03/10/2016 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes March 10, 2016
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
e
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, March 10, 2016
9:00 AM
Council Chambers - City Hall
Pension Advisory Committee
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes March 10, 2016
Roll Call
Present 7 - Chair Nathan Hightower, Vice Chair Tom Jensen, Committee
Member Bill Jonson, Committee Member Doreen Hock-DiPolito,
Committee Member Hoyt Hamilton, Board Member Laura Damico,
and Board Member Greg Newland
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.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve minutes of Feb 11, 2016 Pension Advisory Committee meeting as
submitted in written summation.
Member Jensen moved to approve minutes of February 11,
2016 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.
Name, Job Classification, Department Pension Eligibility Date
Eryn Berg, Gas Dispatcher. Gas Department 2/06/2016
Anthony Medina *, Police Communications Operator Trainee, Police Dept. 2/08/2016
Mark Jones, Service Dispatcher, Gas Department 2/08/2016
Anthony Violante, Solid Waste Accounts Coordinator, Solid Waste 2/08/2016
Bryan Burke, Stormwater Technician I, Engineering 2/08/2016
Jose Jaquez, Stormwater Technician I, Engineering 2/08/2016
Michele Stewart, Customer Service Accounting Rep, Customer Service 2/08/2016
Vincent Giallonardo, Traffic Signal Technician, Engineering 2/22/2016
Christopher Smith, Stormwater Technician I, Engineering 2/22/2016
Chauncey Swinton, Stormwater Technician I, Engineering 2/22/2016
Zane King, Tradesworker, General Services 2/22/2016
Molly Doran, Police Communications Operator Trainee, Police Department 2/22/2016
Kellen Scott, Police Communications Operator Trainee, Police Department 2/22/2016
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes March 10, 2016
Nancy Selvick, Police Communications Operator Trainee, Police Department 2/22/2016
Nicolette Sepanski, Police Communications Operator Trainee, Police Dept. 2/22/2016
James Hatten, Fire Inspector II, Fire Department 2/22/2016
SemieAkeen Hearns, Public Utilities Technician I, Public Utilities 2/22/2016
LaRon Brown, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 2/22/2016
Craig Campbell, Recreation Supervisor I, Parks and Recreation 2/22/2016
* Anthony Medina was employed in temporary part-time positions from 06/02/2014
to 12/12/2014, 01/05/2015 to 12/11/2015, and 12/29/2015 to 02/05/2015. He was
hired into a full time position on 02/08/2016 and will be eligible for pension as of 02/08/2016.
Member Jonson moved to recommend approval of the new
hires for acceptance into the Pension Plan as listed. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
4.2 Recommend approval of the following request of employee Christopher Lyons,
Police Department to vest his pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the
Employees' Pension Plan.
Christopher Lyons, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed
by the City on March 12, 2001, and began participating in the Pension Plan
on that date. Mr. Lyons will terminate from City employment on March 11, 2016.
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 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. Lyons will meet the hazardous duty criteria and begin
collecting pension in April 2021.
Member Jensen moved to recommend approval of the
following request of employee Christopher Lyons, Police
Department to vest his pension as provided by Section 2.419
of the Employees' Pension Plan. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes March 10, 2016
4.3 Recommend approval of the following request of employees Konrad McCree,
Solid Waste General Services Department, Ronnie Melton, Marine and Aviation
Department, Richard Nestor, Police Department and Raymond Niski, Police
Department for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the
Employees' Pension Plan.
Konrad McCree, Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste
General Services Department, was employed by the City on
August 19, 1985, and his pension service credit is effective on that date.
His pension will be effective March 1, 2016. Based on an average salary
of approximately $43,982.86 over the past five years, the formula for
computing regular pensions and Mr. McCree's selection of the 100%
Joint and Survivor Annuity with a 10% Partial Lump Sum, this pension
benefit will be approximately $30,034.20 annually.
Ronnie Melton, Marine Operations Supervisor, Marine and Aviation
Department, was employed by the City on July 17, 2006, and his pension
service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective
August 1, 2016. Based on an average salary of approximately $37,971.11
over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and
Mr. Melton's selection of the 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension
benefit will be approximately $8,841.84 annually.
Richard Nestor, Police Sergeant, Police Department, was employed
by the City on February 6, 1995, and his pension service credit is effective
on that date. His pension will be effective March 1, 2016. Based on an
average salary of approximately $99,598.09 over the past five years, the
formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Nestor's selection of the
100% Joint and Survivor Annuity with a 30% Partial Lump Sum, this
pension benefit will be approximately $39,254.16 annually.
Raymond Niski, Police Communication Supervisor, Police Department,
was employed by the City on April 28, 1986, and his pension service
credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective May 1, 2016.
Based on an average salary of approximately $66,676.92 over the past
five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Niski's
selection of the 50% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit
will be approximately $53,156.52 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.
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Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes March 10, 2016
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. McCree,
Mr. Melton, and Mr. Niski have 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. Mr. Nestor has met the hazardous duty criteria.
Member Damico moved to recommend approval of the
following request of employees Konrad McCree, Solid
Waste General Services Department, Ronnie Melton,
Marine and Aviation Department, Richard Nestor, Police
Department and Raymond Niski, Police 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.
4.4 Formal hearing for Matthew Anderson for job-connected disability pension
Human Resources Director Joe Roseto said after Matthew Anderson's
attorney's recent submission to the PAC (Pension Advisory Committee),
the Plan's Advocate requested to continue today's formal hearing as the
Plan may need to depose the medical professionals who authored the
submission. After Mr. Anderson's attorney objected to a continuance, the
attorneys discussed the matter and Mr. Anderson's attorney withdrew his
objection. The submission will be entered into the record during the formal
hearing.
Member Hock-DiPolito moved to continue the formal hearing
for Matthew Anderson's application for a job-connected
disability pension to April 14, 2016. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
Concern was expressed the PAC had no procedure to continue scheduled
formal hearings in similar cases prior to a hearing date, which would force
all of the attorneys to attend the meeting, prepared to present. It was
suggested the Chair be allowed to make the ruling to continue formal
hearings.
Mr. Roseto said had the attorneys not agreed to the continuance, all
parties would have been burdened with higher attorney fees. He did not
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Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes March 10, 2016
want to call a Special Meeting.
Discussion ensued with a comment that the Plan was best served when
both sides were sufficiently prepared for hearings.
Mr. Roseto said the PAC will be asked to determine if Mr. Anderson's
disability was job-connected. He said the financial value of
job-connected and non job-connected disability pensions differed
greatly and the committee's decision will have a significant impact on the
applicant and Plan.
5. Old Business Item: None.
6. Director's Report
Mr. Roseto reported Nathan Hightower's term expired this month. Mr.
Hightower agreed to serve another term. Elected members of the
Committee were tasked with appointing this seat and could reappoint
Mr. Hightower today or solicit other nominees.
Member Hamilton moved to reappoint Nathan Hightower to the
seventh seat on the PAC. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
Mr. Roseto requested the PAC schedule an informal hearing re Sarah
Happs'application for a disability pension. In response to a question, he
said the IME (Independent Medical Exam) reported the disability was not
permanent and Ms. Happs'documentation indicated it was permanent.
Mr. Roseto did not know how much time the Plan's Advocate would
need to prepare for a formal hearing. In response to a concern that
scheduling the informal hearing in May would delay Ms. Happs'disability
pension, should one be approved, Mr. Roseto said the Fire Chief had
allowed Ms. Happs to work light-duty until a decision is made.
It was suggested that disability pension applicants should have the right
to waive the informal hearing.
Member Hamilton moved to schedule an informal hearing
on May 12, 2016 for Sarah Happs' application for a disability
pension. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee
7. Committee Members to be Heard
8. Adjourn
Meeting Minutes March 10, 2016
Member Damico recommended the effective date for disability pensions
be changed from the approval date to the application date to lessen the
financial burden of a long disability approval process on disabled
employees. Mr. Roseto said the effective date could not be changed if it
was in the Ordinance.
Member Jensen said he had attended the conference hosted by the
Pension Plan's attorneys.
The meeting adjourned at 9:24 a.m.
City of Clearwater
Chair
Pension Advisory Committee
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