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12/11/1997PENSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER December 11, 1997 Present: Rita Garvey Chair/Mayor J. B. Johnson Vice Chair/Commissioner Pat Greer Committee Member Dick Fitzgerald Committee Member John Scacca Committee Member Leslie Dougall-Sides Assistant City Attorney Debbie Ford Human Resources Technician Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter Absent: Robert Clark Committee Member/Commissioner Pat Shepler Committee Member The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes Member Johnson moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November 13, 1997, as recorded and submitted in written summation to each board 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 1) Fred Lloyd - Recreation Facilities Supervisor I, Parks & Recreation Department 2) Samuel Collie - Solid Waste Supervisor II, Solid Waste Department 3) Leonard Gogola - Firefighter, Fire Department - hazardous duty provision 4) Joseph A. Pidala - Assistant Fire Chief, Fire Department - hazardous duty provision 5) Ozell George - Parks Superintendent, Parks & Recreation Department 6) Robert Papa - Motor Vehicle/Equipment Mechanic Supervisor, General Services Department 7) Ezell Hunt - Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste Department Concern was expressed too much paper is distributed regarding retiring employees. A request was made for the distribution to remain unchanged for a while. Member Greer moved to approve a Years of Service Pension for Fred Lloyd, Samuel Collie, Leonard Gogola, Joseph A. Pidala, Ozell George, Robert Papa, and Ezell Hunt. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. b) Approval of New Hires as Pension Plan Members Member Fitzgerald moved to accept the following employees into membership in the Pension Plan: Date of Pension Employment Elig. Date. Lawrence Huffman, Asst FireTrng Chf Fire Department 10/13/97 10/13/97 Sandra Lear, GIS Technician Police Department 11/10/97 11/10/97 John R. Olson, Mechanic II General Services Dept. 11/10/97 11/10/97 Eugene K. Nyland, PC Sup. Tech. II Information Management 02/18/97 10/27/97 Kathleen McMullen, Telecom. Analyst Information Management 11/10/97 11/10/97 George Fatulitis, Asst. Fire Marshal Fire Department 10/27/97 10/27/97 Rui Wang, Librarian I Library 11/10/97 11/10/97 Mr. Nyland originally was hired on February 18, 1997, as a contract employee; changed to permanent full-time on October 27, 1997. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #5 - Pending/New Business a) David Ford Human Resources Technician Debbie Ford reported David Ford had deceased last month. After his death, the City received a copy of the application to upgrade his disability to “job-connected.” In response to a question, she reported Mr. Ford had chosen Option 6 for his non-job-connected disability pension which provides a 100% joint & survivor annuity. Assistant City Attorney Leslie Dougall-Sides noted when the PAC (Pension Advisory Committee) approved Mr. Ford’s non-job-connected disability, they had indicated they would consider an amended application if Mr. Ford could develop medical evidence that supported his claim that exposure to chemicals on the job caused his heart problems. His new application was not filed until after Mr. Ford’s death. A request was made to review that application. In response to a question, Ms. Dougall-Sides said Mr. Ford’s wife can submit evidence. She referred to the Code which indicates a Pension participant can apply for benefits. As an employee, Mr. Ford had applied for a non-job-connected disability pension. Since he has died, he no longer is eligible to apply for a job-connected disability pension. b) Lester Rent On August 25, 1997, Lester Rent, WWTP Operator C in Engineering/Water Pollution Control, applied for a job-connected disability pension due to an injury to his right knee on October 21, 1996. In response to a question, Ms. Ford said after receiving his application, the City scheduled a Functional Capacity Evaluation and IME (Independent Medical Examination) for Mr. Rent and requested he complete a set of interrogatories prepared by the Legal Department. Staff has been working to place him in another position but, based on his skills, is unable to find something for him to do. In response to a question, Ms. Ford indicated Mr. Rent’s resignation is effective upon approval of his Pension application. Mr. Rent has signed up to be tested for available positions. He had indicated he did not wish to leave his employment with the City under these circumstances. Ms. Ford said this mechanism is being used so that Mr. Rent is not without pay. In response to a question, Ms. Ford said employees normally do not file for disability pensions until after release from their attending physician. Ms. Dougall-Sides said Mr. Rent had filed a Workers’ Compensation claim. He has had surgery, trying to correct the problem. In response to a concern regarding a physician’s remark, Ms. Dougall-Sides said people use canes in different manners. It was noted Mr. Rent seems to have worked hard on rehabilitation. As all City WPC (Water Pollution Control) plants have stairs, Mr. Rent’s difficulty negotiating stairs negates his ability to perform his regular job. It was noted Mr. Rent’s physician had reported the condition will worsen. Ms. Dougall-Sides recommended scheduling a hearing for January 8, 1998. In response to a question, she said the process to find him another job within the City is ongoing. She indicated employees decide when to file for disability pensions. In response to a question, Ms. Ford said Mr. Rent needs a sedentary position. Workers’ Compensation will pay for training. She indicated most City clerical and secretarial positions require technical skills and specialized training. Member Johnson moved to scheduled a hearing for Lester Rent’s application for a job-connected disability pension for January 8, 1998. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #6 - Director's Reports The next PAC meeting is scheduled for January 8, 1998. Ms. Ford reported Interim Human Resources Director Steve Rosenthal had apologized for missing today’s meeting. He had a prior commitment. Happy Holiday wishes were expressed. ITEM #7 - Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:23 a.m.