04/09/2015 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
e
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, April 9, 2015
9:00 AM
Council Chambers - City Hall
Pension Advisory Committee
Page 1 City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Roll Call
Present 5 Chair Nathan Hightower, Committee Member Tom Jensen, Committee Member Bill
Jonson, Committee Member Hoyt Hamilton, and Committee Member Laura Damico
Absent 2 Vice Chair Daniel Slaughter and Committee Member 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 March 12, 2015 Pension Advisory Committee meeting as
submitted in written summation.
Member Jensen moved to approve minutes of March 12, 2015
Pension Advisory Committee meeting as submitted in written
summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Ayes: 5 - Chair Hightower, Committee Member Jensen, Committee Member
Jonson, Committee Member Hamilton and Committee Member Damico
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.
Name, Job. Class, & Dept./Div. Pension Elig. Date
Jessica Turner, Accounting Technician, Parks and Recreation Dept 3/07/2015
Wayne Johnson, Utilities Mechanic, Public Utilities Department 3/09/2015
Joshua Jones, Recreation Leader, Parks and Recreation Department 3/09/2015 **
William Baratta, Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste Dept. 3/23/2015
Matthew Hess, Beach Lifeguard, Parks and Recreation Department 3/23/2015 ***
Kathleen Holden, Crime Analyst, Police Department 3/23/2015
Jose Patino, Public Information Specialist, Public Communications Department 3/23/2015
Susan Pryor, Customer Service Rep, Planning and Development Department 3/23/2015 ****
Eric Rau, Parks Service Technician I, Parks and Recreation Department 3/23/2015
* Jessica Turner was employed in a temporary/Event Support Staff assignment from 06/24/2006 to
11/02/2013, and another temporary assignment from 01/06/2015 to 03/07/2015. She was hired into a
full time position as of 03/07/2015 and will be eligible for pension as of 03/07/2015.
** Joshua Jones was employed in a temporary assignment from 8/11/2014 to 03/09/2015, and then
hired into a full time position as of 03/09/2015. He will be eligible for pension as of 03/09/2015.
*** Matthew Hess was hired as a seasonal employee from 04/08/1995 to 6/16/2001, from 6/16/2001
to10/6/2001, and from 06/02/2014 to 1/13/2015. He was hired into a full time position as of 03/23/2015
and will be eligible for pension as of 03/23/2015.
**** Susan Pryor was hired into a part time position on 02/23/2015, and transferred to a full-time
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Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
permanent position as of 3/23/2015; she will be eligible for pension as of 3/23//2015.
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.
Ayes: 5 - Chair Hightower, Committee Member Jensen, Committee Member
Johnson, Committee Member Hamilton and Committee Member Damico
4.2 Recommend approval of the following request of employees Christopher Cruickshank,
Marine and Aviation Department; Dorothee Morrow, Engineering Department;
Suzanne Sobkowiak, Police Department; Deborah Storey, Police Department; and
Rex Whittenberger, Solid Waste General Services Department for a regular pension
as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees' Pension Plan.
Christopher Cruickshank, Marine Supervisor, Marine and Aviation Department, was employed
by the City on January 11, 1988, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His
pension will be effective May 1, 2015. Based on an average salary of approximately $54,943.16
over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Cruickshank's
selection of the 75% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately
$41,240.88annually.
Dorothee Morrow, Traffic Engineering Assistant, Engineering Department, was employed by
the City on June 27, 1994, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Her pension will
be effective May 1, 2015. Based on an average salary of approximately $40,511.88 over the past
five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Ms. Morrow's selection of the Single Life
Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $23,222.28 annually.
Suzanne Sobkowiak, Police Office Specialist, Police Department, was employed by the City on
January 5, 1998, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be
effective June 1, 2015. Based on an average salary of approximately $33,299.75 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Ms. Sobkowiak's selection of the 75% Joint
and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $14,328.84 annually.
Deborah Storey, Police Property Clerk, Police Department, was employed by the City on
February 1, 1988, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be
effective May 1, 2015. Based on an average salary of approximately $37,219.34 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Ms. Storey's selection of the Single Life
Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $27,891.24 annually.
Rex Whittenberger, Fleet Mechanic Supervisor, Solid Waste General Services Department,
was employed by the City on March 21, 1987, and his pension service credit is effective on that
date. His pension will be effective April 1, 2015. Based on an average salary of approximately
$77,464.91 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr.
Whittenberger's selection of the 50% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be
approximately $62,636.76 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
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Pension Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
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.
Cruickshank, Ms. Morrow, Ms. Sobkowiak, Ms. Storey and Mr. Whittenberger have all met 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.
Member Jensen moved to recommend approval of the following
request of employees Christopher Cruickshank, Marine and Aviation
Department; Dorothee Morrow, Engineering Department; Suzanne
Sobkowiak, Police Department; Deborah Storey, Police
Department; and Rex Whittenberger, Solid Waste General Services
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.
Ayes: 5 - Chair Hightower, Committee Member Jensen, Committee Member
Jonson, Committee Member Hamilton and Committee Member Damico
5. Director's Report
Member Hamilton moved to reappoint Nathan Hightower as Chair
and appoint Tom Jensen as Vice Chair. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
Ayes: 5 - Chair Hightower, Committee Member Jensen, Committee Member
Jonson, Committee Member Hamilton and Committee Member Damico
6. Committee Members to be Heard
7. Adjourn
In response to a question, Finance Director Jay Ravins said the Actuary
Report would be presented to the Pension Trustees on April 13, 2015.
The meeting adjourned at 9:05 a.m.
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Chai
Pension Advi
ry Committee
City of Clearwater