Loading...
08/17/1988 :r') ~~.p'l1' , ,'1 Proceedings of the Pension Advisory Committee Meeting of August 17. 1988 Prescnt: ." John Nicholson. Chairman Thomas Pudelskl. Member Olenn Perry. Member H. Michael Laursen, Personnel Director D. R. Perkins, Payroll Services Manager Nancy Degner. Industrial Nurse Miles Lance. Assistant Chy Attorney Deborah Lally, Personnel Department Cynthia CHman, Personnel Department Dennis Acker, Police Officer Lorraine Welch, wife of john Welch Dennis Bnbini, Police Officer Cary Singletary, Attorney for lohn Welch and Dennis Babini Danny Alley. Gas Division Page 1 / / ,/ , " .' The meeting was called to order at 9:48 A.M. Tom Pudclski moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of June IS, 1988, and July 20. 1988. The motion was duly seconded by Glenn Perry and carried unllIlimously. Gknn Perry read the name(s) of the following employee(s) to be accepted into membership in the Pension Plan: Pension EUt:- Dat~ 8~10-88 11-9-87 9-28-87 10-5-87 8-1-88 8~4-88 8~10-88 7-25-88 7-11-88 7-18-88 7-25-88 8-15-S8 2-29-88 Tom Ptidelski' moved to accept into membership the thirteen (13) employees listed above. motion, was duly seconded by Glenn Perry and carried unanimously. 'With regard to' John Welch. Cary Singletary, attorney for Mr. Welch. asked the Committee to , ,grant Mr. Welch a job-connected disability pension based on the letters received from his doctors. ,:;~:,,-:,,. ,Des. Afield, Gutierrez. and Machler concur that Mr. Welch's condition is job-,related. Date of Employmc;nt Stephen Bigley. Rce. Supervisor I James. Quinlan. Police Officer Robert'S. Tenane, Firefighter Rodney, Wilt, Firefighter Delanie Ross-Plant. Librarian III Patricia Ricc., Library Asst. I . George Yankay. WWTP Oper. Trainee " ,Rae Riggs, In, Motor Pool Trainee : Carey McOiffin. Crime. Analyst , David Wipperman, 'Gas Dist. Pip. Hlpr. " Kenneth Sevitts, Trat., Sign & Mkg. Tech. Allan Fedor, Paint & Body Mech. Jeffrey McHughes. Pol. Comm. Oper. Tme. 5-20-81 11-9-87 9-28-87 10-5- 87 8-1-88 8-4-88 8-10-88 7-25-88 7-11-88 7-18-88 7-25-88 8-15-88 5-11-87 Parks & Rec. Police Fire Fire Libraries Libraries Pub. WorksfWPC Cen. SeT./Motor Pool Police Util./Gas Traffic Eng. Cent Ser.lMotor Pool Police The , After a shan discussion, Tom Pudelski move that John Welch be granted a job-connected disability ~r pension based on Mr. Welchts disability thllt resulted from on.the-job circumstances which is L ~ de,scribed as severe deprcssi?n and anxiety, said disability making him unable to perform his job, il':, ,and documented by medical 5Ultements of Dr. Luis Gutierrez, dated, April 15, 1988; {:,::': ' .. ' :~:/. .~.~). . )':\', ~ . :.: \:{:~:; ',:',;. } ~:\~-"~'''~. 0,:,: r 1 Proceedings of the PensIon Advisory Commiuee Meeting of August 17, 1988 Page 2 o Dr. Theodore Machler, dated August 16, 1988; and Dr. Walter Afield, dated August 8, 1988. motlon was duly seconded by Olenn Perry and carried unanimously. With regard to Dennis Bablnl. Pollce Officer, Police Department, Cary Singletary. attorney fOT Officer Babinl, previously submitted letters to the Committee from Officer Babini's doctors. These letters state Officer Babini's loss of sight is a result of two accidents which occurred while he was on duty as a police officer. There is no medical documentation to prove the loss of sight is not related to these accidents. Miles Lance. Assistant City Attorney. expressed some reservations with the opinions of these doctors. Secretary Laursen asked whether any Committee members reviewed Officer Babini's worker's compensation files. Hc was advised John Nicholson did review the files and found nothing relating to the accidents in the files. Mr. Singletary explained the reason for this was that no worker's compensation claims were filed in either instance. Secretary Laurscn suggested Officer Babini be sent for an independent medical examination. His reason for this suggestion is to preclude another remand by the Trustees similar to the one in John Welch's case. John Nicholson stated there was no need for this in light of the fact Officer Babini has seen at least six different doctors already. The other members concurred. 2; Tom Pudelski moved that Dcnnis Babini be granted a job-connected disability pension based on Officer BabinPs disability that resullcd from on-the-job circumstanccs which is described as loss of sight. said disability making him unable to perform his job, and documented by medical statements of Dr. Burton Goldstein, dated May 16, 1988~ Dr. O. William Lazenby, dated .July 25. 1988~ Dr. Stephen Mazer. dated April 14. 1988; Dr. Raymond Agia. dated April 28, 1986; Dr. Peter Pavan, dated ApirI 28, 1986; and several letters submitted by Dr. Raymond Sever. The motion was' duly seconded by Glenn Peny and carried unanimously. Charles Kettell, Police Officer. appeared before the Committee to ask how he should repay his monies to the pension plan. Officer Kettell has been reinstated as a result of an Arbitrator's decision rendered with regard to the appeal of his dismissal. Secretary Laursen raised Ihe question of how much interest should be paid on these monies. Discussion ensued. It was determined to everyone's satisfaction that the amount of interest should be based on treasury bonds. The interest is only for the period Officer Kettell was not paying into the plan. Glenn Perry moved that Officer Kettell be reinstatcd to the Pension Plan in accordance with the Arbitrator's decision and all monies be repaid with interest for the time he was out. The motion was duly seconded by Tom Pudelski and carried unanimously. Danny Alley, Wuter Distribution Service Worker II. Water Division, has requested a job-connected disability pension. Letters have been received from Drs. Gustke and Schwab stating Mr. Alley is permanently disabled from his job due to an injury to his knee he received while work.ing for tbe City. Mr. Alley explained how his injury occurred and the treatment he has received.. 10hn, Nicholson questioned Mr. Alley about an injury he had recieved to his knee before becoming L employed by the City of Clearwater. A lengthy discussion ensued regarding this pre~existing ; : condition and its relevance to the current injury. Mr. Pudelski and Mr. Perry agreed that since ::.{~\ Mr. Alley was approved for pension at the time of hirc, this previous injury should not be a :" ,>......;,.,/ consideration. John Nicholson did not agree with this conclusion. '" The I " '.J >r) .'>oUr' , Proceedings of the Pension AdvIsory Commhtee Meeting of August 17, 1988 Page 3 Glenn Perry moved that Danny Alley be granted a job-connected disability pension based on Mr. Alley's dlablllty that resulted from on-thc-Job circumstances which is described as degenerative joint disease of the knee, said disability making him permanently unable to perform his job, nnd documented by medical statements from Dr. Kenneth Oustkc. dated May 26, 1988. and Dr. Thomas Schwab, dated July 5, 1988. The motion was duly seconded by Tom Pudelski. Glenn Perry and Tom Pudelsld voted "aye;" John Nicholson abstained in order to receive more information from the Legal Department concerning pre-existing conditions. The motion was carried. Mr. Lance will address Mr. Nicholson's question. John Nicholson questioned D. R. Perkins, Payroll Services Manager, about a letter sent to Mrs. Ward regarding her pension benefits and the exclusion fonnula used to determine the tax that must be paid on these benefits. John Nicholson raised a question as to whether or nQt Linda Russell. Police Officer, who resigned and has been rc-employed withdrew her pension contributions. Secretary Laursen stated she did withdraw her contributions. However. as a condition of her re-employment, she would not get previous pension credit. At some point, she should come before tbe Committee just like any other new hire. Jacqueline Sulek, Assistant Purchasing Manager, submitted a request to vest her pension. Her date of hire is March 1. 1973; her pension participation date is September 14, 1978; and her resignation date is September IS, 1988. The motion was ~: '.'~ Tom Pudelski. moved to approve .Jacqueline Sulek's request for vested pension. ,': ';:J duly seconded by Glenn Perry and carried unanimously. With regard to Mike Sluan, John Nicholson questioned a letter from the City Attorney as to whether or not a bazardous duty employee who vests his pension should be entitled to receive it on his/her twentieth anniversary Of when they reach age 55. Discussion ensued. This matter is still being investigated. However, according to the Pension Advisory Committee's guidelines, a hazardous duty employee should be allowed to receivc a vested pension on his/ber twentieth anniversary. ',',3 . .', ' ~ > " Daniel Romano. an employee in the Water Division. contacted John Nicholson with, a question as to whether or not he could pay Social Security rather than pension contributions. According to the pension ordinance. all full-time permanent employees who are eligible must participate in the Pension, Plan. Mr. Nicholson suggested Mr. Romano be sent a letter advising him his only option would be to become a part-time employee. Tom Pudelski moved the meeting be adjourned. The motion was duly seconded by Glenn Perry and carried unanimously. The meeting med at 11:20 A.M. Respectfully submitted. W'mc~ H. Michael Laursen Personnel Director and Secretary. Pension Advisory Committee ..