10/12/1998TRUSTEES OF THE EMPLOYEES' PENSION FUND MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
October 12, 1998
Present: Rita Garvey Chair
Ed Hooper Vice-Chair/Trustee
J. B. Johnson Trustee
Robert Clark Trustee
Karen Seel Trustee
Michael J. Roberto City Manager
Pamela K. Akin City Attorney
Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk
Gwen Legters Board Reporter
The Chair called the meeting to order at 1:21 p.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order.
ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes:
Trustee Clark moved to approve the minutes of the September 14, 1998, meeting, as recorded and submitted in written summation by the City Clerk to each Trustee. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #3 - Request for Acceptance into Membership:
The City Manager presented the recommendation of the Pension Advisory Committee to approve membership for the employee(s) listed below:
Scott Yates
Jade Weppler
Mark Parry
Frank Dixon
Mirjana Zdjelar
Trustee Hooper moved to accept the recommendation of the Pension Advisory Committee. 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 Charles Daniels and O’Neal Larkin, Jr. be granted regular pensions under Section(s) 2.393 and 2.397
of the Employees' Pension Plan.
Charles Daniels was employed on March 24, 1975, and his pension service credit is effective that date. His pension will be effective on September 1, 1998.
Based on an average salary of approximately $39,868 per year over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions, and Mr. Daniels’ selection of the 100% Joint & Survivor
Annuity, this pension will approximate $25,418 annually.
O’Neal Larkin, Jr. was employed on November 28, 1978, and his pension service credit is effective that date. His pension will be effective on December 1, 1998.
Based on an average salary of approximately $23,749 per year over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions, and Mr. Larkin’s selection of the Joint & Survivor
Annuity, this pension will approximate $13,064 annually.
These pensions were approved by the PAC on September 10, 1998.
Section 2.393 (p) provides for normal retirement eligibility when a participant has completed twenty years of credited service in a type of employment described as “hazardous duty”
and further specifically defines service as a Firefighter as meeting the hazardous duty criteria. Mr. Daniels qualifies under the hazardous duty criteria.
Section 2.393 (p) also provides for normal retirement eligibility when a participant has reached age 55 and completed 20 years of credited service or has completed 30 years of credited
service. Mr. Larkin qualifies under the age 55 and 20 years of service criteria.
Trustee Johnson moved to accept the recommendation of the Pension Advisory Committee. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #5 - Request to Vest Pension:
The City Manager presented the recommendation of the Pension Advisory Committee that Victor C. Chodora and Ralph Rodriguez-Torrent be allowed to vest their pensions under Section(s)
2.397 and 2.398 of the Employees' Pension Plan.
Victor Chodora was employed on January 23, 1984, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective on March 1, 2006.
Ralph Rodriguez-Torrent was employed on May 12, 1980, and his pension service credit is effective that date. His pension will be effective on November 1, 2008.
The Employees’ Pension Plan provides that should an employee cease to be an employee of the City of Clearwater after completing 10 or more years of creditable service (pension participation),
then 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.
Mr. Chodora would have completed 20 years of service and reached age 55 on February 13, 2006. Mr. Rodriguez-Torrent would have completed 20 years of service and
reached age 55 on October 22, 2008. These requests to vest pensions was approved by the PAC on September 10, 1998.
Trustee Clark moved to accept the recommendation of the Pension Advisory Committee. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #6 - Other Business:
Trustee Hooper expressed concern that requiring new employees that are 55 years old or more to participate in the Pension Plan and not Social Security is again becoming an issue.
Chair Garvey replied the PAC has requested more information and this will come back to the PAC in the future.
ITEM #7 - Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 1:23 p.m.