11/14/2013 PENSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
November 14, 2013
Present: Chair Nathan Hightower, Vice-Chair Daniel Slaughter, Committee Member
Tom Jensen, Committee Member/Councilmember Paul Gibson, Committee Member/
Councilmember Bill Jonson, Committee Member/Councilmember Doreen Hock-DiPolito,
Committee Member Clyde Renfroe.
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. at City Hall.
2. Employees/Citizens to be Heard: None.
3. Approval of Minutes
3.1 Approve minutes of October 10, 2013 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting as
submitted in written summation.
Member Jensen moved to approve Item 3.1. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
4. Review and Action on Employee Requests for Regular Pension
4.1 Recommend approval of the following request of employees Madra Franklin,
Customer Service Department and Nelson DeJesus, Fire Department for a
regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees
Pension Plan.
Madra Franklin, Customer Service Representative, Customer Service
Department, was employed by the City on July 2, 1990 and her pension service
credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be effective January 1, 2014.
Based on an average salary of approximately $37,232.13 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Ms. Franklin's selection of
the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $24,049.80
annually.
Nelson DeJesus, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Department, was employed by the City on
January 4, 1988 and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His
Pension Advisory Committee 11/14/2013 1
pension will be effective February 1, 2014. Based on an average salary of
approximately $78,481.57 over the past five years, the formula for computing
regular pensions and Mr. DeJesus' selection of the 100% Joint and Survivor
Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $54,768.96 annually.
Section 2.416 provides for normal retirement eligibility for non-hazardous duty
employees hired prior to the effective date of this reinstatement (1/1/13), a
member shall be eligible for retirement following the earlier of the date on which
a participant has reached the age of 55 years and completed twenty (20) years
of credited service; the date on which a participant has reached age sixty five
(65) years and completed ten (10) years of credited service; or the date on which
a member has completed thirty (30) years of service regardless of age. For non-
hazardous duty employees hired on or after the effective date of this
restatement, a member shall be eligible for retirement following the earlier of the
date on which a participant has reached the age of sixty (60) years and
completed twenty five (25) years of credited service; or the date on which a
participant has reached the age of sixty five (65) years and completed ten (10)
years of credited service. Ms. Franklin meets the non-hazardous duty criteria.
Section 2.416 provides for normal retirement eligibility for hazardous duty
employees, a member shall be eligible for retirement following the earlier of the
date on which the participant has completed twenty (20) years of credited
service regardless of age, or the date on which the participant has reached fifty
five (55) years and completed ten (10) years of credited service. Mr. DeJesus
meets the hazardous duty criteria.
Member Jonson 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 Kimberly Foster of the Parks
and Recreation Department to vest her pension as provided by Section 2.419 of
the Employees Pension Plan.
Kimberly Foster, Staff Assistant, Parks and Recreation Department, was
employed by the City on September 29, 1997, and began participating in the
Pension Plan on that date. Ms. Foster terminated from full-time City employment
on October 5, 2013.
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 Advisory Committee 11/14/2013 2
pension payments commence on the first of the month following the month in
which the employee normally would have been eligible for retirement. Section
2.416 provides for normal retirement eligibility for non-hazardous duty
employees hired prior to the effective date of this reinstatement (1/1/13), a
member shall be eligible for retirement following the earlier of the date on which
a participant has reached the age of 55 years and completed twenty (20) years
of credited service; the date on which a participant has reached age sixty five
(65) years and completed ten (10) years of credited service; or the date on which
a member has completed thirty (30) years of service regardless of age. For non-
hazardous duty employees hired on or after the effective date of this
restatement, a member shall be eligible for retirement following the earlier of the
date on which a participant has reached the age of sixty (60) years and
completed twenty five (25) years of credited service; or the date on which a
participant has reached the age of sixty five (65) years and completed ten (10)
years of credited service. Ms. Foster will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria
and begin collecting a pension in October 2017.
Member Slaughter 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
Macie Tripple, Recreation Leader, Parks and Rec. Dept. 10/5/2013 10/5/2013
Kelly Hogan, Police Officer, Police Department 10/7/2013 10/7/2013
Matthew Richmond, Police Officer, Police Department 10/7/2013 10/7/2013
Stephen Baris, Police Officer, Police Department 10/7/2013 10/7/2013
Brian Pape, Solid Waste Equip. Oper., Solid Waste Dept. 10/7/2013 10/7/2013
Robert Orner, Fleet Mechanic, General Services Dept. 10/7/2013 10/7/2013
Patrick Allen, Stormwater Tech I, Eng/Strmwtr Maint Dept 10/7/2013 10/7/2013
Mark Ross, Marine Fac Oper, Marine and Aviation Dept 10/7/2013 10/7/2013
Member Renfroe moved to approve Item 6.1. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
7. Director's Reports
Pension Advisory Committee 11/14/2013 3
Human Resources Director Joe Roseto reported the disability hearing for Kris Wise was
rescheduled to January 9, 2014, at the request of the attorneys for Mr. Wise and the
Pension Plan.
Mr. Roseto reported that Linda Leaghty, who had requested a hearing for a non job
connected disability request, indicated to the IME (Independent Medical Exam) doctor
that her condition preexisted her employment with the City. Her pre - employment
physical does not mention the condition. The Plan's attorney is reviewing the issue and
is working to obtain all of her medical records. He said a separate hearing may be
scheduled for the Committee to determine if Ms. Leaghtys condition preexisted her
employment with the City, which would disqualify her for a disability pension.
8. Committee Members to be Heard
Member Jonson encouraged PAC members to access publicpensioninstitute.org for
information on the difficult plight of Detroits pension plan.
Member Hock- DiPolito thanked staff for watching over the Citys Pension fund on behalf
of the City and its employees.
9. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 a.m.
Attes
oard Re, ort-
Chair
Pension Advisory Committee
Pension Advisory Committee 11/14/2013 4