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QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”
-B.B. King

2025 RESDC HOLIDAY LUNCHEON AT BALI HAI RESTAURANT
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025

When: Thursday, December 11, 2025
11:00 am – 2:00 pm. Lunch is served at 11:30 am.

Where: Bali Hai Restaurant
2230 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego, CA 92106
(click here for directions)

Menu: Ham, Herb Roasted Chicken Breast or Sweet and Sour Tofu 

Cost: $30 per person

Program: President’s Welcome, introduction of guests, approval of the 2026 budget.

Registration:

Please ensure that registration forms and payments are submitted to the RESDC office by Monday, December 5th. Kindly note that cancellations made after this date will not be eligible for refunds. Spaces may fill up before December 5th, 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.

Register Online: Click here, then click the green “Register” button. Use the email associated with your member account. Click “Add guest” to add additional registrants for $30 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 9:00am—2:00pm, Monday—Friday. □

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Chris Heiserman

Sheriff seeks DROP pension option to keep veteran officers on the job longer

The County is considering a Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) that could allow veteran Sheriff’s deputies and other public safety members to delay retirement and continue working for three years while generating a special DROP savings account. The Deputy Sheriff’s labor union urged the Board of Supervisors to investigate DROP in 2023, according to an article in the San Diego Union-Tribune earlier this year. It was suggested DROP could provide incentive to retain experienced personnel and deal with problems of chronic staffing shortages and a mandatory overtime policy in the department.

The Board of Supervisors reportedly unanimously agreed to study DROP and hired an actuarial consulting firm with expertise in such programs to assist in drafting a proposed ordinance. County administrators have been negotiating the terms of a proposed program for months with labor leaders and the Sheriff’s Department.

A county DROP plan would have to meet “cost-neutrality” legal requirements required by the state’s County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (CERL). If it is implemented, it would be administered by the San Diego County Employees’ Retirement Association (SDCERA), and it would be the first DROP implemented by a CERL system. CERL covers retirement rules for 20 large California counties.

We may all recall past DROPs were extremely controversial in the cities of San Diego and Los Angeles. San Diego started its program in 1997 and later ended eligibility for entry in 2005. Sheriff’s Department officials have been tracking DROP progress in the county and attending SDCERA meetings to hear staff updates. At the September 18, 2025, Board of Retirement meeting, the president of the deputy sheriff’s union said 460-470 deputies were currently eligible to retire, and if DROP was approved, it could help stabilize their work force for three years.

As a watchdog for benefits of all county employees and retirees, RESDC’s primary concern is the continued health of the SDCERA Retirement Fund and its capacity to pay earned benefits as promised. We have been monitoring DROP progress as well and look forward to the upcoming analysis of the plan and its “cost-neutrality” by SDCERA’s highly regarded actuarial firm, Segal.

Here is an overview on the DROP program from the SCDERA staff presentation to the Board of Retirement:

• Members sign an irrevocable agreement to enter DROP for a maximum of three years.
• SDCERA calculates a pension benefit on the DROP entry date and begins paying a monthly benefit into a DROP account.
• Retirement contributions are still withheld from members’ bi-weekly paychecks and 75% of those are deposited into the DROP account.
• DROP accounts earn 0% interest, but the pension earned during DROP is eligible for half of current COLA.
• Upon completing DROP, members receive a lump-sum payment of the DROP account balance.

The presentation also included an example of how DROP would work with a typical deputy retiring as a Safety Tier A employee making $120,000 annually with 25 years of service credit. The monthly pension benefit at DROP entry was stated as $7,500 (however, in the example it was noted that if the member did not participate in DROP, the pension benefit in three years would be $8,912 monthly).

The DROP account in the example after three years would be $327,074 which would consist of $277,500 in pension payments and $49,574 in member contributions.

The main incentive in participating in DROP is to build a separate account for retirement; the cost saving tradeoff is setting a member’s future pension benefit level early and foregoing three years of service credit. □

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Rebecca Bennett
Collette Best, HHSA
Denise Christian, Child Support Services
Michael Feeley, Assessor/Recorder/Cty Clrk
Manuel Galvan
Arturo Mejia, Probation
Gene Powers
Jennifer Samaniego, District Attorney
Carmen Stamper
Ouv Tear, HHSA

The surviving spouse of a member is eligible for RESDC membership. For enrollment assistance, call (866) 688-9229. □

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RECIPE SHARE

AWARD WINNING CHEESE CAKE
Submitted by Patricia Petersen

CRUST:
Butter for pie pan
Graham crackers for crust

FILLING:
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 ½ pkgs. cream cheese, 8-oz. size (softened)
2 tbsp. lemon juice

TOP LAYER:
1 pt. sour cream
2 tbsp. sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla

TOPPING:
1 can cherry pie filling (or small cans crushed pineapple and mandarin
oranges)

Butter a 9″ pie pan heavily. Crush graham crackers and dust onto pie pan (as though dusting for “grease and flour”). Whip together 2/3 cup sugar, eggs, cream cheese and lemon juice. Pour into pie shell and bake at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes. Cool approximately 20 minutes. Blend sour cream with the 2 tbsp. sugar and vanilla. Spread on top of baked filling. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes until set (may take 10 – 15 minutes). Cool. Spread pie filling on top or place pineapple in center and orange slices around edge. Chill if desired. (Note: several of us won baking contests with this.) □

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DIRECTIONS TO BALI HAI RESTAURANT

From I-5:

Take exit 17A for W. Hawthorn St. toward San Diego Airport.
Keep left at W. Hawthorn St. toward San Diego Airport.
Turn right onto Pacific Hwy.
Turn left onto W. Laurel St. toward San Diego Airport.
Turn right onto N. Harbor Dr.
Turn left onto Scott St.
Turn left onto Shelter Island Dr.
At the roundabout take the second exit onto Shelter Island Dr.

Bali Hai Restaurant
2230 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego, CA 92106. □

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MOVED RECENTLY?
UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS WITH BOTH RESDC AND SDCERA

If you’ve recently changed your address, be sure to update it with both RESDC and SDCERA. Each organization serves a different purpose, and keeping your contact information current with both ensures you don’t miss important updates.

SDCERA administers your retirement pension benefits and will mail you annual 1099 tax forms and account reminders. To update your address with SDCERA, log in to the Member Portal memberportal.sdcera.org or call 619-515-6800.

RESDC provides member benefits, including dental and vision insurance, newsletters, and invitations to events and programs. To update your address with RESDC, call us at (866) 688-9229 or email resdc@resdc.net. □

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November 11 is Veterans Day

RESDC and SDCERA will be closed on Tuesday, November 11 in observance of the holiday. □

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HEALTH FAIR PICNIC RECAP

Sun, Fun, Food and Friends — RESDC’s 2025 Health Fair Picnic a Success

We’re happy to report that the annual Health Fair Picnic was a roaring success once again. Over 350 attendees gathered at Admiral Baker Park on Friday October 10th and enjoyed some great weather, a ton of useful health-related information, great food and some quality time with former colleagues and old friends.
Huge thanks go out to all our fifteen exhibitors including SDCCU (dessert sponsor), PGA, Meals on Wheels, County Aging & Independence Services, Alzheimer’s San Diego, the Sheriff’s Volunteer Patrol Program, and the County Employee Charitable Organization. Profound thanks to our lead sponsor My Senior Health Plan for their continued support.

All of us at RESDC thank those who joined us and those that could not…you were missed. We will hope to see you at the Holiday Luncheon in December. Registration opens November first, and capacity is limited so we urge you to register early. □

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YOUR BLOOD TYPE AND YOU

By Chuck Brown

An interesting article passed through my inbox a while ago. The WebMD article summarizes what health issues relate to which blood types. A quick summary:

Type A – The minuses include more difficulty in handling stress and more susceptible to Type 2 Diabetes.

Type B – The minus is more susceptible to Type 2 Diabetes.

Type AB – The minuses include being more susceptible to memory loss and more susceptible to stroke.

Types A, AB, B – The minuses include being more susceptible to pancreatic cancer and higher risk of blood clots.

Type O – The pluses include a lower stroke risk, a lower risk of stomach cancer, less susceptibility to malaria, and better chance of longevity. The minus is more susceptible to ulcers.

For more detailed information, you can read the article at – Blood Type and Health □

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BITS & PIECES

Editor’s Note: We would like to continue printing some Bits and Pieces items in this newsletter about our members.

If you have taken an interesting trip or have had an intriguing event happen recently, please let us know so that we can share your story with our members.

If you have reached an exciting birthday, or wedding anniversary, please call RESDC at (866) 688-9229. You can also write to RESDC, 3760 Convoy St., Suite 118, San Diego, CA 92111. You can also send your information to us by email at: resdc@resdc.net. □

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INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND YOUR PASSPORT
(A HEADS-UP FROM “READER’S DIGEST”)

By Chuck Brown

Starting on Oct. 12, 2025, the EU will begin rolling out its new Entry/Exit System (EES). Instead of having officials stamp your passport when you cross the border, the system will use your photo and fingerprints to log your entry and exit digitally. For a few months, it’ll be a mix, with some crossings still stamping, and others already recording this digitally. But by April 10, 2026, stamps will be gone at all Schengen external borders.

The 29 countries in the Schengen Area, including new members Bulgaria and Romania, will no longer be stamping passports.

EU Schengen members: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Bulgaria and Romania. Non-EU Schengen members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Since Ireland and Cyprus are not part of Schengen, they will continue using passport stamps.

Europe isn’t the first to ditch passport stamps. The U.S. already logs entries and exits electronically through its I-94 system, so many travelers never see a stamp there anymore. The U.K. is heading the same way with its new ETA program and widespread use of eGates, which skip stamping altogether. Countries like Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UAE have long relied on biometrics and digital checks instead of ink.

Full article – Major News! Your Passport Is Changing in a Big Way This Fall □

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IN MEMORIAM

William Barbour
Joyce Bjorkman, HHSA
Gil Bretsch, Marshal
Alice Bronson, Superior Court
Marissa Cajusay, Clerk Board of Supervisors
Wayne Chapman
David Cranford, Probation
Frances Cruz, Dept. of Child Support
Thomas Davis, Public Works
Joann Dove, District Attorney
Dorothy Ernster
Steven Evers, Facilities Mgmt.
Brian Fulton, Parks & Recreation
Wells Gardner, HHSA
Robert Goddard, Dept. of Info. Services
Herice Gowans, Human Resources
Robert Hamel
Cynthia Hammock, Foster Human Resources
Virginia Henkels, Public Defender
Jack Hoog, Probation
Sandy Jackson, HHSA
Richard Janickey, Sheriff
James Jones, Probation
Ann Lampkin, HHSA
Eric Levine, Sheriff
Rochelle Littlepage, HHSA
Alexander Lutzi, District Attorney
Karen Marsh, Probation
Donald McClinton, Sheriff
Eleanor Miller
Steven Murray, Planning & Development
Mary Nelson
Resurreccior Nepomuceno, HHSA
Lois Newton
Sherri Pierson, HHSA
Robert Powell, Facilities Mgmt.
Frances Powers, Library
Edward Ryan, Sheriff
Kathryn Sandoval, Sheriff
Beatriz Sayles
Jo Shuey, Dept. of Info. Services
Joan Tierney, HHSA
Dennis Villarino, Superior Court
Theresa Walker, Agriculture, Wghts., and Meas.
Donald Wilkins

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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TECH CORNER

An important tool for online safety is staying vigilant. Be wary of unrealistic offers online.

If something seems too good to be true, it’s probably a threat to your online safety. Emails and websites claiming you won an extravagant prize or offering “free” giveaways in exchange for your personal information are likely scams. Unless you specifically remember entering a contest, it’s best to ignore online messages about prizes and special offers. □

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RECIPE SHARE
SEND US YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE!

“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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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: (866) 688-9229 Toll Free
FAX: (619) 688-0766
E-MAIL: resdc@resdc.net