08/12/2024 Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes August 12, 2024
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
e
Meeting Minutes
Monday, August 12, 2024
1 :00 PM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Pension Trustees
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes August 12, 2024
Roll Call
Present 5 - Chair Bruce Rector, Trustee Ryan Cotton, Trustee Michael Mannino,
Trustee David Allbritton, and Trustee Lina Teixeira
Also Present—Jennifer Poirrier—City Manager, Michael Delk — Assistant City
Manager, David Margolis - City Attorney, Rosemarie Call — City
Clerk, Nicole Sprague — Deputy City Clerk, and Tiffany Makras —
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 Rector
The meeting was called to order at 2:31 p.m.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the minutes of the June 17, 2024 Pension Trustees meeting as submitted in
written summation by the City Clerk.
Trustee Cotton moved to approve the minutes of the June 17, 2024
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 Determine Trustees' expected rate of return for pension plan investments for the current
year, each of the next several years, and for the long term thereafter, in accordance with
Florida Statutes 112.661(9).
Florida Statutes 112.661(9) requires an annual determination of expected rates
of return by filed with the Florida Department of Management Services, with the
plan's sponsor, and with the consulting actuary.
Staff is recommending the current plan investment rate of return assumptions
of 6.5%, net of investment-related fees, as the expected annual rate of return for
the current year; 6.5% for the next year; and 6.5% for all years thereafter.
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes August 12, 2024
Trustee Teixeira moved to determine Trustees' expected rate of
return for pension plan investments for the current year, each of the
next several years, and for the long term thereafter, in accordance
with Florida Statutes 112.661(9). The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
4.2 Approve the new hires for acceptance into the Pension Plan as listed.
Pension
Name/Job Classification/Department Eligibility
Date
Isabella Arroyo, Human Resources Technician, Human Resources 04/20/2024
Adam Aramino, Survey Assistant I, Public Works 04/22/2024
Darius Hunsicker, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 04/22/2024
Christopher Mcfadden, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 04/22/2024
Andrew Nolan-Rivera, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 04/22/2024
Codey Nygren, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 04/22/2024
Loretta Waterworth, Accounting Tech I, Public Utilities 04/22/2024
Miguel Pena, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 04/22/2024
Brian Balloon, Solid Waste Equipment Oper, Solid Waste & Recycling 04/22/2024
Kaleb Peterson, Library Assistant I, Library 05/04/2024
Jessica Pryor, Customer Service Rep I, Gas System 05/04/2024
Jacob Speranza, Skilled Tradesworker I, Marine &Aviation 05/04/2024
Jaice Currie, Network Analyst I, Information Technology 05/06/2024
Hadley Johnson, Police Telecom municator I, Police Department 05/06/2024
Christopher Vera, Police Telecom municator I, Police Department 05/06/2024
Devin Furlow, Gas Technician I, Gas System 05/06/2024
Adam Borgman, Public Info Coordinator I, Public Communications 05/06/2024
Derrek Rose, Fire Inspector II, Fire Department 05/06/2024
Nicholas Reeves, Parks Service Supervisor I, Parks & Recreation 05/06/2024
Ryan Thomas, Wastewater Coll Tech I, Public Utilities 05/06/2024
Shawn Rodriguez, Streets & Sidewalks Tech I, Public Works 05/06/2024
Samuel Brown, Solid Waste Worker I, Solid Waste & Recycling 05/18/2024
Rico Green, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 05/18/2024
Trevor Shultz, Gas Technician I, Gas System 05/20/2024
William Bechtel, Systems Programmer I, Information Technology 05/20/2024
Noah Mayberry, Development Review Tech I, Planning & Dev. 05/20/2024
Lester Rivera, Fleet Mechanic, General Supp Services 05/20/2024
Travis Jones, Building & Maint Supv, General Supp Services 05/20/2024
Michael Camarillo, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 05/20/2024
James Young, Traffic Sign & Marking Tech I, Public Works 05/20/2024
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes August 12, 2024
Monica Lueking, Neighborhoods Coordinator, City Manager 05/20/2024
Jesse Bennett, Stormwater Technician I, Public Works 05/20/2024
Dasril Panko, Wstwtr Trtmnt Plant Oper C, Public Utilities 06/03/2024
Donovan Stewart, Stormwater Technician I, Public Works 06/03/2024
Rossmery Diaz, Human Resources Analyst I, Human Resources 06/03/2024
Terry Barber, Fire Marshal, Fire Department 06/03/2024
Marcus Prescott, Traffic Sign & Marking Tech I, Public Works 06/03/2024
Brandon Hellmann, Solid Waste Equip.Oper, Solid Waste & Recyc. 06/03/2024
Verqueze Mitchell, Water Distr Oper Trainee, Public Utilities 06/03/2024
Leanne Bell, Public Info Coordinator I, Public Communications 06/03/2024
Samantha Myers, Engineering Specialist I, Public Utilities 06/17/2024
Shahrzad Takalloo, Planner Iii, Planning & Development 06/17/2024
Elizabeth Brewer, Librarian I, Library 06/17/2024
Keegan Saraceno, Utilities Mechanic, Public Utilities 06/17/2024
Chyna Miller-Robinson, Recreation Leader I, Parks & Recreation 06/17/2024
Trustee Allbritton moved to approve the new hires for acceptance
into the Pension Plan as listed. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
4.3 Approve the following request of Carl Conyers, Police Department, Gerard Grace, Parks
and Recreation Department, Timothy Kurtz, Public Works Department, Robert Lazzaro Jr,
Police Department, James "Jim" McCulley, Gas Department, and Barry Slack, Public
Utilities Department for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the
Employees' Pension Plan.
Carl Conyers, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed by the City on
May 31, 1994, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His
pension will be effective June 1, 2024. Based on an average salary of
approximately $99,902.55 over the past five years, the formula for computing
regular pensions and Mr. Conyers' selection of the Joint and Survivor Annuity,
this pension benefit will be approximately $82,419.60 annually.
Gerard Grace, Parks Service Tech II, Parks and Recreation Department was
employed by the City on November 3, 2003, and his pension service credit is
effective on that date. His pension will be effective June 1, 2024. Based on an
average salary of approximately $47,071.51 over the past five years, the formula
for computing regular pensions and Mr. Grace's selection of the 100% Joint and
Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $22,970.64 annually.
Timothy Kurtz, Construction Division Manager, Public Works Department, was
employed by the City on March 22, 1998, and his pension service credit is
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees Meeting Minutes August 12, 2024
effective on October 1, 1998. His pension will be effective December 1, 2024.
Based on an average salary of approximately $105,861.34 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Kurtz's selection of
the 100% Joint & Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately
$64,167.24 annually.
Robert Lazzaro Jr, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed by the City
on September 9, 2002, and his pension service credit is effective on that date.
His pension will be effective June 1, 2024. Based on an average salary of
approximately $94,009.04 over the past five years, the formula for computing
regular pensions and Mr. Lazzaro's selection of the 100% Joint and Survivor
Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $54,641.40 annually.
James "Jim" McCulley, Gas Sales Division Manager, Gas Department, was
employed by the City on July 11,1988, and his pension service credit is effective
on May 13,1989. His pension will be effective May 1, 2024. Based on an
average salary of approximately $98,291.32 over the past five years, the formula
for computing regular pensions and Mr. McCulley's selection of the 50% Joint
and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $87,799.80
annually.
Barry Slack, Utilities Mechanic, Public Utilities Department, was employed by
the City on June 1, 2004, and his pension service credit is effective on that date.
His pension will be effective July 1, 2024. Based on an average salary of
approximately $42,150.08 over the past five years, the formula for computing
regular pensions and Mr. Slack's selection of the Single Life Annuity, this
pension benefit will be approximately $23,192.28 annually.
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 55 years and completed 20 years
of credited service; the date on which a participant has reached age 65 years
and completed ten years of credited service; or the date on which a member
has completed 30 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 60 years and completed 25 years of credited
service; or the date on which a participant has reached the age of 65 years and
completed ten years of credited service. Mr. Grace, Mr. Kurtz, Mr. McCulley,
and Mr. Slack 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 20 years of credited service
regardless of age, or the date on which the participant has reached 55 years
and completed ten years of credited service. Mr. Conyers and Mr. Lazzaro Jr
have met the hazardous duty criteria.
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City of Clearwater
Pension Trustees
Meeting Minutes August 12, 2024
Trustee Mannino moved to approve the following request of Carl
Conyers, Police Department, Gerard Grace, Parks and Recreation
Department, Timothy Kurtz, Public Works Department, Robert
Lazzaro Jr, Police Department, James "Jim" McCulley, Gas
Department, and Barry Slack, Public Utilities 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 changes to the PAC Manual, Section IV: Eligibility for Disability Pension,
regarding the Firefighter Cancer Presumption Law.
5. Adjourn
Attest
PAC approved changes to the PAC Manual in section IV: Eligibility for Disability
Pension
Firefighter cancer benefit: pursuant to Florida Statute § 112.1816(3)-(4), if a
firefighter is found by the PAC to be permanently and totally disabled due to a
diagnosis of cancer, or circumstances that arise out of the treatment of cancer,
then the PAC must also find that said disability arose in the line of duty.
Trustee Cotton moved to approve changes to the PAC Manual,
Section IV: Eligibility for Disability Pension, regarding the Firefighter
Cancer Presumption Law. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 2:37 p.m.
Employees' Pension Plan Trustees
City Clerk
City of Clearwater