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09/14/2023 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 e Meeting Minutes Thursday, September 14, 2023 9:00 AM Clearwater East Community Library - 2465 Drew St, Clearwater, FL 33765 - Community Room Pension Advisory Committee 1 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 Roll Call Present 4 - Committee Member Christopher Kakalow, Committee Member David Sowers, Committee Member Lina Teixeira, and Committee Member Mark Bunker Absent 3 - Chair Nathan Hightower, Committee Member Gregory Record, and Committee Member Brian Aungst Sr. Also Present— David Margolis — City Attorney, Chrystal Ryals — Interim Human Resources Director, and Nicole Sprague — Deputy City Clerk 1. Call To Order The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve minutes of July 27th, 2023 Pension Advisory Committee meeting as submitted in written summation. Member Kakalow moved to approve the minutes of the July 27, 2023 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 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 Desiree BainCustomer, Service Representative, Utility Customer Service 4/24/2023 Donna Ard, Customer Service Representative, Utility Customer Service 4/24/2023 Kelsey Nawman, Customer Service Representative, Utility Customer Service 4/24/2023 Simeon Johnson, Fire Inspector I, Fire 4/24/2023 Yvette Rodriguez-Clanton, Contracts & Procurement Specialist, General 4/24/2023 Services Shane Barsness, Fleet Mechanic, General Services 4/24/2023 Robert Hickman, Landscape Manager,Parks & Recreation 4/24/2023 Jason Coole, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 4/24/2023 Cristian Perez, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 4/24/2023 Karen Swafford, Administrative Assistant, Public Utilities 4/24/2023 Ryan Duval, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 4/24/2023 Chrystal Robinson, Utility Dispatcher, Gas 4/24/2023 Philip Lewis, Utility Dispatcher, Gas 4/24/2023 Savannah Elliott, Library Programming Specialist, Library 4/24/2023 Olgen Sumulla, Parking, Facility & Security Aide, Public Works 4/24/2023 2 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 David Lutz, Senior Professional Engineer, Public Works 4/24/2023 MD Sayedul Arefin, Lead Engineering Specialist, Public Works 4/24/2023 Tanya Nash, Personnel/Payroll Technician, Fire 5/8/2023 Noah Wells, Personnel/Payroll Technician, Fire 5/8/2023 Michael Krutchick, Recreation Facilities Support Custodian, Parks & 5/8/2023 Recreation Armon Reedy, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 5/8/2023 Tyler Bohnsack, Water Treatment Plant Operator C, Public Utilities 5/8/2023 Marina Tsongranis, Contract & Procurement Specialist, Public Works 5/8/2023 Tatyanna Maridon, Solid Waste Accounts Coordinator, Solid Waste 5/8/2023 Christopher Perry, Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste 5/8/2023 John Dallaire, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 5/22/23 Charles Webb, Recreation Coordinator, Parks & Recreation 5/22/23 Collin Hurley, Marine Facility Operator, Parks & Recreation 5/22/23 Ryan Chandler, Police, Police 5/22/23 Brittney Roy, Police, Police 5/22/23 Monica Mejia, Police Records Specialist, Police 5/22/23 Andrija Selak, Project Manager, Public Utilities 5/22/23 Sean Murphy, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 5/22/23 Zachary Watt, Firefighter/EMT, Fire 5/22/23 Jose Quinones, Firefighter/EMT, Fire 6/5/2023 Tristan Robey, Firefighter/EMT, Fire 6/5/2023 Fisher Davis, Firefighter/EMT, Fire 6/5/2023 Michael Sadok, Fire Medic, Fire 6/5/2023 Nicholas Steadman, Fire Medic, Fire 6/5/2023 Shawn Binion, Fire Medic, Fire 6/5/2023 Docho Florov, Fire Medic, Fire 6/5/2023 Joseph Jummati, Fire Medic, Fire 6/5/2023 William Thomas, Fire Medic, Fire 6/5/2023 Douglas Black, Utility Dispatcher, Gas 6/5/2023 Kyle Bradley, Water Distribution Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 6/5/2023 Wayne LaFleur, Public Utilities Assistant Manager, Infrastructure 6/5/2023 Maintenance, Public Utilities Janette Rawls, Senior Human Resources Analyst, Human Resources 6/5/2023 Shivam Shewa, Business Systems Analyst, Information Technology 6/21/2023 Antonio Ojeda Henriquez, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 6/21/2023 Marissa Pease, Police Service Technician, Police 6/21/2023 Kenny Robinson, Utilities Mechanic, Public Utilities 6/21/2023 Trent Marshall, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee, Public 6/21/2023 Utilities Billy Stephens, Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste 6/21/2023 Alyssa Feller, Business Systems Analyst, Information Technology 6/21/2023 Daniel Alexander, Police Service Technician, Traffic Crash 7/3/2023 Susan Maloney, Police Service Technician, Police 7/3/2023 Elizabeth Khan, Senior Accountant, Solid Waste & Recycling 7/3/2023 Diego Lozada, Customer Service Representative, Finance/UCS 7/3/2023 Kimberly Rivera Dilan, Customer Service Representative, Finance/UCS 7/3/2023 Courtney Roberts, HR Analyst, Human Resources 7/3/2023 Nathaniel Hampton, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/3/2023 Lillian Acevedo, Accounting Technician, Public Utilities 7/3/2023 Eric Morrison, Stormwater Technician, Public Works 7/3/2023 Bethany Nin, Cadet, Police 7/3/2023 3 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 Keyon Evans, Cadet, Police 7/17/2023 Michael Kelchner, Police Officer, Police 7/17/2023 Matthew Peterson, Police Officer, Police 7/17/2023 Jason Raia, Police Officer, Police 7/17/2023 Kenneth Casey, Police Officer,Police 7/17/2023 Amanda Royal, Police Telecom municator, Police 7/17/2023 Morgan Williams, Police Telecom municator, Police 7/17/2023 Alyssa Atwell, Police Telecom municator, Police 7/17/2023 Karen Kruse, Accounting Technician, Police 7/17/2023 Nick Bauman, CAD & GIS Technician, Public Works 7/17/2023 Joshua Felix, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/17/2023 Jaycob Bergeron, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/17/2023 Eric Hartell, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/17/2023 Donald Macintyre, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/17/2023 Jamar Williams, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/17/2023 Joshua Ice, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/17/2023 Matthew Carstensen, Recreation Coordinator, Parks & Recreation 7/17/2023 Lisa Byington, Code Enforcement Inspector, Planning & Development 7/17/2023 Nicholas Leggiere, Utilities Mechanic, Public Utilities 7/17/2023 Joseph Ortiz, Utilities Mechanic, Public Utilities 7/17/2023 Vaden Moon, Pool Lifeguard, Parks & Recreation 7/17/2023 Jaquez Byrd, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/31/2023 Homero Baeza, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/31/2023 Macktoshia (Tasha) Hadley, Parks Service Technician, Community 7/31/2023 Redevelopment Agency Harrison "Harry" Zabaleta, Community Redevelopment Specialist, 7/31/2023 Community Redevelopment Agency Mychal Gibson, Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste & Recycling 7/31/2023 Victor George, Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste & Recycling 7/31/2023 Peter Lebel, Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste & Recycling 7/31/2023 Edvin Muratovic, Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste & Recycling 7/31/2023 Bernard Cleveland, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/31/2023 Abyi Santiago, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/31/2023 Konstantinos Apergis, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 7/31/2023 Donald Holcomb, Solid Waste Equipment OperatorSolid, Waste & Recycling 7/31/2023 Abyi Santiago, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 8/1/2023 Julia Baltas, Community Redevelopment Specialist, Community 8/14/2023 Redevelopment Agency Willie Culver, Gas Tech Apprentice, Gas 8/14/2023 Savon Stevenson, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 8/14/2023 Michael Meurant, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 8/14/2023 Bryce Talley, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 8/14/2023 Jatavious Byrd, Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation 8/14/2023 Adrian Brown, Water Distr Oper Trainee, Public Utilities 8/14/2023 David Williams, Parking Enforcement Specialist, Public Works 8/14/2023 Matthew Ruskey, Parking Enforcement Specialist, Public Works 8/14/2023 Thomas Campbell, CAD & GIS Technician, Public Works 8/14/2023 Angel Castro, Street Sweeper Oper, Public Works 8/14/2023 Brian Boyer, Parking, Fac, & Sec Aide, Public Works 8/14/2023 Delbert Jackson,Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste & Recycling 8/14/2023 Member Sowers moved to recommend approval of the new hires for 4 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 acceptance into the Pension Plan as listed. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.2 Approve the following request of employees Matthew Carter, General Services Department, Kelly Hemming, Information Technology Department, and Donald Packer, Gas Department to vest their pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the Employees' Pension Plan. Matthew Carter, Skilled Trades Worker, General Services Department, was employed by the City on December 5th, 2011, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. Mr. Carter terminated from City employment on June 27th, 2023. Kelly Hemming, Sr Telecommunications Analyst, Information Technology Department, was employed by the City on February 5th, 2018, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Ms. Hemming terminated from City employment on September 5th, 2023. Donald Packer, Gas Sales Representative, Gas Department, was employed by the City on November 8th. 1999, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. Mr. Packer terminated from City employment on September 11, 2023. 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 five or more years (non-hazardous duty) and ten or more years (hazardous duty) 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. 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 (60) years and completed twenty-five (25) years of credited service; or the date on which a participant has reached the age of sixty-five (65) years and completed ten (10) years of credited service. Mr. Carter will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in January of 2042. Ms. Hemming will meet the 5 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in July of 2029. Mr. Packer will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in December of 2029. 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. Member Teixeira moved to recommend approval of the following request of employees Matthew Carter, General Services, Kelly Hemming, Information Technology, and Donald Packer, Gas Dept. to vest their pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the Employee's Pension Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.3 Approve the following request of Carol Barden, Finance Department, Laura Dann, Library Department, Joseph Hill, Solid Waste and Recycling Department, Vince Kirkland, Public Utilities Department, Todd Kuhnel, Public Utilities Department, Martin Lindemann, Solid Waste and Recycling Department, and Elliot Shoberg, Public Works Department, for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees' Pension Plan. Carol Barden, Senior Staff Assistant, Finance Department, was employed by the City on October 13th, 1997, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be effective October 1st, 2023. Based on an average salary of approximately $44,931.84 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Ms. Barden's selection of the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $32,081.64 annually. Laura Dann, Senior Librarian, Library Department, was employed by the City on July 19, 1990, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be effective January 1st, 2024. Based on an average salary of approximately $72,214.39 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Ms. Dann's selection of the 50% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $61,691.88 annually. Joseph Hill, Solid Waste Supervisor, Solid Waste and Recycling Department, was employed by the City on September 19th, 1994, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective October 1 st, 2023. Based on an average salary of approximately $68,418.48 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Hill's selection of the 6 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $45,767. 88 annually. Vince Kirkland, Senior Wastewater Collections Technician, Public Utilities Department, was employed by the City on December 21 st, 1998, and his pension service credit is effective on June 10th, 2000. His pension will be effective July 1, 2023. Based on an average salary of approximately $51,389.97 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Kirkland's selection of the 50% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $29,565.36 annually. Todd Kuhnel, Lead Engineering Specialist, Public Utilities Department, was employed by the City on September 2nd, 1997, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective July 1 st, 2023. Based on an average salary of approximately $58,653.00 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Kuhnel' s selection of the 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $38,829.84 annually. Martin Lindemann, Solid Waste Worker, Solid Waste and Recycling Department, was employed by the City on August 10th, 2010, and his pension service credit is effective on November 8th, 2010. His pension will be effective August 1, 2023. Based on an average salary of approximately $34,288.38 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Lindemann's selection of the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $11,980.44 annually. Elliot Shoberg, Deputy City Engineer, Public Works Department, was employed by the City November 8th, 1999, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective January 1 st, 2024. Based on an average salary of approximately $113,569.88 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Shoberg' s selection of the 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $68,537.88 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. 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 (60) years 7 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 and completed twenty-five (25) years of credited service; or the date on which a participant has reached the age of sixty-five (65) years and completed ten (10) years of credited service. Ms. Barden, Ms. Dann, Mr. Hill, Mr. Kirkland, Mr. Kuhnel, Mr. Lindemann, and Mr. Shoberg 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 (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. has met the hazardous duty criteria. Member Teixeira moved to recommend approval of the following request of Carol Barden, Finance Dept., Laura Dann, Library Dept., Joseph Hill, Solid Waste and Recycling, Vince Kirkland, Public Utilities Dept., Todd Kuhnel, Public Utilities Dept., Martin Lindemann, Solid Waste and Recycling, and Elliot Shoberg, Public Utilities Dept., for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employee's Pension Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.4 David Sowers - Discussion of Fire MOU Member Sowers expressed a concern regarding the special events portion of the firefighter's contract. He said an interpretation of the contract changed in 2019 and there have been attempts to address the issue at the bargaining table with no resolution. Emergency medical services for events at Coachman Park were being outsourced which violated the firefighter's contract. The union filed a grievance and Ruth Eckerd Hall then contracted with Sunstar for emergency medical services. He requested the issue be opened for bargaining mid contract and the City declined. He said he is bringing this forward as an attempt to have the Pension Advisory Committee recommend the City respond to the issue. In response to a question, Mr. Sowers said some events were paid per the contract. Interim Human Resources Director Chrystal Ryals said the city has not made changes to the special events described in the collective bargaining agreement. She said Mr. Sowers is referring to off-duty events such as Phillies games or Ruth Eckerd Hall events at The Sound, where fire and EMS is paid by the vendor. She said there is an important distinction between special events held by the City and off-duty events. Firefighter's City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 were offered to work the off-duty events and they refused. The Phillies have contracted with an outside vendor for emergency medical services for years. She said the issue came about when the IAFF raised a complaint regarding inconsistent pay practices. An audit was done, and it was discovered that the City had been incorrectly coding off-duty events as pensionable, which is prohibited by the pension ordinance. Police off-duty events were correctly coded. The IAFF filed a grievance and eventually abandoned arbitration. The City offered a policy outlining off-duty events and agreed to the rate proposed by IAFF, so long as the vendor agreed to the rate. The City has offered an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to make off-duty work part of the collective bargaining agreement but the union has rejected all offers to work these events because the earnings are not pensionable. The events worked at The Sound were city special events. She said the City Manager suggested the union bargain to change the ordinance. Mr. Sowers said the MOU proposals did not define what is off-duty. The latest MOU limited the special events. He said IAFF brought forward verbiage proposals to include special events as being pensionable. A concern was expressed that any Committee decision made should wait until all members were present. In response to a question, the City Attorney said if the union believes the contract is being mis-interpreted by the City, the issue should be dealt with through the grievance process which could lead to arbitration. The pension ordinance does not allow the Committee to get involved or serve in place of the grievance process. He said if the Committee finds changes that are appropriate for Council to make, then the Committee may make a recommendation to Council. He said because Councilmembers sit on this Committee, they would be making a recommendation to themselves, which is unique to Clearwater. He said if the Councilmembers did not feel it was appropriate to make the recommendation to the rest of Council, then the issue could be dealt with in the bargaining process. Fire Chief Scott Ehlers said it is the City's belief that conditions of extra duty should not be in the contract. There are many municipalities that operate extra duty events with nothing in the firefighter's contracts. Tampa Police, Tampa Fire, and Hillsborough Fire all work events at Raymond James Stadium and Yankee Stadiums without special event language in their contract. He said he requested Mr. Sowers to provide language used in other agency contracts and has not received any information other than the MOU requests. He said extra duty work does not belong in the contract as it has nothing to do with their job. 9 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 14, 2023 A comment was made that this issue should be discussed when all members of the Committee are present. Member Teixeira moved to continue this discussion to the next meeting. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Old Business Items: None. 6. Director's Report: None. 7. Board Members to be Heard 8. Adjourn Attest: D Board Reporter City of Clearwater Member Sowers thanked the Committee for the opportunity for today's discussion. The meeting adjourned at 9:34 a.m. A 10 Chair, Pension dvisory Committee