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QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
–John F. Kennedy

RESDC HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2026

When: Thursday, December 10, 2026, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Lunch is served at 12:00pm.

Where: Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa
3999 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109

Menu: Grilled Huli Huli Chicken with Charred Pineapple Relish or Pan Seared Cauliflower Steak with Carrot Ginger Puree (Vegan, GF.) Haupia Panna Cotta with Coconut Custard, Mango Coulis, and Toasted Coconut for dessert.

Cost: $40 per person

Program: President’s Welcome, introduction of guests, approval of the 2027 budget.

Registration:

Please ensure that registration forms and payments are submitted to the RESDC office by Friday, December 4th. Kindly note that cancellations made after this date will not be eligible for refunds. Spaces may fill up before December 4th, so we encourage you to register early to secure your spot.

Reserved tables will be provided only for groups of ten who pay for the entire group with one check or one credit card. No exceptions. If wheelchair seating is required, please call our office at (619) 688-9229, or you may inform us on your registration form. Name badges and opportunity ticket packets should be picked up at the check-in table at the event. They will not be mailed.

Choose Registration Method:

Register Online: Go to www.resdc.net/events and click the green “Register” button, then follow the steps. Click “Add guest” to add additional registrants for $40 each. To pay for yourself and guests, click “Pay Online” and pay with a credit card.

Register by Phone: Call the RESDC Office at (619) 688-9229 during our hours of 9 am – 2 pm Mon-Fri. □

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The RESDC office will be closed Monday, 11/23-Friday, 11/27. Phone calls and emails will be answered Monday-Wednesday.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Janel Pehau

It’s November and we’ve crossed over from the spooky season (Halloween) to the Thanksgiving season. Previous RESDC presidents have reminded us about how fortunate County of San Diego retirees are to be part of a well-funded defined benefit (DB) pension plan. I echo that sentiment because it gives us all at least one secure financial base for navigating our retirement years. Each of you has your own story about why you chose to work for the County, but when I applied after being a student intern and student worker, the County’s retirement plan was not a consideration – I just knew I liked working for the County and wanted to continue that path. I’m now indeed appreciative and grateful for that pension plan.

A second financial benefit of being a General Member (Non-Safety) County of San Diego retiree is that you accumulated Social Security credits during your tenure. Many local governments don’t participate in Social Security. The County originally opted to participate at some point in the mid-1950’s after state and local public agencies covered by a pension plan were made eligible to join. I’ve not been able to determine whether Safety members were included at that time (likely not), but I will keep researching. There was concern in the late 1970’s and into the early 1980’s about the solvency of the program. In 1978 the Board of Supervisors requested a study on alternatives to Social Security. In 1981 the Board of Supervisors voted to oppose a federal bill that would have prevented state and local governments from withdrawing from the system. In the Social Security Amendments of 1983, one of the provisions was that State and Local Governments that had joined were prohibited from opting out. At some point before the 1983 amendments became law, I recall employees being asked to vote on whether to opt out of Social Security. The majority voted to stay in Social Security and the Board of Supervisors respected the vote. We’ve all heard recent reports, however, regarding growing concerns with how long the Social Security fund can pay earned benefits without some significant overhauls. There are members of Congress who seem to be paying attention to this issue and we at RESDC will do our best to keep members up to date on significant proposals under consideration.

Also of importance to County retirees is the optional Deferred Compensation Program that many of you may have taken advantage of to build retirement savings to supplement your pension and Social Security benefits. This program started around 1990 and was championed by a man named Neil Rossi, who was Chief Deputy Treasurer at the time. He used the analogy of a three-legged stool to illustrate that in retirement you needed a combination of a pension, Social Security, and personal savings to live comfortably. The deferred compensation program allows regular pre-tax contributions to be deducted from employees’ paychecks and professionally invested in selected funds that are allowed to grow tax free until withdrawn in retirement years.

There are many workers and retirees that don’t have the same sort of retirement security that we enjoy. Public sector plans vary and most private sector workers don’t have a DB retirement plan and must rely on Social Security, personal savings, and defined contribution retirement plans such as the 401(k) that don’t provide a guaranteed income stream. So, congratulations on having chosen to work for the County of San Diego! You have much to be thankful for as a retiree. □

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RESDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Are you interested in serving the retiree community, helping shape RESDC programs, and supporting the mission of our organization? The RESDC Board of Directors currently has three vacancies, and we are seeking engaged members who would like to contribute their time, experience, and leadership.

Current Vacancies

• Vacancy 1: Term 2026–2027 (completing second year of a two-year term)
• Vacancy 2: Term 2027–2028
• Vacancy 3: Term 2027–2028

Why Serve on the Board?

Serving on the RESDC Board is an opportunity to make a positive impact on an organization that represents more than 8,000 active and retired County employees. Board members play an important role in supporting member programs, events, outreach efforts, and advocacy initiatives that benefit the retiree community.

Whether you have experience in leadership, event planning, communications, finance, public service, or simply a desire to get involved, your perspective and participation can help strengthen RESDC.

What Does the Board Do?

The Board of Directors provides leadership and oversight for RESDC’s programs, events, membership initiatives, and advocacy efforts. Board members help guide the organization’s priorities while ensuring that RESDC continues to meet the needs of current and future retirees.

Board members are expected to:

• Attend monthly Board meetings (zoom or in-person)
• Opportunity to participate in committee work and special projects
• Support member events and outreach activities
• Serve as ambassadors for RESDC and its mission

Interested in Learning More?

Members interested in serving on the Board are encouraged to contact the RESDC office at resdc@resdc.net. Our office staff will be happy to discuss the required information and processes for joining the board of directors.

This is a wonderful opportunity to remain active, connect with fellow members, and help ensure RESDC continues to thrive for years to come. We encourage interested members to reach out and consider serving. □

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RESDC ROUNDUP AT NOVO MISSION VALLEY!

Join us for our first RESDC Roundup at NOVO Mission Valley! Come spend the afternoon catching up with fellow RESDC members in a fun and casual setting.

When: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 3:00PM-5:00PM

Where: NOVO Mission Valley
1640 Camino Del Rio North San Diego, CA 92108

RESDC will provide the first round of appetizers for the group! Members may purchase any additional food and beverages on their own individual tabs.

Our Roundups are a great opportunity to reconnect with friends, meet other RESDC members, and enjoy a relaxed afternoon together.

Guests are welcome! If you have friends or former coworkers who are County retirees but haven’t joined RESDC yet, we encourage you to invite them. It’s a great opportunity for them to meet our members, learn more about RESDC, and see what our community is all about. We’d love to welcome them! Space is limited, so please RSVP in advance!

RSVP by November 10 to help us provide NOVO with an accurate headcount.

We hope you’ll join us and help make our first Roundup at NOVO a great one!

Choose your registration method:

Register Online: Go to www.resdc.net/events and click the green ‘Register’ button, then follow the steps.

Register by phone: Call (619) 688-9229 during our office hours of 9:00am—2:00pm, Monday—Friday. □

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RESDC WEBINARS WITH ELDER LAW & ADVOCACY AND MY SENIOR HEALTH PLAN

Within the last two months, RESDC hosted presentations with two of our community partners. One from Elder Law & Advocacy, and another from the team at My Senior Health Plan.

If you missed these presentations, you can find a full-scale recap article in our October Newsflash, and online https://www.resdc.net/wp-content/uploads/ELA-MSHP-Recap-Acticle.pdf.

Who Is Elder Law & Advocacy?
Elder Law & Advocacy is a nonprofit organization serving residents of San Diego and Imperial Counties with the goal of helping older adults understand their rights, navigate legal concerns, and access important resources.

How to Contact Elder Law & Advocacy
If you think you could benefit from their services or would like to learn more, you can contact Elder Law & Advocacy directly:

Website: www.elaca.org
Legal Services: (858) 565-1392

When reaching out, their recommendation is to make initial contact by phone or through their website.

How My Senior Health Plan Can Help

MSHP explained that their Medicare advisors can provide one-on-one guidance at no cost to the individual. They work with major insurance carriers and can help members:

• Understand Medicare and enrollment timelines
• Determine when they need to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B
• Navigate the enrollment process
• Compare Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and Part D plans
• Review doctors, specialists, and prescription medications
• Understand plan networks and benefits
• Review coverage during Annual Enrollment
• Explore options following a move, retirement, loss of coverage, or other life change
• Provide ongoing assistance after enrollment

Have Medicare Questions?

RESDC members do not have to navigate Medicare alone. My Senior Health Plan has been an RESDC affiliate partner for approximately 10 years and is available to help members better understand their options.

Website: myseniorhealthplan.com
Phone: 866-210-1544
Email: info@myseniorhealthplan.com □

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CHECK OUT THE RESDC YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Have you missed any of our Virtual RESDC presentations? Here is how you can watch our past online presentations on the RESDC YouTube channel!

Step 1. Go to www.resdc.net.
Step 2. Scroll down a bit, and click the button RESDC YouTube on the left column.
Step 3. Click the “Subscribe” button. Subscribing to the RESDC YouTube channel means that you will be updated when new videos are uploaded. □

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DEADLINE APPROACHING TO SWITCH SDCERA MEMBER PORTAL LOGIN

On November 20, 2026, all SDCERA members must sign in with ID.me to access the SDCERA Member Portal. The previous login option will no longer be available.

ID.me provides enhanced identity verification to make sure only you have access to your SDCERA Member Portal account. This change only affects the SDCERA Member Portal login. It won’t affect your pension.

You may already have an ID.me account through the Social Security Administration or U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs. You can use that same ID.me account to log into the SDCERA Member Portal.

To get started, visit memberportal.sdcera.org, click “Sign in with ID.me,” and click “Create a wallet.” □

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IN MEMORIAM

Shirley Adams, Child Support
Donna Asmus
Ronald Babcock, Parks & Recreation
Lula Bell-Fain, Probation
Connie Biggs
Richard Bobertz, SDRVJPA
Frank Boccaccio
Edna Bolante, Sheriff
Allen Cazares, Public Defender
Rosa Maria Cortez, Sheriff
Susan Cox, Sheriff
Estelita Deguzman, HHSA
Richard Delgado, Public Works
David Doughton, Sheriff
John Engler, Sheriff
John Finch, Probation
Dennis Herron, Assessor/Recorder/Cty. Clk.
Karen Hovey, HHSA
George Howard
Jimmie Jones, Superior Court
Rosemary King, Probation
Jacqueline Landes, HHSA
David Lassaline, Planning & Land Use
Ramona List, Probation
Edward McBride
Janet McCann, Library
Gayle McDaniel, District Attorney
Sherill Miller, DPW-Airport Enterprise
Teresa Morris, Air Pollution Control
Cheryl Nau, HHSA
Josefina Pantaleon
David Rawson, Public Defender
Esther Rivera, District Attorney
Donald Scotten, Superior Court
Donna Slaton, HHSA
Laurie June Smith
James Sommers, Auditor & Controller
Donald Stewart
Violeta Sunga, Registrar of Voters
Donald Thomas, General Services
Daniel Vinson, Sheriff
Clyde Weston, Probation
Trudy Wood, Air Pollution Control

Member Privacy

Any retiree or surviving spouse who does not want his/her death notice published in the “In Memoriam” column may notify the RESDC office and your privacy will be maintained. □

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SO MANY CARS, SO LITTLE TIME–THE BIRDS

By Chuck Brown

We’ve all experienced that surprise bird splat on our paint job. WHY ME?

Our friends at “Reader’s Digest” have some answers. The most likely colors for bird bombardiers are ones that attract their attention. In order from most likely to least likely: Brown, Red, Black, Yellow/orange, Blue, White, Silver/gray.

You might expect red and yellow to be popular with them, but it turns out that they see ultraviolet light, which we don’t. This added spectrum makes the colors more vivid and striking. In addition to colors, the bombers also have favorites among the car makers’ offerings – here are the top 10. (This may or may not influence your next vehicle purchase.)

In order from most likely to least likely: Dodge Ram, Jeep, Chevrolet, Nissan, Dodge, Kia, Tesla, Audi, Ford, Subaru.

There are some defenses we can apply: Don’t park under overhead lines or trees. Park in your garage (good luck with that for some of us) or use a car cover. If you lose the battle, clean up the droppings as soon as possible, using a mild soap specifically for cars.

The original article is longer and written light-heartedly. To read the full article go to https://www.rd.com/article/cars-that-birds-poop-on-the-most. □

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“Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people eat together.” – Guy Fieri

Do you have a go-to recipe that everyone loves? Is there a dish that your friends and family always demand you bring to a gathering? Any new culinary pursuit you’ve undertaken that you would love to share?

Send us your favorite recipes to post in future issues of THE NETWORK!

Send recipes to resdc@resdc.net. We can’t wait to get cooking with you! □

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Use Accessibility Features.

If reading on a website is difficult due to varying font sizes, text animations, or distracting colors and images, consider turning on accessibility features. Many browsers and devices have settings you can turn on—like cursor settings, screen readers, live captions, zoom features, and color correction—to make online browsing easier for people with disabilities or difficulty hearing or reading.

Additionally, most business sites are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), so they’re often built with ADA principles in mind. On some websites, this might mean looking for the accessibility icon, which usually lives at the top or bottom of the screen. □

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GO GREEN BY SWITCHING TO THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE NETWORK

Did you know you have the option to receive THE NETWORK in an online format?

Help lessen RESDC’s impact on the environment by choosing to GO GREEN!

You can choose to receive THE NETWORK online only. The online and email versions of THE NETWORK contain the same great content you have come to rely on, with the added benefit of going green, which helps lessen our impact on the environment!

To GO GREEN!: Email us at resdc@resdc.net letting us know you would like to receive the online version of THE NETWORK only. □

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Leticia Amezcua, Superior Court
Louise Anselmo
Daisy Bernal, Child Welfare Services
Nicola Clark
Melinda Davenport, HHSA
Alfredo Juarez
Karen Kain, Sheriff
Carol Martinez
Alfred Merker
Ricky Nichols
Kinard Parnell
Janis Shiery, County Counsel
Edwin Sinsay, Planning & Develp.
Estella Stogsdill

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On August 27, 2026, William and Sandra Knowles celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Both enjoyed rewarding careers with San Diego County. Bill retired in 1990 after 27 years of service as a Deputy Sheriff, and Sandra retired in 1999 after 37 years with the District Attorney’s Office.

Over the years, they have traveled extensively, visiting destinations throughout Southeast Asia, China, Tibet, Japan, Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. They also enjoyed many adventures motor-homing across the United States and Canada.

Today, they enjoy a quieter life in Encinitas. Sandra spends her time gardening, while Bill enjoys relaxing with a good cigar as he watches the sunset at Cardiff Beach.

Congratulations to William and Sandra on 60 years of marriage and a lifetime of wonderful memories! □

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THE NETWORK is the official monthly newsletter of the Retired Employees of San Diego County, Inc. (RESDC), a private non-profit organization.

The information printed in THE NETWORK is believed to be from reliable sources. However, no responsibility is assumed by THE NETWORK for inaccuracies contained herein.

Business and Inquiries: Business matters and address changes may be recorded on our voicemail at any time, call (866) 688-9229. Please spell your name so the correct member record can be located.

Retired Employees of San Diego County, Inc.
3760 Convoy St., Suite 118 | San Diego, CA 92111
Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday
TELEPHONE: (619) 688-9229
FAX: (619) 688-0766
E-MAIL: resdc@resdc.net