10/11/2012
PENSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
October 11, 2012
Present: Chair Nathan Hightower, Vice-Chair Tom Jensen, Committee
Member/Councilmember Paul Gibson, Committee Member Brian De Witt, Committee
Member/Councilmember Bill Jonson, Committee Member Daniel Slaughter, and
Committee Member/Councilmember Doreen Hock-DiPolito
Also present: Joe Roseto – Human Resources Director, Patricia O. Sullivan - Board
Reporter
1. Call to Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve minutes of the September 13, 2012, Pension Advisory Committee
meeting as submitted in written summation.
Member DeWitt moved to approved Item 2.1. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
3. Employees to be Heard: None.
4. Review and Action on Employee Requests for Regular Pension
4.1 Recommend approval of the request of employees William Connell of the Police
Department, Sheila Waters-Borland of the Police Department, Philip Biazzo of
the Police Department, and Ruby Jackson of the Parks and Recreation
Department for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.397 and 2.398 of
the Employees Pension Plan.
William Connell, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed by the City on
December 30, 1991, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His
pension will be effective October 1, 2012. Based on an average salary of
approximately $72,704.52 per year over the past five years, the formula for
computing regular pensions, and Mr. Connell’s selection of the 100% Joint and
Survivor Annuity, this pension will approximate $41,475.96 annually.
Sheila Waters-Borland, Police Sergeant, Police Department was employed by
the City on July 2, 1990, and her pension service credit is effective on that date.
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Her pension will be effective October 1, 2012. Based on an average salary of
approximately $86,615.29 per year over the past five years, the formula for
computing regular pensions, and Ms. Waters-Borland’s selection of the 100%
Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension will approximate $52,971.24 annually.
Philip Biazzo, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed by the City on
October 5, 1992, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His
pension will be effective November 1, 2012. Based on an average salary of
approximately $71,906.25 per year over the past five years, the formula for
computing regular pensions, and Mr. Biazzo’s selection of the Life Annuity, this
pension will approximate $39,663.84.32 annually.
Ruby Jackson, Parks Service Technician II, Parks and Recreation Department,
was employed by the City on June 3, 1985, and her pension service credit is
effective on January 27, 1995. Her pension will be effective November 1, 2012.
Based on an average salary of approximately $30,343.82 per year over the past
five years, the formula for computing regular pension and Ms. Jackson’s
selection of the 75% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension will approximate
$18,767.88 annually.
Section 2.397 provides for normal retirement eligibility when a participant has
completed thirty years of credited service, has reached age 55 and completed
twenty years of credited service, or has reached age 65 and completed ten years
of credited service. Ms. Jackson qualifies under the age 65 and 10 years of
service criteria.
Section 2.397 also provides for normal retirement eligibility when a participant
has completed twenty years of credited service or has reached age 55 and
completed ten years of credited service in a type of employment described as
“hazardous duty” and further defines service as a Police Major, Police Sergeant,
and Police Lieutenant as meeting the hazardous duty criteria. Mr. Connell, Ms.
Waters-Borland, and Mr. Biazzo qualify under the hazardous duty criteria.
Member Slaughter moved to approve Item 4.1. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
5. Review and Action on Employee Requests to Vest Pensions
5.1 Recommend approval of the request of employee Kenneth Szuba of the Gas
Systems Department to vest his pension as provided by Section 2.397 of the
Employees Pension Plan.
Kenneth Szuba, Gas Specialist, Gas Systems Department, was employed by the
City on November 14, 1983, and began participating in the Pension Plan on that
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date. Mr. Szuba will be terminated from City employment on December 28, 2012.
The Employees Pension Plan provides that should an employee cease to be an
employee of the City of Clearwater or change status from full-time to part-time
after completing ten or more years of creditable service (pension participation),
such employee shall acquire a vested interest in the retirement benefits. Vested
pension payments commence on the first of the month following the month in
which the employee normally would have been eligible for retirement.
Section 2.397 provides for normal retirement eligibility when a participant has
reached age 55 and completed twenty years of credited service, has completed
30 years of credited service, or has reached age 65 and completed ten years of
credited service. Mr. Szuba would have completed at least 20 years of service
and will reach age 55 on February 27, 2013. His pension will be effective March
1, 2013.
Member Jensen moved to approve Item 5.1. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
6. Approval of New Hires as Plan Members:
6.1 Recommend approval of the new hires for acceptance into the Pension Plan as
listed.
Pension
Name, Job. Class, & Dept./Div. Hire Date Elig. Date
Greg Cornella, Gas Technician I, Gas Department 08/28/2012 08/28/2012
Joshua Clower, Personal Payroll Tech, Parks & Rec. 08/28/2012 08/28/2012
Elizabeth Bayly, Recreation Specialist, Parks & Rec. 08/28/2012 08/28/2012
Phillip Horne, Water Distribution Oper. Trainee, PU 08/28/2012 08/28/2012
Jerry Dilley, Fleet Mechanic, Solid Waste/General Svc.08/27/2012 08/27/2012
David Hall, Solid Waste Equipment Operator, SW/GS 08/28/2012 08/28/2012
Ralph Saraceno, Bldg Construction Insp, Planning/DS 08/28/2012 08/28/2012
Beverly Ryland-Hinton, Police Info. Tech., Police 08/28/2012 08/28/2012
Bryant Blair, Field Service Rep, Customer Svc. Dept. 09/04/2012 09/04/2012
Keith Bauer, Solid Waste Worker, SW Dept 09/10/2012 09/10/2012
Michael Kirn, Drafting & Mapping Tech, Engineering 09/10/2012 09/10/2012
Jonathan Coker, Fleet Mechanic, Fleet Department 09/10/2012 09/10/2012
Matthew Burgett, Gas Technician I, Gas Department 09/10/2012 09/10/2012
Christopher Cleaver, Tradesworker, Parks & Rec. 09/17/2012 09/17/2012
Charlene Invino, Accounting Clerk, Fleet Department 09/17/2012 09/17/2012
Toby Malloy, Police Aide, Police Department 08/16/2010 09/24/2012*
Thomas J. Murphy, Marine Fac Oper, Marine/Aviation 03/10/2010 09/22/2012**
Robert Orner, Fleet Mechanic, SW/General Services 09/24/2012 09/24/2012
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*Employee originally was hired as a part time employee on 08/16/10. Changed
to full time employee and pension eligible on 09/24/12.
**Employee originally was hired as a part time employee on 03/10/10. Changed
to full time employment and pension eligible on 09/22/12.
Member Jonson moved to approve Item 6.1. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
7. Director's Report
Human Resources Director Joe Roseto said several disability applications are
being processed. The City's publicity campaign regarding the pension change
referendum item is underway.
8. Committee Members to be Heard
Councilmembers encouraged residents to vote in the upcoming election and support the
referendum on pension changes.
Member DeWitt thanked retirees for their service and wished them well.
Members Jensen and Jonson attended the recent FPPTA (Florida Public Pension
Trustees Association) conference and reviewed some issues that were discussed.
Chair Hightower requested staff to verify that information detailing employee pension
requests can be distributed and is not protected by law.
9. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:09 a.m. r�
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Chair /
Attests' / Pension Advisory Committee
A
Board Repo r
Pension Advisory 10/11/2012 4