01/09/2020 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes January 9, 2020
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
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Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 9, 2020
9:00 AM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Pension Advisory Committee
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes January 9, 2020
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 November 14, 2019 Pension Advisory Committee meeting as
submitted in written summation.
Member Cundiff moved to approve minutes of November 14, 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
Robert Farris, Senior Construction Inspector, Engineering 11/12/2019
Amy Dickman, Utility Dispatcher, Gas 11/12/2019
Ali Ismailoski, Arborist, Parks & Recreation 11/12/2019
Robert Testa, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 11/12/2019
Suzan Hauser, Police Records Clerk, Police 11/12/2019
Jessica Hoskins, Police Records Clerk, Police 11/12/2019
Tracy Boone, Police Records Clerk, Police 11/12/2019
Alyssa Poole, Customer Service Rep, Gas 11/25/2019
Derek Smith Jr., Lead Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 11/25/2019
Ryan DeFonso, Customer Service Rep, Planning & Development 11/25/2019
David Ball, Utilities Electronics Technician, Public Utilities 11/25/2019
Deborah Boyer, Customer Service Representative, Utility Customer Service 12/09/2019
Jesse Rhoades, Lead Engineering Specialist, Engineering/Traffic 12/09/2019
Elise Heal, Human Resources Analyst, Human Resources 12/09/2019
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes January 9, 2020
Andrew Donelson, Utilities Mechanic, Public Utilities 12/09/2019
Jakob Blass, Police Cadet, Police 11/12/2019
Jonathon Roth, Survey Assistant, Engineering 12/16/2019
Brenda Fontane-Villamil, Sr Development Rev Tech, Planning & Development 12/09/2019
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 Jeremiah Mills, Fire
Department, to vest their pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the Employees'
Pension Plan.
Jeremiah Mills, Fire Medic, Fire Department, was employed by the City on
February 28, 2006, and began participating in the Pension Plan on that date.
Mr. Mills terminated from City employment on November 4, 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 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. Mills will meet the hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting
pension in March 2026.
Member Hamilton moved to recommend approval of the following
request of employee Jeremiah Mills, Fire 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 Recommend approval of the following request of employees Michael Deegan, Gas
Department, Matthew McCombs, Solid Waste General Services and Karl Pople, Police
Department, for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the
Employees' Pension Plan.
Michael Deegan, Gas Safety and Reg Comp Coordinator, Gas
Department, was employed by the City on January 2, 1985, and his pension
service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective February
1, 2020. Based on an average salary of approximately $87,275.57 over the
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes January 9, 2020
past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr.
Deegan's selection of the 75% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension
benefit will be approximately $83,935.32 annually.
Matthew McCombs, Fleet Mechanic, Solid Waste General Services
Department, was employed by the City on February 24, 2003, and his
pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective
January 1, 2020. Based on an average salary of approximately $45,210.65
over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr.
McCombs' selection of the 50% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension
benefit will be approximately $18,667.20 annually.
Karl Pople, Police Telecommunicator, Police Department, was employed
by the City on January 16, 1991, and his pension service credit is effective on
January 20, 1998. His pension will be effective February 1, 2020. Based on
an average salary of approximately $54,183.40 over the past five years, the
formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Pople's selection of the 50%
Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately
$30,726.72 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
s 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. Mr. Deegan, Mr. McCombs and Mr. Pople have
met the non-hazardous duty criteria.
Member Newland moved to recommend approval of the following
request of employees Michael Deegan, Gas Department, Matthew
McCombs, Solid Waste General Services and Karl Pople, 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 Ratify and Confirm correction of error of underpayments for members where amounts
were calculated incorrectly by software.
Human Resources Director Jennifer Poirrier said the software was
corrected.
Senior Pension Payroll Analyst Jennifer Moulton said the miscalculation
affected 7 pension beneficiaries who had selected an optional form of
payment when vesting their pensions. Total underpayments approximated
$1,800 including interest, affected members were reimbursed. She noticed
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes January 9, 2020
the discrepancy when her calculation of a benefit amount differed from the
software computation. The actuary confirmed the software calculations were
based on the age of members at vesting instead of at retirement.
Ms. Moulton was thanked for being so good at her job and discovering
the miscalculations.
Member Newland moved to ratify and confirm correction of the error
of underpayments for members where amounts were calculated
incorrectly by software. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
4.5 Amend PAC Policy and Procedures Manual.
Ms. Poirrier said the line in the manual referencing the election date of
officers was amended to reflect the committee's new bimonthly meeting
schedule.
Member Eversole moved to amend the PAC Policy and Procedures
Manual. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
6. Director's Report: None.
7. Board Members to be Heard
Members wished all a Happy New Year.
8. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:06 a.m.
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City of Clearwater
Chair, Pension visory Committee