MINUTES OF MEETING
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD
FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2018

A Meeting of the Medical Examining Board was held on Friday, August 24, 2018, at the Office of the State Comptroller, 55 Elm Street, Room 208, Hartford, Connecticut, 06106.

PRESENT:

Lynn Rudich, M.D., CHAIRPERSON

Richard Blum, M.D.

J. Robert Galvin, M.D.

Rita Ohene-Adjei, M.D.

 

ABSENT:

Kamel Ghandour, M.D.

Nikolai Lieders, M.D.

Manny Katsetos, M.D.

Amarjeet Dargan, M.D

Debra Pollack, M.D.

OTHERS PRESENT:
Colin Newman, Assistant Retirement Division Director
Tanya Jasper, Disability Retirement Unit
Cindy Ceislak, General Counsel to the Commission Rose Kallor, LLP

Please note that a portion of the meeting was conducted in executive session as the focus of the meeting was the medical condition(s) of each Disability Retirement applicant.

CALL TO ORDER 

The Chairperson called meeting to order at 9:17 am.
Dr. Rudich motioned to amend the agenda, seconded by Dr. Galvin.
Amended to the Agenda:
John Lotko  

Dr. Rudich motioned to go into the Executive Session to discuss medical condition(s) related to the applications for Disability Retirement, seconded by Dr. Galvin at 9:19 am.  Members of the Retirement Services Division and the General Counsel to the Commission were invited to stay during Executive Session.  Colin Newman left the meeting at 9:24 am. and returned at 9:35 am.; he left again at 10:58 am. and returned at 11:00am.  Cindy Ceislak left the meeting at 11:30 am and returned at 11:31 am.   There were brief breaks at 11:34 am until 11:43 am. and then again at 12:50 pm. until 12:56 pm.    

1. Gerard and Coral Bernier appeared before the Board at 12:57 pm.  Gerard Bernier made a statement and then they were excused by the Board at 1:00 pm.
2. Donna and Shawn Cahill appeared before the Board at 1:02 pm.  Donna Cahill made a statement and then they were excused by the Board at 1:08 pm.
3. Meagan Gavey appeared before the Board at 1:10 pm.  She made a statement and then was excused by the Board at 1:12 pm.
4. Priscilla Giles appeared before the Board at 1:13 pm.  She made a statement and then was excused by the Board at 1:14 pm.
5. Attorney Justin Raymond, appeared before the Board on behalf of Francine Grenier at 1:15 pm.  He made a statement, and then was excused by the Board at 1:17 pm.
6. Oscar Lapsey appeared before the Board at 1:18 pm.  He made a statement and then was excused by the Board at 1:22 pm.
7. Susan and Mark Martin appeared before the Board at 1:26 pm.  They made statements and then they were excused by the Board at 1:38 pm.
8. Gussie Milledge and Attorney Brennen Maki appeared before the Board at 1:39 pm.  Attorney Maki made a statement and then they were excused by the Board at 1:40 pm.
9. Felder Ovide, Jr. and Attorney Ralph Wilson appeared before the Board at 1:41 pm.  They made statements and then they were excused by the Board at 1:44 pm.
10.  Charles Oxley appeared before the Board at 1:45 pm.  He made a statement and then was excused by the Board at 1:47 pm.
11. Stacey Szymczak appeared before the Board at 1:48 pm.  She made a statement and then was excused by the Board at 1:56 pm.
12.  Phillistine Walker appeared before the Board at 1:57 pm.  She made a statement and then was excused by the Board at 2:02 pm.
13. Charles White and Attorney Russell Zimberlin appeared before the Board at 2:03 pm.  They made statements and then they were excused by the Board at 2:14 pm.
14. Derek Williams and Attorney Russell Zimberlin appeared before the Board at 2:34 pm.  They made statements and then they were excused by the Board at 2:38 pm.

Dr. Rudich motioned to come out of Executive Session, seconded by Dr. Galvin at 2:45 p.m.

GERARD BERNIER      D- 12546   SERVICE-CONNECTED 

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Gerard Bernier's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

DONNA CAHILL D- 12531  NON-SERVICE CONNECTED 

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Donna Cahill's entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

DARLENE COFIELD     D- 12224    CHANGE TO NON-SERVICE CONNECTED 

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Darlene Cofield's entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

KATHLEEN DEMPSEY  D- 12109    SERVICE-CONNECTED 

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Kathleen Dempsey's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

KRISTA DESJARDINS   D- 12374    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Blum moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Krista Desjardins' entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved by majority decision.  Dr. Rudich dissents.

DENISE EARLE     MD- 1552  NON-SERVICE CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Denise Earle's entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

MEAGAN GAVEY  D- 12537    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Meagan Gavey's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

PRISCILLA GILES  D- 11954         SERVICE-CONNECTED (reconsideration) 

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to stand by the Board's previous decision to deny Priscilla Giles' entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement, however the Board would look favorably upon a Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

FRANCINE GRENIER   D- 12209    NON-SERVICE CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Francine Grenier's entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

RAMON LABOY-ALVAREZ          D- 12524    NON-SERVICE CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Ramon Laboy-Alvarez's entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

OSCAR LAPSEY    D- 12470  SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to deny Oscar Lapsey's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement, however the Board would look favorably upon a Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

JOHN LOTKO     D- 12685    NON-SERVICE CONNECTED(posth.)

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve John Lotko's entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

LUZ MACHABELO    D- 9109 SERVICE-CONNECTED (reconsideration)

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to stand by the Board's previous decision to deny Luz Machabelo's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved by majority decision.  Dr. Blum dissents.

SUSAN MARTIN    D- 12164    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to deny Susan Martin's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved by majority decision.  Dr. Blum dissents.

GUSSIE MILLEDGE      D- 12258    SERVICE-CONNECTED (reconsideration)

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to stand by the Board's previous decision to deny Gussie Milledge's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement, however the Board would look favorably upon a Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

FELDER OVIDE, JR.    D- 12372    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Felder Ovide, Jr.'s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

CHARLES OXLEY         D- 12469    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Charles Oxley's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

LAURIE PAIVO               D- 12404         SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Laurie Paivo's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

ERMA ROBINSON         D- 10454    SERVICE-CONNECTED (reconsideration) 

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to table Erma Robinson's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

LIZETTE SANABRIA      D- 12545    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Lizette Sanabria's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

STACY SZYMCZAK       D- 12476    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to approve Stacey Szymczak's entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

PHILLISTINE WALKER  D- 12482    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to deny Phillistine Walker for a Service-Connected Retirement, however the Board would look favorably upon a Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

CHARLES WHITE          D- 12170    SERVICE-CONNECTED (reconsideration) 

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to stand by the Board's previous decision to deny Charles White for a Service-Connected Retirement.  Motion approved by majority decision.  Dr. Blum dissents.

DEREK WILLIAMS         D- 12376    SERVICE-CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to deny Derek Williams for a Service-Connected Retirement, however the Board would look favorably upon a Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

TRACEY WRIGHT         D- 12622    NON-SERVICE CONNECTED

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin, to table Tracey Wright's entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement.  Motion approved unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT: 

Dr. Rudich moved, seconded by Dr. Galvin to adjourn the meeting at 2:53 p.m.

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