Your Retirement Advocate Since 1973

We are ARSCE – Active and Retired Seattle City Employees Association, with an emphasis on retired folks and their families and friends. We are the advocate for members of the Seattle Employee Retirement System, keeping an eye on actions at the local and state level which might affect us.  And, we encourage retirees and active employees to keep in touch through our bi-monthly ARSCE News, and our quarterly luncheons.   The News covers City Retirement System issues, and includes columns and articles by active and retired employees featuring everything from travel experiences to other employee get-togethers, to books and films, and to a variety of other items of interest to retirees.  Please join us for our quarterly luncheons – a great chance to meet up with old friends and associates – and enjoy the ARSCE News, our bi-monthly publication. The News will keep you current on City Retirement System issues, and also includes columns and articles by active and retired employees featuring everything from travel experiences to other employee get-togethers, to books and films, and to a variety of other items of interest to retirees.

We maintain this website to provide users with information about ARSCE.  You’ll find the ARSCE event calendar, information about membership and the luncheons, names and contact information for the officers, and a lot of documentation, including our Bylaws, past issues of the ARSCE News, and link stop other information sources of interest to retirees.

Enjoy this website, and if you are a current or retired City of Seattle employee, we hope you are a member or that you will consider becoming a member.

ARSCE President John Masterjohn’s message, July/August 2019:

I am beginning my article with some sad news. ARSCE lost a dedicated Board member the week of May 5th, 2019. Leif “Alan” Hovland passed away after a long bout with pulmonary fibrosis.

Alan worked for the Seattle Parks Department for at least 30 years. He started out as a general laborer and ended his career as the head of the custodial crews. Alan wrote a column for ARSCE News and collected artifacts from the Parks Department. For a number of years, he also organized the Parks’ employees lunches every month. He was a co-chair for the Membership Committee and temporary Recording Secretary for the ARSCE Board. He took most of the photos for our ARSCE luncheons. Alan was a good friend–we worked together when he was at Parks and I was at the union. We sat across the table from each other, and most of the time we each came away with a win-win. I will miss Alan and I know we will have to get at least three people to replace him. He also gave a lot of his time to the Norwegian Museum and the Rotary. Our sincerest sympathies go out to his family. [There will be a service for Alan Hovland on August 18, 2019, 2-6 pm at the Leif Erickson Lodge in Seattle, 2245 NW 57th St, Seattle, WA 98107. All are welcome to attend.]

After we returned from our trip to Mexico (to date, I haven’t been warm since), in April I met with Jeff Davis [Executive Director, Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System]. He talked again about their new systm where each individual will be able to have his/her own account and be able to access all of his/her information.

Also, SCERS (Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System) heard again from their consultants about divestment, and they are setting a policy not to divest from fossil fuel investments. They’re still looking into investing in green companies. 

The big scare of last month was SB 5240, introduced by [Washington State] Senator Brann (R-Centralia) and Senator Carlyle (D-Seattle). We dodged a bullet! This bill is dead for this session; it didn’t clear committee and I hope Carlyle doesn’t bring it up next year. If you want more information on this issue, please read Lou Walter’s article in the March/April issue of ARSCE News. 

I want to thank all of you who voted for our Board members. Those who were elected include: Ann Beard, Sharon Mickelson, Anne Miller, Mike Nagan, Ed Steyh, and Victoria Troisi. Also elected as alternates were: Alan Brittenham, Bob Chandler, and Mary Steyh. Thank you all for running. Please consider joining us on September 11th for the Fall Luncheon… . 

Hope to see you at the luncheon!

John

Contact Mr. Masterjohn at president@arsce.org