean about a prospective member from the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences, but has not heard back yet.
Hikel Award: Sarah sent the nominations to the Hikel Award committee.
IT Retiree Benefits: Claire contacted IT regarding access to services for retirees. She has invited Associate CIO Kim Tran to the January 9 meeting.
Retiree Homecoming Tours: The Athletic Department will provide a walking tour of the Alfond Arena, track facility and soccer complex for 30 to 40 people. Brad Libby did not respond regarding Littlefield Gardens, but the Astronomy Center could provide a tour. Rick led the Astronomy tour a few years ago and found Director Shawn Laatsch very easy to work with. Rick was able to pick the show (Maine women astronauts). Tom will contact Laatsch. The Center can accommodate about 50 people. The Bog Boardwalk Tour can accommodate 20 people, and the Page Farm and Home Museum, 30-35.
Mitchell Center Director David Hart has agreed to be the Homecoming speaker and will be featured in a newsletter article if we have a title for his talk by press time.
The Brown Scholarship student has been selected, but Tom was unable to contact him. The Office of Financial Services is asking for a release for contact.
Althea reported that the vendors have been contacted. This year the Council will extend the time for visiting the vendors by starting the regular program at 10:15, with the speaker to begin at 11:00. The specific schedule for the day will be available as a link sent out with the emails announcing the Homecoming. The schedule will also be available at the sign-in table.
The newsletter, now 6 pages long, will announce the Homecoming. Postcard and email reminders will be sent out in April. Sarah will send the compilation of questionnaire responses to Rick. Althea suggested an article on Gold Card benefits for the newsletter, although not every retiree has a gold card.
Newsletter: The newsletter committee (Jen, Claire, and Rick) met after the November meeting and decided to have copy ready by the end of January. They planned a section of announcements and another on short feature items such as Louis’s information on the Rec Center.
Website: In absentia, Cindy reported that the October minutes are on the website, as is a link to the site on capital construction projects.
Other: Louis will prepare a feature for the newsletter on the UMaine Rec Center. The next meeting will be held on January 9.
Adjourn: Jen moved we adjourn; Louis seconded. Meeting was adjourned.