Volume 27, Number 15                                       August 15, 2007

HEADLINE NEWS

Patriotism Video Sponsored by Delaware Credit Unions 
     A free civic DVD is being donated to high schools and libraries in Delaware by seven credit unions and the Delaware Credit Union League, in cooperation with the Committee of Citizen Awareness. The DVD, entitled “Patriotism and You,” features former Secretary of State Colin Powell and discusses the obligations and benefits of patriotism, both in daily life and in times of national and international crises, such as the aftermath of September 11, 2001.
     In addition to Colin Powell, the DVD features Senator Joseph Biden, who was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during 9/11. League president Patrick Mahaney introduces and closes the DVD, with a special appearance by Congressman Michael Castle. “Patriotism and You” is the latest in the well-received, award-winning videotape series about the three branches of government, the U.S. Constitution, and the American standard of living.
     “Delaware credit unions and the League became involved with this public service project in an effort to acknowledge, inspire and encourage patriotism in young Americans, not only in times of crisis, but every day,” said Alice Smith, League communications director, who coordinated the program. 
     During the introduction, League president Pat Mahaney states, “We are pleased to help make this videotape available to young people and others in our area. It is our hope that this DVD will encourage pride in our great nation and a desire to express that pride, whether by helping a neighbor as in the Hurricane Katrina disaster, serving in our military, or voting on Election Day.”
     The following credit unions made financial contributions to support production of this DVD: American Spirit, Del-One, Delaware Alliance, DEXSTA, Dover, Louviers, and Sussex County. The League would be happy to lend out a copy of the DVD for viewing.

Del-One Named One of Delaware’s Top Employers
     For the first time, a Delaware credit union was recognized as a top employer in a survey conducted by The News Journal. Del-One (Delaware Federal Credit Union) was ranked ninth out of 15 small companies (less than 100 employees) that were selected for the “Best in Business” section, published in the July 29th Sunday News Journal.
     As has been the practice for eight years, the survey was compiled by analyzing thousands of responses filed anonymously by employees, executives, and members of the business community. Companies were judged based on critical workplace elements, including management, work/life balance, and, of course, pay and benefits.
     Although CEO Duke Strosser was on vacation when the announcement was made, Sharee Coleman, vice president of marketing, responded to news of the award: “The employees and volunteers of Del-One were extremely honored to make the Best in the Business list this year. The opportunities for career growth and personal development at Del-One are something we’ve all worked very diligently to create, and it’s extremely satisfying to have those efforts acknowledged by our employees and by our peers. We are very fortunate to be led by a CEO and a Board of Directors that value employee feedback, strive for internal equity, and make it their mission to maintain a diverse and well-trained workforce.”        

Volunteer Conference Oct. 26-28
     Conference and hotel registration information is now available for the 11th annual Volunteer Leadership Conference to be held at the Clarion Resort in Ocean City, Maryland, on October 26-27.
     This year’s conference will feature former NCUA chairman Dennis Dollar, and there will be repeated break-out sessions and Sunday morning networking for board chairs/vice chairs, board members, and supervisory committee members.
     Complete information is available on the League website, www.dcul.org, or call Alice at the League office for a brochure.

COMPLIANCE RECAP

Minimum Wage Posters   
    The new federal minimum wage act recently signed into law by President Bush does not impact Delaware credit unions. Delaware’s current minimum wage rate – $6.65 per hour – supersedes the federal rate. Every credit union must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining labor standards in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments to permit employees to read it readily. You can obtain a free Delaware Labor Law poster by calling the Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Affairs, at 302-761-8200.

Other Signs Required for Employees
     Here is a list of other Federal notices that must be posted for employees:

     • Job Safety & Health Act
     • Employee Polygraph Protection Act
     • Equal Employment Opportunity Is the Law
     • Labor Law Abstract (Payment of Wages, Child Labor, Right to Work)
     • Family Medical Leave Act (required for employers with 50 or more employees)
     • OSHA
     • Workers’ Compensation Notice
     • Unemployment Notice
     • Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USSERRA)

     These signs should be the most current versions and be posted in a prominent place where notices to employees and job openings are customarily posted. Some other things to consider:
     • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA – covers employers with 15 or more employees) includes requirements that may apply in some situations in credit unions, such as elevator requirements, alarm systems, telephones for the disabled, and building access.
     • Handicapped parking spaces should be clearly marked. (You might also consider marking the location of fire extinguishers and fire exits.)
     Many of the signs listed above are available on the U.S. Department of Labor’s poster web page at http://www.dol.gov/osbp/sbrefa/poster/main.htm. [Source: Georgia CU Association’s “Noteworthy”]

And More Signage Requirements…
     Each year, examiners check credit unions’ lobby areas and automated teller machines (ATM) for regulatory poster compliance. Here is a checklist of the required signs and posters that should appear in your credit union:
□  Current copy of the credit union’s financial statements.
□  FBI decals. Decals should be placed in a location visible to the general public. Contact the local FBI field office for decals.
□  Regulation CC/Funds Availability Policy. Don’t forget to include the ATM requirement to post a sign stating that funds may not be available for immediate withdrawal.
□  Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA Notice). Post this notice in the lobby of the credit union’s home office and in each branch office located in a Metropolitan Statistical Area (not applicable to all credit unions).
□  Equal Housing Lender (or Equal Housing Opportunity) Poster. Post the notice where it is clearly visible to the general public, i.e., in the lobby and/or lending areas of the credit union.
□  NCUA Share Insurance decals at each teller window, including the member service representatives’ desks if they open accounts.
□  Annual Percentage Yield (APY) disclosures for indoor signs and lobby boards, including a statement giving the name of an employee to contact for further information.
□  ATM fees for non-members have to be disclosed on or at the ATM. This requirement can be met by having a sign or notice on the screen for a reasonable amount of time before the consumer is committed to the transaction.
     If you have any questions about these signs, please contact Susan Fallon at the League office. [Source: CUNA’s “Compliance Challenge”]

New Information Power Tool
     NCUA has unveiled its new Internet resource connection, offering it as a tool to access a wide range of credit union-related information. The “Resource Connection” has three main sections:
■  The Credit Union Connection: A section featuring examples of programs and services offered by credit unions throughout the country;
■  The Partnership Connection: Containing profiles of programs offered by federal government agencies and foundations that partner with NCUA and credit unions; and
■  The Training Connection: Listing scheduled NCUA training events and training opportunities offered by NCUA's partner organizations. Go to www.ncua.gov and click on the computer icon.

Credit Union System News

Prepare for International Credit Union Day
     Make sure you are ready to celebrate this year! International Credit Union Day® is October 18, 2007. CUNA has planning and celebration resources on their website for credit unions to use in promoting the worldwide theme: “Together We're Better.”
     "This year's theme demonstrates the fact that credit unions serve their members most effectively, and simultaneously strengthen the credit union movement, by working together at the local, state, national and international levels," said Dan Mica, president/CEO of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).

ICU Day highlights:
► Early-bird pricing on official ICU Day promotional products when credit unions order before September 12.
► Free ICU Day graphics
► Free celebration ideas, media tips, and promotional materials
► Share celebration ideas and stories on the ICU Day message board
     Find these resources at: http://finlit.cuna.org/icuday_index.html. Or visit www.finlit.cuna.org and select Events.

Shift Your Calendar for 2008 GAC
     If you are already marking off the dates for your 2008 D.C. trip for the Credit Union National Association Governmental Affairs Conference, please be aware that the 2008 conference will shift by a day to allow for greater access to lawmakers.
     The conference will now be held Monday - Thursday, March 3-6, at a new venue - the Washington Convention Center. This means Hill visits will be the heart of the conference rather than tacked on at the end. March 5 is the designated time for Capitol Hill visits.
     Additional details are forthcoming, including registration information.

Financial Management Conference - October 15-17
     Mid-Atlantic Corporate FCU and Corporate One FCU are jointly sponsoring a Financial Management Conference, October 15-17, at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. The program is geared for CEO/managers and senior managers, who have responsibility for operations management, portfolio management, or risk management.
     Sessions will cover leadership, emerging issues, and the economy, plus additional topics relevant to your responsibilities at your credit union: enterprise risk management; fee income; FASB update; data security; business continuity; asset/liability management; and evaluating securities.
     Visit www.midatlanticcorp.org, and click on the Financial Management Conference icon for complete conference details and to register.

CUNA Holds Certified Financial Counselor School in Maryland
     From October 1-4, 2007, the Maryland & DC Credit Union Association will host CUNA’s Certified Financial Counselors School: Part 1 at the Columbia office. Consumer debt is on the rise and recent statistics report that the average household has over $18,000 in non-mortgage debt. Because of this high level of debt, credit unions are seeing more and more members who are experiencing financial problems. These problems are the direct result of members not having the needed knowledge or understanding of how to manage their finances.
     This school is designed for staff who work in the financial counseling, member servicing, collections and loan departments, as well as others who are committed to helping members gain control of their financial future.
     Students interested in achieving the designation of CUNA Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) can take the exam each evening on that day’s topics. Participants must test on each module in order to qualify for part 1 of the CCUFC designation.
     Delaware CU managers/CEOs will receive a copy of the registration brochure in this week’s mailing, or call Alice Smith at the League.

DELAWARE NOTES

Recognizing that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, DEXSTA FCU held a free community Shred-a-Thon on Saturday, April 28, 2007, at its Prices Corner location. With the use of two shredder trucks from All Star Shredding, DEXSTA helped almost 400 people shred nearly 13,000 lbs. of paper! The following picture shows individuals lining up to shred their documents.

Congratulations to Andy Haines, president of NEWARK, DELAWARE CITY EMPLOYEES FCU, who was married in July.

New Online Information Source.  Can't find a zip code? Need to change your address? Want to take your name off mailing lists or find out how to get an energy audit for your home? You can do all that - and more - on a new website that helps you access government services from your computer (http://www.usa.gov). Alphabetized by topic, “Get It Done Online” is housed at www.usa.gov, the U.S. government's official Web portal. The new site is a source for a wealth of information on everything from airline on-time records to ZIP code lookups.

Have you run your new Project Zip Code CD?
Have you run your new Project Zip Code CD against your member database? All credit unions received version 6.0 of the disc by mail. Please use it, and when your results have been uploaded, test it by printing a report for your credit union. Show your lawmakers why credit union issues matter by sharing your results with them.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

August/September QuickBites Teleconferences
One-hour sessions run from 11 a.m.-noon:
●  8/22  Measuring Member Service/Satisfaction
●  8/29  Truth-in-Lending Act and Reg Z
One-and-a-half hour session runs from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.:
●  9/6    Plastic Card Fraud
Two-hour sessions run from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.:
●  8/16  Credit Union Incentives
●  9/13  Share Account Administration
     The fee for the one-hour session is $99;for the one-and-a-half hour session, $119; and for the two-hour session, $169. Deadline to register: one week prior to the session. Call Bernadette Hines to enroll.

Upcoming Council Meetings
●  Cards Council: Thursday, August 30. Topic: Credit card fraud update, presented by the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association. Enroll with Jane Bailey by 8/24.
●  Collection Council: Wednesday, September 12. Topics: Bankruptcy and selling non-performing assets. Enroll with Bernadette Hines by 9/5.
     Both sessions will run from 10 a.m.-noon at the League office. There is no fee for Collection or Cards Council members. Fee for non-council members: $75.

SAVE THESE DATES!

October 15-17    Mid-Atlantic Corporate’s Financial Management Conference
                           Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
                           Farmington, PA
October 26-28    DE/MD/DC Annual Volunteer Leadership Conference (VLC)
                           Clarion Fountainbleau Hotel
                           Ocean City, Maryland
Check your mail over the coming weeks for more details on both of these conferences. Credit union volunteers can obtain a full brochure about the VLC by contacting Alice Smith at alice@dcul.org.

League Activities in June-July

COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC RELATIONS

            Credit Union Supplement. Eleven credit unions will be advertising in this year’s Credit Union Day supplement, which will appear on October 16 as an insert in The News Journal. This year’s theme will be “Credit Unions: Get the Difference.” A listing of all Delaware credit unions with contact information will also appear in the supplement, although the traditional state map may not appear due to a smaller-size format.

            Volunteer Leadership Conference. The brochures are now available for the 11th annual Volunteer Leadership Conference. This annual conference has grown in its program offerings and attendance since initiated by our league eleven years ago. This year’s conference will feature former NCUA chairman Dennis Dollar as our opening speaker; and there will be repeated break-out sessions and Sunday morning networking for board chairs/vice chairs, board members, and supervisory committee members. The date is October 26-29 at the Clarion Fountainebleau in Ocean City, Maryland. Brochures have been mailed to CU managers/CEOs, board chairs and supervisory committee chairs. Information can also be found on the League website. Scholarships are available to credit unions under $20 million in assets – call Alice Smith.

            Media Request. League communications director Alice Smith worked with reporter Ann Wilmer of the Sussex County Business Report and other Morning Star publications to provide information on credit unions located in Sussex County for an upcoming article.

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

            Credit Union House Contributions. I am proud to announce that Delaware has already reached our CU House contribution goal, with the following credit unions having made contributions: Chestnut Run, Del-One (Delaware FCU), Delaware Alliance, DEXSTA, ICI America, Provident, and Southern Delaware Postal Employees. In addition, Pat Mahaney, Jim Everhart (in memory of Gladys Duling), and Joel and Louisa  Romaine have made individual contributions. There are several levels at which CUs can contribute. Even the smallest CU can contribute $25. Pat will send a letter to those CUs that have not yet contributed.
            Credit Union House was recently featured in The Washington Post as one of just a few association-owned townhouses on Capitol Hill. The League would like to know of anyone who is interested in having a daytime reception at Credit Union House, perhaps in the fall or early spring – especially those who have not visited there yet.

            Field of Membership Bill Introduced. A bill introduced by Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) at the end of July to allow federal credit unions of all charter types to add underserved areas to their fields of membership would simply drop a statutory reference to multiple common bond credit unions.
            The National Credit Union Administration was forced by an American Bankers Association lawsuit two years ago to change its field of membership rules so that only multiple-group credit unions could adopt underserved areas.
            At the time of the rule change, the agency said that it believed congressional intent was clear at the time the Federal Credit Union Act was passed and that federal lawmakers intended all credit unions to be able to add underserved areas to their membership. However, the regulator conceded that the language in the law related to non-multiple common-bond credit unions that are adding underserved areas is subject to interpretation.
            Serrano's bill, called the Affordable Financial Services Enhancement Act (H.R. 3113), would simply strike the reference to multiple common bond credit unions in Sec. 109 of the FCUA that has allowed the bankers to argue that the Congress intended the section to apply only to these credit unions, when the real intent was to assure that multiple group credit unions would have the ability to serve underserved areas on the same basis as single common bond and community credit unions, CUNA reports.

            CURIA Now Has 122 Official Backers. Credit unions continue to push for CURIA co-sponsorships, which now stand at 122. That bill was introduced March 15 by its co-authors, Reps. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) and Ed Royce (R-Calif.). Clarification of the field of membership issue mentioned in the above article is also a provision of the Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act (H.R. 1537). That bill takes a broader approach to the problem that includes expanding the number of underserved areas that credit unions can serve. Credit unions are still encouraged to send letters to Congressman Castle by going to http://capwiz.com/cuna/issues/alert/?alertid=9521681&PROCESS=Take+Action. For a summary of CURIA’s benefits and CUNA’s plan, please visit http://www.cuna.org/league/member_league/download/hr1537_sum.pdf.

            CULAC Update. DEXSTA and American Spirit FCU staff members have participated in Dress Down Days in support of CULAC during the summer. American Spirit FCU is also now selling presidential dollars as another fund-raising effort. In September, the League will again organize a candy bar sale for CULAC. Delaware is about half-way to meeting our 2008 goal of $4,741.58.

            “Banker” Makes CU Point on Capitol Hill. As Congress completed its final week before the summer recess, the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) performed street theater outside the Capitol Hill office buildings as part of its effort to draw attention to the Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act (CURIA, H.R. 1537). In addition, four political cartoons appeared in Hill publications.

LEAGUE SERVICES

            Service Newsletter Online. The third quarter publication of Service Issues has been posted on-line. It is filled with valuable information regarding credit union services. The issue may be found at http://www.dcul.org/creditunions/si_current.htm. 

JUNE and JULY EDUCATION SESSIONS

TOGETHER is published on the 15th and 30th of each month by the Delaware Credit Union League, 4 Quigley Boulevard, New Castle, DE19720. Information to be published should be sent or phoned into the League no later than the Monday of the week preceding the publication date. Telephone: (302) 322-9341 or (800) 292-7875. This newsletter can also be found on the League website: www.dcul.org. Hard copies of the newsletter will be mailed to each credit union CEO/manager for distribution to those without computer access. Readers can receive a reminder when the newest edition is posted to the Web by emailing susan@dcul.org. Editor: Alice Smith (alice@dcul.org).