08/08/1996 PENSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
CITY OF CLEARWATER
August 8, 1996
Present: Rita Garvey Chair/Mayor
J. B. Johnson Vice Chair/Commissioner
Richard Breest Committee Member
Pat Greer Committee Member
Dick Fitzgerald Committee Member
Empty Seat Committee Member
Leslie Dougall-Sides Assistant City Attorney
Michael Laursen Human Resources Director
Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter
Absent: Robert Clark Committee Member/Commissioner
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order.
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ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes
Member Johnson moved to approve the minutes of the regular meetings of June 13, 1996, and July 11, 1996, as recorded and submitted in written summation to each member. The motion was
duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #3 - Employees to be Heard - None.
ITEM #4 - Action Items
a) Review and action on Employee Requests for Years of Service Pension - None.
b) Approval of New Hires as Pension Plan Members
Mr. Laursen reviewed the physician recommendations and reported the listed new hire meets Pension Plan criteria.
Member Fitzgerald moved to accept the following employee into membership in the Pension Plan:
Date of Pension
Employment Elig. Date.
Ricky J. Hess, Electronics Technician Engineering Department 07/22/96 07/22/96
The motion was duly seconded carried unanimously.
ITEM #5 - Pending/New Business
Assistant City Attorney Dick Hull reported Robert Mouzon's case is in the court system. The City had received two claims for his contribution to the Pension Plan: 1) a person claiming
to be his dependent daughter and 2) his estate. The PAC (Pension Advisory Committee) had directed staff to file an interpleader action to leave the City harmless. The two parties have
agreed to share the contributions: 1) $11,845 for the daughter and 2) $15,776 for the estate. Mr. Hull distributed copies of the settlement agreement. Both parties have agreed to release
the City from all claims. A court order adopts, ratifies, and confirms this agreement.
Member Breest moved to approve the court approved agreement regarding the distribution of Robert Mouzon's contribution to the Pension Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
ITEM #6 - Director's Reports
Disability Requests
As an update, Human Resources Director Mike Laursen reported Meter Reader Tom Murray's job-connected disability request is in process. Mr. Laursen indicated Solid Waste Worker Ernest
Thomas died last weekend before submitting his request for a non-job-connected disability.
Mr. Laursen stated Firefighter Jeffrey Renner recently died after 19 years of service. It is expected his spouse will file a Pension claim.
Procedures
Mr. Laursen said staff is developing procedures regarding the reexamination and recall of disabled pensioners. He requested PAC input and direction regarding how often reexaminations
should be scheduled. He noted disabled pensioners can be recalled if an alternative job is available for which they qualify. The importance of knowing if disabled pensioners are fit
enough to return to work was noted. He suggested requiring disabled pensioners to submit a form completed by their doctor addressing certain issues. The PAC then could determine if
an IME (Independent Medical Examination) is necessary. He suggested considering annual examinations and for staff to compare job openings with the identified skills of disabled pensioners.
It was noted a computer program will be necessary to coordinate this information.
Consensus was for staff to draft procedures for presentation to the PAC.
"Buy-Back" Requests
Assistant City Attorney Leslie Dougall-Sides referred to her July 26, 1996, memorandum in which she issued an opinion regarding employee pension service "buy-back" requests. The filing
deadline was July 3, 1996.
The PAC had approved requests by Police Sergeant Kenneth Donagan and Police Officer David Kreiger. The PAC had taken no official action regarding Public Works Director
Gardner Smith's request. These employees have been furnished actuarial figures but have not indicated if they wish to proceed.
Staff is to provide the PAC with a recommendation regarding the request by Librarian III Lois Maroon.
On July 11, 1996, the PAC had voted to reject the request by Plant Operator Raymond Kaval.
Ms. Dougall-Sides concluded employees who do not qualify to "buy-back" Pension Service include: 1) Police Service Technician Thomas Taggart; 2) Fire Lieutenant Charles Selby; 3) Accountant
Dan Carpenter; 4) Water Superintendent Tom Hackett; 5) Police Officer Richard Beery; 6) Customer Service Representative Rosalie Backus; and 7) Engineer III Robert Maran.
In answer to a question, Mr. Laursen stated Mr. Carpenter had not withdrawn his resignation. Ms. Dougall-Sides noted he had held different types of positions.
Consensus was for Mr. Laursen to contact these employees and advise them of PAC's decision that they do not qualify to "buy-back" Pension Service.
Ms. Dougall-Sides concluded employees who qualify to "buy-back" Pension Service include: 1) Police Officer Len Marotta; 2) Firefighter Peter Verhoeven; 3) Gas Technician III Nelson
McCoy; 4) Senior Police Communications Operator Georgette Summarell; 5) Firefighter Jerry Lovett; and 6) Central Records Specialist Camille Motley.
Consensus was for Mr. Laursen to notify these employees they qualify to "buy-back" their Pension Service and to request that Mr. Metz provides them with actuarial figures. Once they
receive these figures, employees will have 30 days to indicate if they wish to proceed.
ITEM #7 - Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m.