Loading...
05/30/1995 TRUSTEES OF THE EMPLOYEES' PENSION FUND MEETING May 30, 1995 The City Commission, meeting as the Board of Trustees of the Employees Pension Fund, met in regular session at City Hall, Tuesday, May 30, 1995 at 9:01 A.M., with the following members present: Rita Garvey Chairperson Sue Berfield Trustee Fred Thomas Trustee J. B. Johnson Trustee Also Present were: Elizabeth M. Deptula City Manager Pamela K. Akin City Attorney Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk ITEM #2 - Minutes: Trustee Berfield moved to approve the minutes of the May 15, 1995, meeting. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #3 - (Cont. from 5/15/95) Authorize payment of costs associated with services facilitating a review of the Pension Plan provided by attorney Lee Dehner and actuary Ward Foster ($14,803.19) During the course of collective bargaining with four city unions, the unions formed a coalition to develope a consensus approach relating to proposed changes to the Employees' Pension Plan. The group utilized the services of a pension attorney and actuary who met with the Union and city representatives, as well as with the City's actuary. Because of his expertise, this pension attorney served as an excellent resource and sounding board to the parties and provided professional and technical advice useful in the review process of the Plan and in establishing approaches that would improve the Plan. Those improvements included such areas as how to reduce the attractiveness of disability pensions and increase retention of employees as active, contributing staff members; the establishment of pre-existing condition waivers to preclude the Plan's cost associated with disabilities that relate to such conditions; improvement in the review of disability entitlement review procedures; restructuring the Pension Advisory Committee to reflect representation of employees and elected officials; and many other items of mutual concern and interest. Because the pension attorney role was essentially to serve as an expert and facilitator to the parties in mutual review of the Plan leading to the development of proposals that will make it a better and more effective Plan, it has been requested by the coalition that the costs of the pension attorney and actuary be borne by the Plan itself. The cost of those services is $14,803.19. As part of the collective bargaining process with all four employee unions, it was agreed that this request for payment of costs associated with consensual review and development of proposed changes to the Plan would be brought forward to the Trustees. Since 1991 the City has been bargaining pension changes. The City has spent a total of $44,939.56 out of the pension plan. Of this, $12,029.56 is for legal and $28,710 is for actuarial charges to assist in the bargaining. Deputy City Manager, Kathy Rice, reported that due to possible conflicts of interest, Mr. Dehner will not be assisting with the rewriting of the pension plan changes as approved at the last Trustees' meeting. Instead, a contract will be negotiated with the firm of Kallish and Ward. Trustee Thomas moved to authorize payment of $14,803.19 for services facilitating a review of the Employees' Pension Plan provided by attorney Lee Dehner and actuary Ward Foster. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #4 - Request for Pension: The City Manager presented the recommendation of the Pension Advisory Committee that Ronald K. Pownall be granted a job-connected disability pension under Section(s) 2.397 and/or 2.399 of the Employees' Pension Plan. Ronald K. Pownall was employed on December 1, 1975, and began participating in the Pension Plan on June 1, 1976. On January 27, 1986, he was involved in an automobile accident while on duty which resulted in a neck injury which is the basis for his request for this job-connected disability pension. Mr. Pownall submitted letters from Dr. Hank H. Gosch, dated 3/27/95, and Dr. Patrick J. Logue, dated 3/22/95. The letter from Dr. Logue states, "He has undergone extensive cervical spine surgery ... It is my considered opinion ... that Ronald Pownall cannot return to full time unrestricted duties as a police officer due to his permanent disability and therefore is a candidate for disability retirement on the basis of his inability to perform the job description of his duties. The risk of additional injury to the cervical spine as a result of the proximity of the injured area to the spinal cord itself .. makes it impossible to consider that this individual could return to the trials and tribulations and risks of a police officer on active duty." The letter from Dr. Gosch states, "A diskectomy and foraminotomy ... was performed on 3/2/95. The injury that had produced this condition was treated unsuccessfully prior to the surgery approximately 9 years prior to the subsequent operation and symptoms were aggravated in Mr. Pownall's employment as a City police officer. There is a permanency to the injury in that the patient has developed spondylosis which, in Mr. Pownall's present employment, would produce future problems in his duties as a police officer in making arrests and having the potential for violent physical engagements in his job duties, which leads us to believe it would be in his best interests to seek a disability retirement. Mr. Pownall's duties as a police officer with his underlying condition and surgical therapy would disqualify him from his present job description." Mr. Pownall's pension was approved by the PAC at its meeting of May 3, 1995. This pension will be effective on a date to be determined. Based on an average salary of approximately $48,577 over the past five years and the formula for computing job-connected disability pensions, this pension will approximate $47,363 annually (this includes 15% each for two children under the age of 18). Charts from Finance which take into consideration mortality rates and age reflect the "present value cost of financing" this pension will be approximately $482,597. The estimated pension cost (cash payout over the life of the pensioner and his spouse) is $1,509,846. When Mr. Pownall was originally employed, pension deductions were not taken for the first six months and employees contributed to Social Security. When employees were given an option to buy back their first six months of service, Mr. Pownall chose not to exercise such option. In response to a question from Trustee Thomas, H. M. Laursen, Human Resources Director, reported Mr. Pownall will not be subject to the recall provisions to be included in the pension plan changes. Also, he will receive 75% plus 15% for each dependant child rather than the 66 2/3% also included in the proposed plan change. Trustee Thomas moved to accept the recommendation of the Pension Advisory Committee. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #5 - Request to withdraw retirement request: Robert E. Morrison, while still on active duty, has been approved for a regular years of service retirement. Due to the pension plan changes recently negotiated, he is requesting to withdraw his retirement request. Mr. Laursen reported Mr. Morrison is still an active employee. Mr. Morrison wants to withdraw his retirement due to the increased benefit that has been negotiated. Mr. Laursen indicated if Mr. Morrison was no longer an active employee, his request would be viewed differently. Trustee Johnson moved to approve Robert E. Morrison withdrawing his retirement request. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #6 - Pension Annual Report and Determination of pension contribution amounts for FY 1995-96 - Authorize a continuation of the 6% employee contribution through 12/31/95 and designate a city contribution for FY 1995-96 which is equal to the actual employee contributions for calendar year 1995, with the balance of contributions needed to be deducted from the available credit balance. The draft actuarial valuation and report as of 1/1/95 calls for a total required contribution of $6,224,184. Employees are currently contributing 6% of salary, anticipated to be $2,482,280. The difference to be contributed by the City of $3,741,904 is an increase of $1,178,158 from last year. Credit Balance The pension fund credit balance was first established in 1991 when actual contributions were in excess of those determined to be required. This resulted primarily due to phenomenal investment returns. The credit balance continued to increase in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, due to increased contribution requirements, approximately $250,000 was deducted from the credit balance. The current pension fund credit balance is approximately $5,675,381. Option 1 (recommended option) Since the City is required by ordinance to contribute at least as much as the employees (6% contribution estimated at $2,482,280), the difference of $1,259,624 ($3,741,904 - $2,482,280) can be deducted from the pension fund credit balance of $5,675,381. This would leave a credit balance remaining of $4,415,757. Option 2 Another option would be for the City to increase the City's contribution rate to 7%. This increase of 1% is equal to approximately $413,713. The General Fund share of this increased contribution would be approximately $277,000, or .0687 mills. This would still require a reduction in the credit balance, however the reduction would only be $845,911. This would leave a credit balance of $4,829,470. Investments 1994 was a bad year for pension plan investments. It was one of the worst years that bonds have ever experienced and stocks did not perform much better. The vast Majority of pension plans had a negative return (loss) for 1994. The City's plan had a return of .9%. This return placed the plan at the eleventh percentile, meaning that our performance was better than 89% of all public pension plans. Since the City uses a smoothing approach to asset valuation, the difference between the actual return of .9% and the assumed rate of 7% is spread over 5 years. Based upon this method, our actuarial return for 1994 was 6.6%. This shortfall in the investment return was responsible for approximately $200,000 of the increase in contributions. Without this smoothing approach, an additional $1,000,000 in contributions would have been needed. Other factors contributing to the increase in contributions include increased rates of disability and decreased rates of employees turnover. For the first quarter of 1995, the pension plan has performed significantly better, having had a return of 5.43%. While it is too early to predict the return for 1995, there are indications the markets have turned around and 1995 appears to be a better year for the pension plan than last year. Trustee Thomas expressed concern regarding the heavy draw downs for disabilities. He questioned the impact of the current market situation. Steve Metz of Coopers & Lybrand indicated the plan experienced a 5 1/4% return during the 1st quarter. A 7% return is assumed, however, the plan only had a 1% return last year. Trustee Thomas questioned if the large number of pending retirements had been accounted for. Mr. Metz indicated that had been included in the calculations. The City Manager clarified they had been included at the current 2.5% benefit, the proposed 2.75% will be included in a study this summer. She reported this item is for the current budget contribution. Trustee Johnson expressed concern regarding the low return last year. Margie Simmons, Finance Director, indicated last year was not a good year for any plan and Clearwater's did better than most. Trustee Thomas moved to authorize a continuation of the 6% employee contribution through 12/31/95 and designate a city contribution for FY 1995-96 which is equal to the actual employee contributions for calendar year 1995, with the balance of contributions needed to be deducted from the available credit balance. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #7 - Other Business: - None. ITEM #8 - Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 9:18 a.m.