11/13/2017 Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes November 13, 2017
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
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Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 13, 2017
1 :00 PM
Council Chambers
Pension Trustees
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes November 13, 2017
Roll Call
Present 5 - Chair George N. Cretekos, Trustee Doreen Caudell, Trustee Bob
Cundiff, Trustee Hoyt Hamilton, and Trustee Bill Jonson
Also Present—William B. Horne — City Manager, Jill Silverboard — Deputy City
Manager, Micah Maxwell — Assistant City Manager, Pamela K.
Akin — City Attorney, Rosemarie Call — City Clerk, Nicole Sprague
— Official Records and Legislative Services Coordinator, and Joe
Roseto — Human Resources Director
To provide continuity for research, items are listed in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
1. Call to Order— Chair Cretekos
The meeting was called to order at 1:42 p.m.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the minutes of the October 16, 2017 Pension Trustees Meeting as submitted in
written summation by the City Clerk.
Trustee Jonson moved to approve the minutes of the October 16,
2017 Pension Trustees Meeting as submitted in written
summation by the City Clerk. 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 Approve the new hires for acceptance into the Pension Plan as listed.
Name/Job Classification/Department Pension
Eligibility Date
Margaux La Barge, Customer Service Rep, Customer Service 09/02/2017
John Mellor, Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste 09/04/2017
Sara Bayly, Customer Service Representative, Customer Service 09/05/2017
John Anderson, Accountant, Gas 09/05/2017
Madai Gutierrez, Recreation Specialist, Parks and Recreation 09/05/2017
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes November 13, 2017
Yiannis Halvatzis, Recreation Specialist, Parks and Recreation 09/05/2017
Christopher Tisdale, Parks Service Technician I, Parks and Recreation 09/05/2017
Charles Hargrove, Parks Service Technician III, Parks and Recreation 09/05/2017
Haris Kasumovic, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 09/05/2017
Tyraven Jackson, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 09/05/2017
Kenneth Fluitt, Jr. , Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste 09/05/2017
DeVante Lang, Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste 09/16/2017
Eric Saccasyn, Fire Inspector II, Fire 09/18/2017
Trustee Caudell moved to approve the new hires for acceptance
into the Pension Plan as listed. The motion was duly seconded
and carried unanimously.
4.2 Approve the following request of employee Darci Willis, Public Utilities Department, to
vest their pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the Employees' Pension Plan.
Darci Willis, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator A, Public Utilities
Department, was employed by the City on October 24, 1998, and began
participating in the Pension Plan on that date. Ms. Willis terminated from City
employment on September 8, 2017. 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 (January 1,
2013), a member shall be eligible for retirement following the earlier of the date
on which a participant has reached the age of fifty-five years and completed
twenty years of credited service; the date on which a participant has reached
age sixty-five years and completed ten years of credited service; or the date on
which a member has completed thirty 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 years and completed
twenty-five years of credited service; or the date on which a participant has
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes November 13, 2017
reached the age of sixty-five years and completed ten years of credited service.
Ms. Willis will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a
pension in November 2018.
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 years of credited service
regardless of age, or the date on which the participant has reached fifty-five
years and completed ten years of credited service.
Trustee Cundiff moved to approve the following request of
employee Darci Willis, Public Utilities Department, to vest their
pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the Employees' Pension
Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
4.3 Approve the following request of employees Dane Heatherington, Engineering
Department, James Hornaday, Gas Department and Anthony Sammartano, Fire
Department, for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the
Employees' Pension Plan.
Dane Heatherington, Traffic Signal Technician, Engineering Department, was
employed by the City on January 14, 1991, and his pension service credit is
effective on that date. His pension will be effective October 1, 2017. Based on
an average salary of approximately $61,630.69 over the past five years, the
formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Heatherington selection of the
Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $45,271.20
annually.
James Hornaday, Gas Technician III, Gas Department, was employed by the
City on June 13, 1994, and his pension service credit is effective on that date.
His pension will be effective October 1, 2017. Based on an average salary of
approximately $55,182.48 over the past five years, the formula for computing
regular pensions and Mr. Hornaday's selection of the 100% Joint and Survivor
Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $28,752.84 annually.
Anthony Sammartano, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Department, was employed by the
City on March 3, 1997, and his pension service credit is effective on that date.
His pension will be effective October 1, 2017. Based on an average salary of
approximately $109,662.12 over the past five years, the formula for computing
regular pensions and Mr. Sammartano's selection of the 100% Joint and
Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $60,461.52 annually.
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Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes November 13, 2017
Section 2.416 provides for normal retirement eligibility for non-hazardous duty
employees hired prior to the effective date of this reinstatement (January 1,
2013), a member shall be eligible for retirement following the earlier of the date
on which a participant has reached the age of fifty-five years and completed
twenty years of credited service; the date on which a participant has reached
age sixty-five years and completed ten years of credited service; or the date on
which a member has completed thirty 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 years and completed
twenty-five years of credited service; or the date on which a participant has
reached the age of sixty-five years and completed ten years of credited service.
Mr. Heatherington and Mr. Hornaday 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 years of credited service
regardless of age, or the date on which the participant has reached fifty-five
years and completed ten years of credited service. Mr. Sammartano has met
the hazardous duty criteria.
Trustee Hamilton moved to approve the following request of
employees Dane Heatherington, Engineering Department, James
Hornaday, Gas Department and Anthony Sammartano, 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.
4.4 Approve the termination of small cap value equity money manager Systematic Financial
Management and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
Systematic was hired as a small cap value equity manager for the plan in July
2003. As of June 30, 2017, the market value of the plan's investment in
Systematic's small cap value equity product totaled $12.34 million, or 1.28% of
the total investment portfolio. Systematic's performance has steadily declined in
recent years, as detailed below. The Pension Investment Committee
unanimously recommends termination at this time.
Percentile
As of 6/30/2017 Systematic Rankinq Benchmark
Last 3 years 3.21% 99th 7.02%
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes November 13, 2017
Last 5 years 12.22% 95th 13.38%
Staff will be bringing a separate agenda item forward for replacement of
Systematic in the small cap value equity investment category.
Accounting Manager Mary Beth Setter said Systematic has been with the City
since 2003. Staff follows a continued discipline to review the performance
thoroughly and objectively. If the performance is below standard, the company
is placed on a watch list and meet with staff, the termination process is
pursued if they continue to underperform.
Trustee Jonson moved to approve the termination of small cap
value equity money manager Systematic Financial Management
and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
4.5 Approve an agreement with Victory Capital for investment in their Sycamore Small Cap
Value Equity product, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
One of the plan's small cap value equity money managers, Systematic, has
been recommended for termination per a previous agenda item.
At the May 2017 pension investment committee quarterly meeting, the
committee requested the plan's investment performance consultant, CapTrust
Advisors, conduct a manager search for a replacement small cap value equity
manager. At a special meeting of the committee during June 2017, the
committee unanimously selected Victory Sycamore Small Cap Value Equity for
a due diligence interview of the firm, which was subsequently conducted at the
committee's August 2017 quarterly meeting.
The pension investment committee unanimously recommends Victory
Sycamore Small Cap Value Equity to the Trustees for an investment of up to
$15 million, or approximately 1.5% of the total plan investment portfolio.
As of June 30, 2017, Sycamore Small Cap Value Equity's performance over the
past ten years has been as follow:
Russell 2000
Performance Value Index
Last 3 years 11.08% 7.02%
Last 5 years 15.86% 13.39%
Last 10 years 9.52% 5.92%
Investment manager fees will be 1.0% on the first$10 million; and 0.85% on the
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes November 13, 2017
next$15 million.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
0646-07410-530100-585-000-0000 $142,500 annually
In response to questions, Accounting Manager Mary Beth Setter said staff
evaluated two funds for termination, one of the funds was terminated last
month. Finance Director Jay Ravins said the delay for a new money manager
agreement was due to the negotiation process between the pension attorney
and money manager attorney. The Pension Plan is purchasing into their
product where the Plan will own a share of their product equivalent to the
Plan's investment. The money manager will conform to the Plan's
investment policy.
Trustee Caudell moved to approve an agreement with Victory
Capital for investment in their Sycamore Small Cap Value Equity
product, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
4.6 Approve a new agreement between the City of Clearwater and the law firm of Klausner
Kaufman Jensen and Levinson, to serve as outside counsel to the Pension Trustees and
the Pension Advisory Committee (PAC), and authorize the appropriate officials to
execute same.
The law firm of Klausner Kaufman Jensen & Levinson (previously Klausner&
Kaufman, P.A.) has served as outside counsel to the Trustees and PAC since
2003. The hourly rate was initially $250 per hour and increased to $300 per hour
in May 2008. At this time Klausner Kaufman Jensen & Levinson is requesting a
rate increase to $350 per hour, to be effective January 1, 2018.
A total of$62,428 in fees was paid to the firm during fiscal year 2017.
The service provided as outside counsel for the pension plan has been
exceptional and staff recommends approval of the new agreement at the rate of
$350 per hour.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Budgeted funds are available in 0646-07410-530100-585-000-0000 to fund the
increase.
In response to a question, Human Resources Director Joe Roseto said
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees
Meeting Minutes November 13, 2017
there is no requirement to release a Request for Proposals for legal
services. Klausner Kaufman Jensen and Levinson are the best in public
pensions; many firms do not have expertise in public sector pensions.
Trustee Cundiff moved to approve a new agreement between the
City of Clearwater and the law firm of Klausner Kaufman Jensen
and Levinson, to serve as outside counsel to the Pension
Trustees and the Pension Advisory Committee (PAC), and
authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The motion
was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
5. Other Business — None.
6. Adjourn
Attest
L.10-0/1/LOA
City Clerk
City of Clearwater
The meeting adjourned at 1:57 p.m.
9:'° /ktrCr \tiVf
Chair
Employees' Pension Plan Trustees
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