07/11/2019
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes July 11, 2019
City of Clearwater
Main Library - Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, July 11, 2019
9:00 AM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Pension Advisory Committee
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes July 11, 2019
Roll Call
Present 7 - Chair Nathan Hightower, Vice Chair Greg Newland, Committee
Member Hoyt Hamilton, Committee Member Bob Cundiff, Committee
Member Christian Schuele, Committee Member April Eversole, and
Committee Member Jay E. Polglaze
Also Present - Jennifer Poirrier – 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 the Main Library.
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 June 13, 2019 Pension Advisory Committee meeting as submitted in
written summation.
Member Cundiff moved to approve minutes of June 13, 2019 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
Elwood Caldwell, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 06/08/2019
Stevenson Taylor Jr., Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 06/10/2019
Wayne LaFleur, Electronics Technician, Public Utilities 06/10/2019
Lester McVicker, Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste 06/10/2019
Rafael Orozco, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 06/10/2019
SaMarre Perez, Police Cadet, Police 06/24/2019
Ana Lauzon, Customer Service Representative, Customer Service 06/24/2019
Steven Trachtenberg, Police Communications Operator Trainee, Police 06/24/2019
Karmyn Watson, Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste 06/24/2019
Philip Evans, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 06/24/2019
Nicole Hernandez, Senior Accountant, Parks & Recreation 06/24/2019
Member Schuele 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 July 11, 2019
4.2 Recommend approval of the following request of employee Diane Luniewski, Police
Department to vest their pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the Employees’
Pension Plan.
Diane Luniewski, Police Communication Operator, Police Department,
was employed by the City on March 1, 1999, and began participating in the
Pension Plan on October 7, 2000. Ms. Luniewski terminated from City
employment on January 19, 2019.
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. Ms. Luniewki will meet the
non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in January 2030.
Member Eversole moved to recommend approval of the following
request of employee Diane Luniewski, Police Department, to vest
her pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the Employees’ Pension
Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
4.3 Recommend approval of the following request of employees Anne Fogarty France,
Administration Department, Robert Jones, Parks and Recreation Department and
Dennis Keegan, Parks and Recreation Department, for a regular pension as provided by
Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees’ Pension Plan.
Anne Fogarty France, Downtown Manager, Administration Department,
was employed by the City on October 16, 1995, and her pension service
credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be effective January 1, 2020.
Based on an average salary of approximately $77,176.61 over the past
five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Ms. Fogarty
France’s selection of the 10 Year Certain and Life Annuity, this pension
benefit will be approximately $49,959.00 annually.
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes July 11, 2019
Robert Jones, Parks Service Tech III, Parks and Recreation Department,
was employed by the City on December 22, 1997, and his pension service
credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective July 1, 2019.
Based on an average salary of approximately $37,150.86 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Jones’ selection of
the 10 Year Certain and Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be
approximately $21,004.92 annually.
Dennis Keegan, Parks Service Tech II, Parks and Recreation
Department, was employed by the City on February 2, 1981, and his
pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective
July 1, 2019. Based on an average salary of approximately $43,668.79 over
the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr.
Keegan’s selection of the Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will
be approximately $43,668.84 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. Ms. Fogarty France, Mr. Jones
and Mr. Keegan have met the non-hazardous duty criteria.
Member Newland moved to recommend approval of the following
request of employees Anne Fogarty France, Administration
Department, Robert Jones, Parks and Recreation Department
and Dennis Keegan, Parks and Recreation 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.
5. Old Business Item: None.
6. Director's Report
Human Resources Director Jennifer Poirrier reported an informal hearing
for a pending disability case was scheduled for August 8, 2019 and a
second one was scheduled for September 12, 2019. She will advise
committee members if the schedule changes.
7. Board Members to be Heard
Member Newland said he had attended the FPPTA (Florida Public Pension
Trustees Association) annual conference; the Florida Legislature
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee
8. Adjourn
Attest:
1//,
:oard Rep.
Meeting Minutes July 11, 2019
approved PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and firefighter cancer
bills. He did not know how the legislation would affect disability pension
applications.
Chair Hightower and Member Hamilton recommended scheduling
Committee meetings bimonthly as most meetings are very short with
members only recommending approval of new hires and vesting and
pension requests without controversy or discussion. It was felt attending
short monthly meetings was a waste of time. Concern was expressed re
opportunities for public comment if the schedule is reduced. Ms. Poirier will
discuss the matter with the City and Pension Committee attorneys.
The meeting adjourned at 9:07 a.m.
City of Clearwater
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Chair f/
Pension Advisory Committee