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08/08/2019 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes August 8, 2019 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 m ap Meeting Minutes Thursday, August 8, 2019 9:00 AM Main Library - Council Chambers Pension Advisory Committee Page 1 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes August 8, 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 July 11, 2019 Pension Advisory Committee meeting as submitted in written summation. Member Cundiff moved to approve minutes of July 11, 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 Terrell Brown Jr., Field Service Representative, Customer Service 07/08/2019 Christopher Katona, Air Conditioning Technician, General Services 07/08/2019 Dora Monterroza, Custodial Worker, Parks & Recreation 07/08/2019 Savannah Bass, Police Information Technician I, Police 07/08/2019 Keron Johnson, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 07/08/2019 Danny Pate II Public Utilities Technician I, Public Utilities 07/08/2019 Omar Hill, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 07/22/2019 Brennan Milnes, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 07/22/2019 Derek Griego, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 07/22/2019 Ricardo Smith, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 07/22/2019 Rodney Sheridan, Utilities Mechanic, Public Utilities 07/22/2019 Courtney Dosch, Storeskeeper, Fire 07/22/2019 Brian Palmese, Fleet Mechanic, General Services 07/22/2019 Thomas Whittaker, Fleet Mechanic, General Services 07/22/2019 Terry Winthrop, Tradesworker, Marine & Aviation 07/22/2019 Page 2 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes August 8, 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. 4.2 Recommend approval of the following request of employee Daniel Devol, Police Department, for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees' Pension Plan. Daniel Devol, Police Sergeant, Police Department, was employed by the City on October 17, 1994, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective September 1, 2019. Based on an average salary of approximately $91,102.48 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Devol's selection of the 10 Year Certain and Life Annuity with a 20% partial lump sum, this pension benefit will be approximately $53,548.68 annually. 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. Devol has met the hazardous duty criteria. Member Newland moved to recommend approval of the following request of employee Daniel Devol, 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. 4.3 Informal hearing for Michael Stonelake request for job-connected disability pension Human Resources Director Jennifer Poirrier said yesterday Michael Stonelake's attorney requested the hearing be continued to correct the paperwork to indicate the request is for a job-connected disability pension. Additional review will be required. She had no details re how the error occurred. Member Hamilton moved to continue the informal hearing for Michael Stonelake request for job-connected disability pension to a date uncertain. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Old Business Item Re the PAC's (Pension Advisory Committee's) request for less frequent meetings, Ms. Poirrier reached out to the City Attorney and Pension Attorney The Pension Attorney indicated monthly meetings were not required, only quarterly meetings were mandatory per State Statute. Special meetings Page 3 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes August 8, 2019 could be scheduled. Two sections of the PAC Policies and Procedures Manual would have to be amended to allow bimonthly or quarterly meetings and to provide staff authority to process pension payments prior to committee ratification. Pension Attorney Stu Kaufman will present language to modify the Manual at the September meeting. Senor Pension Payroll Analyst Jennifer Moulton reviewed the procedure to prepare pension paperwork prior to PAC meetings; pension payments are processed following PAC approval. The PAC is presented pension requests submitted before agendas are posted online. Pensions are effective the month following a request submission; payments are made at the end of the month. Employees who meet Pension Plan requirements are entitled to a regular pension upon retirement. Ms. Poirrier said disability pension requests have a separate procedure. Concern was expressed that authority to process pensions needed to specify authorized staff positions. It was noted the request to recommend approval of pensions had not been denied for at least 16 years. Consensus was for the PAC to adopt a bimonthly schedule and to authorize staff to process pension payments prior to PAC recommendations for approval. 6. Director's Report: None. 7. Board Members to be Heard 8. Adjourn Attest: Chair Hightower questioned if meetings had to be held on Thursdays. He questioned if members could attend meetings via phone, stating current technology would make it possible. Ms. Poirrier said the Committee sets its schedule. She will report if members can attend meetings from offsite locations. The meeting adjourned at 9:20 a.m. Bo. rd Reporte City of Clearwater t Chair Pension Advisory Committee Page 4