MINUTES OF MEETING
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD
FRIDAY, November 17, 2017

A Meeting of the Medical Examining Board was held on Friday, November 17, 2017, at the Office of the State Comptroller, 55 Elm Street, Room 208, Hartford, Connecticut, 06106.

PRESENT:
Kamel Ghandour, M.D., CHAIRPERSON
Richard Blum, M.D.
Amarjeet Dargan, M.D.

ABSENT:
Nikolai Lieders, M.D
Debra Pollack, M.D.
Lynn Rudich, M.D.
Manny Katsetos, M.D.
J. Robert Galvin, M.D.

OTHERS PRESENT:
Annette Sadlowski, Supervisor Disability Retirement
Tanya Jasper, Disability Retirement Unit
Cindy Cieslak, General Counsel to the Commission Ford Harrison

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 9:02 am.

Dr. Ghandour motioned to go into the Executive Session to discuss medical condition(s) related to the applications for Disability Retirement, seconded by Dr. Dargan at 9:04 am. Members of the Retirement Services Division and the General Counsel to the Commission were invited to stay during Executive Session. Cindy Cieslak was excused at 9:09 am and returned at 9:17 am. Cindy Cieslak was excused again at 10:50 am and returned at 10:52 am. Dr. Dargan left at 11:02 am and returned at 11:04 am. There was a brief break at 11:49 am until 11:52 am.

1. Margaret Ackley appeared before the Board at 12:39 pm. She made a statement and was excused by the Board at 12:41pm.
2. Amalia Bzdyra appeared before the Board at 12:42 pm. She made a statement and was excused by the Board at 12:50 pm. Colin Newman, Assistant Retirement Division Director was invited for discussion and then excused. 3. Michael Gardner and Attorney Russell Zimberlin appeared before the Board at 12:54 pm. They made statements and were excused by the Board at 12:58 pm.
4. Patrick Johnson and Attorney Ralph Wilson appeared before the Board at 1:03 pm. They made statements and were excused by the Board at 1:08 pm.
5. Julie and Garrett Kulp appeared before the Board at 1:07 pm. Ms. Kulp made a statement and then they were excused by the Board at 1:08 pm.
6. Jacqueline Lawrence appeared before the Board at 1:10 pm. She made a statement and was excused by the Board at 1:17 pm.
7. Gussie Milledge appeared before the Board at 1:31 pm. She made a statement and was excused by the Board at 1:32 pm.
8. Patricia Rogers and Attorney Armado Vargas appeared before the Board at 1:33 pm. They made statements and were excused by the Board at 1:40 pm.
9. Carl Williams and Zingha Quintyne appeared before the Board at 1:45 pm. Mr. Williams made a statement and they were excused by the Board at 1:47 pm.

Dr. Ghandour motioned to come out of Executive Session, seconded by Dr. Blum 1:48 p.m.

MARGARET ACKLEY     MD- 1535     SERVICE-CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Dargan, to approve Margaret Ackley?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

KAREN ANDERSSON     D- 12316     NON-SERVICE CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Karen Andersson?s entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

AMALIA BZDYRA     D- 12118     SERVICE-CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Amalia Bzdyra?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved by a majority decision. Dr. Dargan dissents.

JOSE DISHMEY     D- 11615     SERVICE-CONNECTED (RECONSIDERATION)
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Jose Dishmey?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

OLAWALE FAWALE     D- 12415     NON-SERVICE CONNECTED (POSTH.)
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Olawale Fawale?s entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

MICHAEL GARDNER     D- 12197     SERVICE-CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Michael Gardner?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

CAROL GAYLOR     D-     2277     NON-SERVICE CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to deny Carol Gaylor?s entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

TED HARGROVE         D- 12025         SERVICE-CONNECTED(RECONSIDERATION)
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to stand by the Board?s previous decision to deny Ted Hargrove?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

PATRICK JOHNSON         D- 12250         SERVICE-CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Patrick Johnson?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

JULIE KULP     D- 12284 SERVICE-CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Julie Kulp?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

RONALD LAVOIE     MD-1514     SERVICE-CONNECTED   
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Ronald Lavoie?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

JACQUELINE LAWRENCE     D- 12313     SERVICE-CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Dargan, to deny Jacqueline Lawrence?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved by majority decision. Dr. Blum dissents.

JOSEPH LOPEZ     D- 12194     CHANGE TO NON-SERVICE CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Joseph Lopez?s entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement. Motion approved by majority decision. Dr. Dargan dissents.

DAVID MAURA     D- 11636     NON-SERVICE CONNECTED(CONT?D)
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to deny David Maura?s entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

GUSSIE MILLEDGE     D- 12258     SERVICE-CONNECTED
Dr. Blum moved, seconded by Dr. Dargan, to deny Gussie Milledge?s entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved by majority decision. Dr. Ghandour dissents.

PATRICIA ROGERS     D- 12198     SERVICE-CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Patricia Rogers? entitlement to Service-Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

GENEVA VENTERS     D- 11402     NON-SERVICE CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to deny Geneva Venters? entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

CARL WILLIAMS     D- 12325     NON-SERVICE CONNECTED
Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum, to approve Carl Williams? entitlement to Non-Service Connected Retirement. Motion approved unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT:

Dr. Ghandour moved, seconded by Dr. Blum to adjourn the meeting at 1:55 p.m.

Return to Meetings, Agendas and Minutes Home Page
Return to Comptroller's Home Page