12-19-2013 Rotary Club of Chickasha meeting
Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello was guest speaker at the 12-19-203 meeting of the Rotary Club of Chickasha. The Dec. 19, 2013 meeting of the Rotary Club opened with a prayer, pledge and God Bless America.
There were no guests.
Prayer concerns included Sherman Frederickson's wife and Mrs. Thomas, who fell at the Christmas Party and broke her arm.
President Greg Elliott said the final accounting from the John Deere raffle showed the club cleared more than $10,500, allowing the club to make contributions of more than $5,000 each to Southwest Youth & Family Services and the Chickasha Community Theatre.
Our guest speaker was State Labor Commissioner Mark Costello who was elected to the office in 20.
Since taking office, Costello has looked at what other states are doing better and tried to make his office as financially responsible as possible.
One of the first things he did was go to Arkansas to see how that state reformed its workers comp system. Arkansas business spend only $1 for every $2.58 spent in Oklahoma. He has pushed for Oklahoma to change from judicial hearings on worker's comp claims to an administrative system, like Arkansas and numerous other states.
Costello has reduced staff from about 85 to 65, closed the Tulsa Office, saved the state about $500,000 and increases efficiency, making it easier for businesses to interact with the department through technology increased online services.
Another issue Costello would like to see change in Oklahoma is to remove the merit protection system that covers about two-thirds of state workers. Costello because of the system, it is extremely difficult and costly to fire underperforming state employees. He said private sector workers serve "at will" of employers.
Before adjourning the meeting, President Greg announced that the board would meet on Friday, Dec. 20. The meeting ended after recitation of the Rotary 4-Way Test.
Prayer concerns included Sherman Frederickson's wife and Mrs. Thomas, who fell at the Christmas Party and broke her arm.
President Greg Elliott said the final accounting from the John Deere raffle showed the club cleared more than $10,500, allowing the club to make contributions of more than $5,000 each to Southwest Youth & Family Services and the Chickasha Community Theatre.
Our guest speaker was State Labor Commissioner Mark Costello who was elected to the office in 20.
Since taking office, Costello has looked at what other states are doing better and tried to make his office as financially responsible as possible.
One of the first things he did was go to Arkansas to see how that state reformed its workers comp system. Arkansas business spend only $1 for every $2.58 spent in Oklahoma. He has pushed for Oklahoma to change from judicial hearings on worker's comp claims to an administrative system, like Arkansas and numerous other states.
Costello has reduced staff from about 85 to 65, closed the Tulsa Office, saved the state about $500,000 and increases efficiency, making it easier for businesses to interact with the department through technology increased online services.
Another issue Costello would like to see change in Oklahoma is to remove the merit protection system that covers about two-thirds of state workers. Costello because of the system, it is extremely difficult and costly to fire underperforming state employees. He said private sector workers serve "at will" of employers.
Before adjourning the meeting, President Greg announced that the board would meet on Friday, Dec. 20. The meeting ended after recitation of the Rotary 4-Way Test.