12/11/2014 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes December 11, 2014
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
e
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, December 11, 2014
9:00 AM
Council Chambers - City Hall
Pension Advisory Committee
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes December 11, 2014
Rollcall
Present: Vice-Chair Daniel Slaughter, Committee Member Tom Jensen, Committee
Member/Councilmember Bill Jonson, Committee Member/Councilmember Doreen Hock-DiPolito,
Committee Member/Councilmember Hoyt Hamilton, Committee Member Laura Damico
Absent: Chair Nathan Hightower
Also present: Joe Roseto — Human Resources Director, Patricia O. Sullivan - Board Reporter
1. Call To Order
The Vice-Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. at City Hall.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve minutes of November 13, 2014 Pension Advisory Committee meeting as
submitted in written summation.
Member Jensen moved to approve minutes of the November 13,
2014 Pension Advisory Committee meeting as submitted in written
summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: None.
4. New Business Items
4.1 Recommend approval of the new hires for acceptance into the Pension Plan as listed.
Pension
Name, Job. Class, & Dept./Div. Elig. Date
Kelly Violante, Accounting Clerk, General Services Dept 11/17/2014
Deanna Foster, Recreation Program Support Tech, Parks and Rec Dept 11/17/2014
Delbert Foster, Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste Department 11/17/2014
Jeffery Long, Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste Department 11/17/2014
Deborah Svitak, Senior Accountant, Finance Department 11/17/2014
Norman Runkles, Police Aide, Police Department 11/17/2014
William Smith, Public Utilities Technician I, Public Utilities Department 12/1/2014
Jeffrey Gow, Accounting Technician, Solid Waste Department 12/1/2014
Member Damico moved to recommend approval of the new hires for
acceptance into the Pension Plan as listed. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes December 11, 2014
4.2 Recommend approval of the following requests of employees Betsy Clement, Public
Communications Department; Theron Johnson, Solid Waste General Services
Department; John Scott, Customer Service Department; and Keith Shive, Fire
Department, for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the
Employees' Pension Plan.
Betsey Clement, Public Information Specialist, Public Communications
Department, was employed by the City on August 1, 1990 and her pension service
credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be effective February 1, 2015. Based
on an average salary of approximately $56,679.15 over the past five years, the
formula for computing regular pensions, and Ms. Clement's selection of the 66 2/3%
Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $38,616
annually.
Theron Johnson, Solid Waste Service Coordinator, Solid Waste General
Services Department, was employed by the City on October 15, 1984 and his
pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective
December 1, 2014. Based on an average salary of approximately $59,492.51 over
the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Johnson's
selection of the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately
$55,468.32 annually.
John Scott, Customer Service Director, Customer Service Department,
was employed by the City on January 8, 1990 and his pension service credit
is effective on that date. His pension will be effective February 1, 2015. Based on an
average salary of approximately $92,237.68 over the past five years, the formula for
computing regular pensions, and Mr. Scott's selection of the 100% Joint and
Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $59,938.32 annually.
Keith Shive, Fire Medic, Fire Department, was employed by the City on January
157 1990 and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be
effective February 1, 2015. Based on an average salary of approximately
$74,537.96 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions, and
Mr. Shive's selection of the Single Life Annuity with a 10% partial lump sum
distribution, this pension benefit will be approximately $46,755 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 fifty-five (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. Clement,
Mr. Johnson and Mr. Scott have met the non-hazardous duty criteria.
Section 2.416 provides for normal retirement eligibility for hazardous duty
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes December 11, 2014
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. Shive has met the
hazardous duty criteria.
Member Damico moved to recommend approval of the following
requests of employees Betsy Clement, Public Communications
Department; Theron Johnson, Solid Waste General Services
Department; John Scott, Customer Service Department; and Keith
Shive, Fire Department, for a regular pension as provided by
Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees' Pension Plan. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
4.3 Recommend approval of the following request of employee James Stanley, Solid
Waste General Services Department, to vest his pension as provided by Section
2.419 of the Employees' Pension Plan.
James Stanley, Communications Technician, Solid Waste General
Services Department, was employed by the City on November 1, 2004 and
began participating in the Pension Plan on that date. Mr. Stanley terminated
from City employment on November 15, 2014.
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 2.416 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 fifty-five (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. Mr. Stanley
will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in January
2019.
Section 2.416 provides for normal retirement eligibility for hazardous duty
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes December 11, 2014
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.
Member Jensen moved to recommend approval of the following
request of employee James Stanley, Solid Waste General Services
Department, to vest his pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the
Employees' Pension Plan. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
4.4 Set hearing date for William D Smith for job-connected disability pension.
Human Resources Director Joe Roseto reviewed William D. Smith's application for a
job-connected disability pension and requirements of the Code. The IME
(Independent Medical Exam) determined that Mr. Smith was injured on the job and
was totally and permanently disabled from performing hazardous duties. None of the
listed exclusions applied. In response to a question, Mr. Roseto said according to
Code, an extra duty injury was job-connected. Mr. Smith's workers'compensation
case was a separate issue.
Concern was expressed that a deposition related to Mr. Smith's workers'
compensation case was not provided. It was suggested that a hearing be scheduled
in January to provide time for the committee to review the missing document and do
its due diligence.
Member Hamilton moved to schedule a hearing re William D. Smith's
application for a job-connected disability pension on January 8, 2015.
The motion was duly seconded.
Mr. Roseto said linking workers'compensation and disability applications was not
routine. While the Pension Advisory Committee Attorney and Committee Advocate
will attend the January meeting for another hearing, there was insufficient time for
the attorneys to prepare this case by January.
Member Hamilton withdrew his motion. The seconder agreed.
Member Hamilton moved to continue Item 4.4 to January 8, 2015.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
5. Director's Report
Mr. Roseto wished Happy Holidays to all.
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes December 11, 2014
6. Committee Members to be Heard
Members complimented Committee and Human Resources staff efforts and offered
Seasons Greetings.
7. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:20 a.m.
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