Just a reminder...Next MEETING will be Wednesday October 15th, Noon at Mr. Gatti’s. You don’t have a voice unless you attend.

 Agenda items:

*New Member Induction

*New Officer Induction

*Guest Speaker from SMPOA to answer any questions about the collective bargaining referendum.

*Mobile Phone Program- Those who were on the program will be receiving their final bill soon. We will make arrangements for payment when requested.

*Youth Sports

 I want to thank all of you who attended the last meeting. It was very productive. I know that our numbers will continue to grow very rapidly. We inducted 3 new members and will induct at least 3 more this next meeting.

 You will notice that I have included an invoice with your newsletter for your dues. These dues need to be paid promptly to insure that you do not have a break in coverage. Return all payments, updates or comments to President Ormsby, or Brothers Rojo or Sowards.

 The Hill Country Lodge has enrolled in the National F.O.P. Legal Defense Plan. We need to make sure all members have paid up on their dues and make sure you are signed up if you want the coverage.

The GREAT deal about this coverage is that the Plan is owned by the F.O.P. Your appeal process is to COPS, not an attorney or insurance board.

YOU get to choose YOUR attorney for the plan. If you want your attorney signed up, let Larry Sowards know and contact will be made with the attorney to get him or her on the list.

D. Phillip Adkins (Austin) 512-477-1870 Greg Zaney (Austin) 512-477-1870 Porter,Rogers, Dahlman and Gordon (Austin-Contact Pat Rogers) 512-472-9616 Attorney list is available for the following cities: Amarillo, Corpus Christi (6), Lufkin, Tyler(2) and Houston.

Burton and Minton (Austin) 512-476-4873 Jaimie Balagia/ Terry Keel (Austin) 477-1870

The Texas State Lodge provides life insurance for all of its membership. Our lodge has supplemental coverage.

Sights and Sounds- We are planning another booth this year and will be giving you details as the event gets closer. We will be selling Pizza and Manskie Rolls.

Raffle Winner

Marva Filla is the winner and the winning ticket was sold by Victor Rojo.

We will start our second raffle at this meeting. The winning ticket will drawn at the FOP Christmas party, Saturday, December 20, 1997. That is the same day as Brown Santa Delivery.

Officer’s Rights Seminar- The State Lodge will conduct a seminar November 15, 1997 in Houston, Texas. It is free to FOP members. This training will be discussed at the meeting. It will also be TCLEOSE credit.

Long John Silver Boycott - The National President Gil Gallegos has called for a boycott against Long John Silvers for airing commercials that portrays a police officer as a thief.

President Gallegos did notify the company that the commercial was in no way humorous and was very offensive. The company assured us the ads would stop.

Well...they have not. We will discuss what we will do as a lodge, or individually, at the meeting.

Well, I had no negative comments from the other guys! It seems to me the referendum makes them bite their tongues. Speak up BOYS... I can’t hear you.

I hope that all of you attend the next meeting to ask questions of the POA. You need to know their intentions. What are they? Who holds the strings? Who makes the benefits? Have we not been benefiting already? I just want to give you a start to ask questions.

It is the changing of the guard (Local Officers) and renewed enthusiasm. We are growing and welcoming old members back. If you left the FOP on good terms...you are always welcome. 280,000 members nation wide,

Texas the fastest growing State Lodge in the FOP family. I am proud of being on the team of Winners! Plus these winners are all COPS!

If you have any comments you want to add:

Contact Brother Larry Sowards if you want anything added to the Newsletter. Mailing Address is PO Box 1093, San Marcos, Texas 78667-1093

7th - Johnny Gruenbein

22nd - Bob Klett

24th - John Polanco Jr. Victor Rojo

1st - Stephen Velasquez

2nd - Dennis Gutierrez

9th - Kathy Anderson

12th - Lawrence Formolo

23rd - Garland Harwell

4th - Marty Manzi

13th - Tom Ormsby

19th - Terry Carter

22nd - Cynthia Winn

25th - Jesus

26th - David Burns

30th - Bob Cheeseman