09/12/2024 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
e
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 12, 2024
9:00 AM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Pension Advisory Committee
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024
Roll Call
Present 4 - Vice Chair David Sowers, Committee Member Lina Teixeira,
Committee Member Juliet Marvenko, and Committee Member Chris
Smaha
Absent 2 - Chair Nathan Hightower, and Committee Member Ryan Cotton
Also Present— David Margolis — City Attorney, Tiffany Makras - Human Resources
Director, and Nicole Sprague — Deputy City Clerk
1. Call To Order
The meeting was called to order at 9:03 a.m. at the Main Library.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve minutes of July 11, 2024, Pension Advisory Committee meeting as submitted in
written summation.
Member Smaha moved to approve the minutes of the July 11, 2024
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 Approve the new hires for acceptance into the Pension Plan as listed.
Name/Job Classification/Department Pension
Eligibility Date
Jaden Lee, Solid Waste Worker I, Solid Waste & Recycling 6/29/2024
Jaiylan Wynn, Stormwater Technician I, Public Works 6/29/2024
Adam Nugent, Gas Technician I, Gas System 7/1/2024
Austin Sadorf, Police Cadet, Police Department 7/1/2024
Carol Creutz,Accounting Tech II, Financial & Budget 7/1/2024
Christopher Allen, Police Cadet, Police Department 7/1/2024
Isaiah Henderson, Police Cadet, Police Department 7/1/2024
Joshua Stinson, Meter Reader I, Utility Customer Service 7/1/2024
Myika Bowden, Utility Dispatcher I, Gas System 7/1/2024
Otha Armstrong, Parks Service Tech. I, Parks & Recreation 7/1/2024
Zachary Hauschild, Police Officer, Police Department 7/1/2024
Anthony Martin, Marine Facility Operator, Parks & Recreation 7/15/2024
Frank Vaillant-Figueredo, Welder/Manufacturer, SW&Recycling 7/15/2024
Jared Wilson,Air Conditioning Tech, General Support Services 7/15/2024
Leondre Horne, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 7/15/2024
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024
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ichael Tutoli, Solid Waste Equipment Oper, SW& Recycling 7/15/2024
=Nicholson,
e Equipment Oper, SW& Recycling 7/15/2024
water Technician I, Public Works 7/15/2024
Waste Equipment Oper, SW& Recyc. 7/15/2024
Amanda Paukert, Payroll Tech I, Parks & Recreation 7/29/2024
Daniel Kelly, Engineering Specialist Iii, Public Works 7/29/2024
Hugo Resendiz, Streets & Sidewalks Tech I, Public Works 7/29/2024
Jason Jackson, Solid Waste Equipment Oper, SW& Recycling 7/29/2024
John Balcer, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 7/29/2024
Keith Simmons, Water Distr Oper Trainee, Public Utilities 7/29/2024
Mark Kraf, Traffic Signal Tech I, Public Works 7/29/2024
Mitchell Shelton, Utility Dispatcher I, Gas System 7/29/2024
Randall Raines, Water Distr Oper Trainee, Public Utilities 7/29/2024
Sedeeva Chaney, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 7/29/2024
Christopher Poland, Water Plant Operator Trainee, Public Utilities 8/12/2024
Ernest Bell, Solid Waste Worker I, Solid Waste & Recycling 8/12/2024
Gerald Burney, Solid Waste Worker I, Solid Waste & Recycling 8/12/2024
Jonathan Richardson, Parks Service Tech. I, Parks & Recreation 8/12/2024
Joseph Gagne, Police Officer, Police Department 8/12/2024
Robert Gremillion, Parks Service Tech. I, Parks & Recreation 8/12/2024
Rocky Nikci, Police Telecommunicator I, Police Department 8/12/2024
Member Smaha 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 Approve the following request of employees Willie Hill, Solid Waste and Recycling
Department, Charles H. Lane Jr, Economic Development and Housing Department, and
Robert Skinner, Public Works Department to vest their pension as provided by Section
2.419 of the Employees' Pension Plan.
Willie Hill, Solid Waste Worker I, Solid Waste & Recycling Department,
was employed by the City on August 22, 2005, and his pension service credit is
effective on that date. Mr. Hill terminated from City employment on March 8,
2024.
Charles H. Lane Jr, Economic Development & Housing Assistant
Director, Economic Development & Housing Department, was employed
by the City on August 1, 2011, and his pension service credit is effective on that
date. Mr. Lane terminated from City employment on August 18, 2024.
Robert Skinner, Parking Meter Technician, Public Works Department,
was employed by the City on October 1, 2012, and his pension service credit is
effective on that date. Mr. Skinner terminated from City employment on July 17,
2024.
The Employees' Pension Plan provides that should an employee cease to be an
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024
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 five (5)
years of credited service. Mr. Hill will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and
begin collecting a pension in September of 2025. Mr. Lane will meet the
non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in September of
2031. Mr. Skinner will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting
a pension in September of 2026.
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 Smaha moved to recommend approval of the following
request of employees Willie Hill, Solid Waste and Recycling
Department, Charles H. Lane, Economic Development and Housing
Department, and Robert Skinner, Public Works 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 Approve the following request of Trava Alston, Police Department, John Dorsey, Solid
Waste and Recycling Department, Joshua Jewett, Police Department, Chad Reed,
Police Department, and Mario Zaccaria, Planning and Development Department for a
regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees' Pension
Plan.
Trava Alston, Police Service Technician, Police Department, was
employed by the City on February 21, 1995, and his pension service credit is
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024
effective on that date. His pension will be effective August 1 st, 2024.
Based on an average salary of approximately $57,650.41 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Alston's selection of
the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $46,680.84
annually.
John Dorsey, Transfer Station/Scales Operator, Solid Waste & Recycling
Department was employed by the City on November 29, 1993, and his pension
service credit is effective on April 17, 1994. His pension will be effective August
1, 2024.
Based on an average salary of approximately $43,855.48 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Dorsey's selection of
the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $36,512.40
annually.
Joshua Jewett, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed by the
City on May 22, 2000, 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 $92,859.30 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Jewett's selection of
the 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately
$60,125.64 annually.
Chad Reed, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed by the City
on September 27, 1999, and his pension service credit is effective on that date.
His pension will be effective October 1, 2024.
Based on an average salary of approximately $101,028.28 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Reed's selection of
the 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately
$67,781.28 annually.
Mario Zaccaria, Plans Examiner IV, Planning & Development Department,
was employed by the City on September 8, 2015, and his pension service credit
is effective on that date. His pension will be effective October 1, 2024.
Based on an average salary of approximately $77,064.87 over the past five
years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Zaccaria's selection
of the 66 2/3% Joint and Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be
approximately $11,196.72 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 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
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024
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 five (5)
years of credited service. Mr. Alston, Mr. Dorsey, and Mr. Zaccaria 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. Mr. Jewett
and Mr. Reed has met the hazardous duty criteria.
Member Teixeira moved to recommend approval of the following
request of Trava Alston, Police Department, John Dorsey, Solid Waste
and Recycling Department, Joshua Jewett, Police Department, Chad
Reed, Police Department, and Mario Zaccaria, Planning and
Development Department for a regular pension as provided in Sections
2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees' Pension Plan. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
4.4 Informal hearing for Edward Tumber request for non-job-connected disability pension
The City Attorney reviewed Edward Tumber's application for a non job
connected disability and hearing requirements as detailed by Code. Mr.
Tumber had been employed off and on since 1997. In October 2023, he
suffered a stroke and applied for disability. Mr. Tumber was seen by an
independent medical examiner in July 2024.
Discussion ensued with comments made that this was a permanent
condition and he is able to physically move but gets confused. In
response to a question, Human Resources Director Tiffany Makras said
no positions were identified that he would be able to perform at an
acceptable level.
Member Sowers moved that Edward Tumber met the requirements for
a disability pension as he is disabled due to sickness or injury, such
disability is likely to be continuous and permanent from a cause other
than those listed as general disability exclusions, and such disability
renders the participant unable to perform any useful, meaningful and
necessary work for the employer in an available position for which the
participant is reasonably qualified or for which the participant may be
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City of Clearwater
Pension Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024
reasonably trained to perform. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
5. Old Business Items
6. Director's Report
7. Board Members to be Heard
8. Adjourn
Attest:
In response to comments regarding board member attendance, the City
Attorney said two of the members advised they would not be at today's
meeting and one member had resigned from city employment, so an
employee election needs to be scheduled.
A comment was made that citizens have reached out to serve on the
committee.
The meeting adjourned at 9:17 a.m./:42A
-6),
Board Reporter
City of Clearwater
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Chair, PensiAdvisory Committee
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