Member heads state Workers Comp Board
By SHERRY HALBROOK judicialsystemthatpits firethattook146livesin1911inNew
Inlessthantwomonths,aPEF injuredworkersand YorkCity,”Belotensaid.Theidea,he
memberwentfromtheprofessional theiradvocatesagainst added,istokeepcasesinvolving
ranksathisstateagencytoheadingit. employersandtheir workerswhoarekilledorinjuredon
InMay,RobertE.Beloten,ahearing insurancecarriers.At thejoboutofthecivilcourtsystem,
officerforthestateWorkers stakearefundingfor andgivethemtheirownvenueandlaw.
CompensationBoard,wasconfirmedby medicalcareandweekly Afterdecadesofpersonallyhearing
thestateSenateasaWCB compensationduringthe anddecidingmorethan50,000ofthese
commissioner.
Justweekslater,Gov.David
PatersonannouncedJuly2hehad
BELOTEN
recoveryperiod. cases,theformermemberofPEF
Belotensucceeds Division285hasdevelopedhisown
ZacharyWeiss,who goalsandprioritiesforleadershipin
namedBelotentochairtheboard. servednearlytwoyears reformingthesystem.
Afteratotalof25yearsasaPEF asboardchairfollowinghis “I’dliketoseeinjuredworkersget
memberattheWCBandpreviouslyat appointmentbyGov.EliotSpitzeras theirbenefitsfasterthantheydonow,
thestateRacingandWageringBoard, partofanefforttostreamlineand andreceivebettermedicalcareand
Belotennowheadsthe$5.5billion reformthebeleagueredsystem. rehabilitationsotheycangetbackon
system.TheWCBhasapproximately “Ourworkerscompensationsystem thejobsooner.Mostpeoplewantto
1,500employeesandhandles actuallystartedalongtimeagoin workandbeself-sufficient,”Beloten
approximately140,000casesannually. GermanyandcametotheU.S.after said,“andthat’sthebestpossible
WorkersCompisaspecialized thetragicTriangleShirtwaistFactory outcome.”
Candidates sought for 5 board seats
BySHERRY certifiedinthetriennialelections. certainPEFmembersatthestate
HALBROOK Nominatingpetitionswillbecome OfficeofRealPropertyServicesandat
InJuly,Bob availableOctober1.Petitionsmustbe theAdirondackParkAgency;
Gamachewona returnedtothePEFSpecialElections •Seat325,whichrepresents
runoffelectionto CommitteebyOctober22. certainPEFmembersinRegion9at
fillPEF Ifmorethanonecandidatefora theHudsonRiverPsychiatricCenter
Executive seatiscertified,aspecialelectionwill (PC)andatMid-HudsonPC:andat
BoardSeat125, weheld,withballotsmailedbythe CentralNYPC,andthestateOfficeof
whichrepresents AmericanArbitrationAssociation MentalHealth(OMH)MainOffice;
somemembersat November10andreturnableby •Seat360,whichrepresents
thestateOfficeof December1. certainPEFRegion10membersatthe
General Seatstobefilledinthesespecial NYPsychiatricInstitute,attheOMH
Services.This electionsare: WashingtonHeightsUnitandatthe
wasthefinal •Seat25,whichrepresentscertain OMHMainOffice;and
contestofthetriennial PEFmembersatthestateDepartment •Seat555,whichrepresents
PEFelectionstoberesolved. ofCorrectionalServicesworkingatthe certainPEFmembersatRoswellPark
InOctober,thefirstquarterly followingfacilities–Albion,Elmira, CancerInstitute,NYSCanal
specialelectionswillbeheldfollowing CampMonterey,Rochester, CorporationandtheNYSCanal
thetriennialelections.Nomineeswill Groveland,Southport,Orleans, Authority.
besoughtforfiveExecutiveBoard Livingston,andWillard;
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e a ball!
RememberFredAstairsinging,“I’mputtin’onmy Presentationofthecaucus’annualVivian
tophat,tyin’upmywhitetie,brushin’offmytails!” BirdsongMonsantoScholarshipswillbethehighlight
fromIrvingBerlin’s1935hitmusicalfilm“TopHat?” ofaneveningfilledwithmusic,dininganddancing.
FollowAstair’sleadwhenhesang,“I’msteppin’ AllPEFmembersandretireesarewelcome.
out,mydear,tobreatheanatmospherethatsimply Ticketsare$75perperson.Toreserveyours,contact
reekswithclass,”andorderyourticketsnowforthe CynthiaSaunders-Perryat(212)961-8091,Sakinah
BlackandWhiteBallinhonorofthe30th Blackat(718)642-8621orPeggyMoore-Carterat
anniversaryoftheBlackCaucusofPEF. (518)272-1988.Forhotelreservations,e-mailDebi
Theballisat7p.m.Saturday,October24,at Chowdhuryatdebichowdhury@yahoo.com.
Antun’sQueensVillage,96-43SpringfieldBoulevard — Sherry Halbrook
inQueensVillage.
Page18—TheCommunicatorSeptember2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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