An attendee at today’s JCBOS meeting sends in some rough notes taken during Randy Bosarge and Ken Taylor’s questioning of Mr. Guice. We are informed that Mr. Taylor was thorough in his examination of Mr. Guice and that the questions and answers ranged beyond what is presented below. We are grateful to the various contributors who take their time to share notes, ideas, and recordings. Without those contributors, this publication would not be what it is.
Some of the notes are direct quotes, some are made in the form of meeting minutes.
On Thursday or Friday I received a communication from the Special Master to attend a meeting at 2:30 at the Special Master’s office. A meeting where Judge Hilburn will attend to discuss the Special Fiduciary and pending action in US District Court.
Meeting was to be with the Special Fiduciary, Reeves, myself, and Brett Williams with Singing River.
Meeting called by Special Master was consistent with an order earlier entered allowing ex parte communications with the Court and the special master.
Court has used me to communicate. Celeste Oglesby was present at the meeting.
There was limited discussion related to football and jokes. During the course, Judge Hilburn arrived at 3:30. He entered, sat down and indicated “I don’t’ want to do anything improper, don’t want to discuss motions…”
Guice was asked why he was so quiet, to which he replied he didn’t have much to say. After he [Judge Hilburn] left they discussed what will happen tomorrow. Judge Guirola will rule on the settlement.
The trust was the intent of the event – but not the content.
Were there any other meetings? Yes. There were other meetings early on with special master, David Houston, and Guice met under the order for ex parte communications. Guice explained calculations of plain explained actuarial projects etc. He provided the information to the Court when requested to give to special master under the order authorizing ex parte communication. Guice stated he did this so the special master and mediator would not have to reinvent the wheel – they could not reinvent the wheel.
Lucy Tufts and Cal Mayo played a role in drafting the settlement agreement. Mayo told Guice that “attorneys’ fees given to plaintiffs are not to stand in the way of a deal.”
Guice couldn’t cite the section of the Mississippi Constitution which prohibits funding the pension plan. No one else attended by telephone.