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01/14/1999PENSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER January 14, 1999 Present: Rita Garvey Chair/Mayor J. B. Johnson Vice Chair/Commissioner - arrived 9:06 a.m. Robert Clark Committee Member/Commissioner Dick Fitzgerald Committee Member Pat Shepler Committee Member Pat Greer Committee Member John Scacca Committee Member Also Present: Leslie Dougall-Sides Assistant City Attorney Debbie Ford Administrative Analyst Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter 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. ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes Member Fitzgerald moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November 12, 1998, and December 10, 1998, 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 Pensions: 1. Amos Green - Custodial Worker, Marine Department 2. Josephine Dixon - Assistant Water Superintendent, Public Works Department 3. Anthony T. Wilhelmi - Solid Waste Equipment Operator, Solid Waste Department 4. Randy E. Costenbader - Police Captain, Police Department Member Clark moved to approve Years of Service Pensions for Amos Green, Josephine Dixon, Anthony T. Wilhelmi, and Randy E. Costenbader. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. b) Review and Action on Employee Requests to Vest Pensions: 1. Sabrina Chute, General Support Services Sabrina Chute has resigned her position after being employed by the City for more than 10 years. She will qualify to receive her reduced pension beginning October 1, 2018. AND 2. Joseph W. Reilly, Jr., General Support Services Joseph W. Reilly, Jr. has resigned his position after being employed by the City for more than 14 years. He will qualify to receive his reduced pension beginning March 01, 2005. AND 3. James L. McCulley, Jr., Gas James L. McCulley, Jr. has resigned his position after being employed by the City for more than 10 years. He will qualify to receive his reduced pension beginning August 1, 2018. In response to a question, Administrative Analyst Debbie Ford said pension benefit eligibility is based on an employee’s last full day on the payroll. Member Greer moved to approve the requests by Sabrina Chute, Joseph W. Reilly, Jr., and James L. McCulley, Jr. to vest their Pensions. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously c) Approval of New Hires as Pension Plan Members As of January 7, 1999, the City has 1,637.4 FTEs and 1,735.5 budgeted positions. James Cooper, originally hired on November 10, 1986, was denied pension participation. He was reexamined December 17, 1998, and is eligible for pension participation as of that date. Daron Green, originally hired as an emergency on July 21, 1998, was changed to permanent full-time on December 21, 1998. In response to a question, Ms. Ford said James Cooper had been denied pension participation in 1986, due to medical reasons. Although he has had the opportunity to be reexamined and apply for participation ever since that time, he never before tried to join the Plan. Since ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations were adopted, the plan has based no denials on medical conditions. Mr. Cooper qualified for pension participation effective December 17, 1998, the date of the doctor examination. He will receive no back credit. Member Fitzgerald moved to accept the following employees into membership in the Pension Plan: Date of Pension Employment Elig. Date Hiep Nguyen, Systems Analyst Prog. General Support Services 11/16/98 11/16/98 Tim Grosso, Maintenance Worker II General Support Services 11/23/98 11/23/98 Scott Batten, Public Services Tech I Public Works Department 11/23/98 11/23/98 Michael Vacca, Public Services Tech I Public Works Department 11/23/98 11/23/98 Shirley Kennedy, Librarian II Library Department 11/23/98 11/23/98 Kathryn Collart, Police Com Oper Trainee Police Department 12/07/98 12/07/98 Kerstin Wilson, Police Com Oper Trainee Police Department 12/07/98 12/07/98 Almedina Imamovich, Police Com Oper. Police Department 12/07/98 12/07/98 Kenneth Schuffert, Public Svcs. Tech I Public Works Department 12/07/98 12/07/98 Steven Katches, Maintenance Worker II General Support Services 12/07/98 12/07/98 Sinta McCall, Senior Planning Planning & Dev. Services 12/14/98 12/14/98 Harry Kaferlein, Gas Technician I Gas Department 12/21/98 12/21/98 Robert Hays, Development Svcs. Coord. Planning & Dev. Services 12/07/98 12/07/98 Louis Lopez, Equipment Operator I Parks & Recreation Dept. 12/21/98 12/21/98 James Cooper, Solid Waste Equip. Oper. Solid Waste Department 11/10/86 12/17/98 Daron Green, Maintenance Worker I Parks & Recreation Dept. 07/21/98 12/21/98 The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #5 - Pending/New Business a) Request for Non-job-connected Disability Pension Waiver of Occupational Assessment 1. Kenneth Davenport Ms. Ford requested the PAC (Pension Advisory Committee) formally waive the committee policy requiring an occupational assessment for Kenneth Davenport. A IME (Independent Medical Examination) will be required. The City does not want Mr. Davenport working in any department. In response to a question, Assistant City Attorney Leslie Dougall-Sides said Member Scacca’s service as lead negotiator for his department with this employee does not constitute a conflict of interest regarding his vote on waiving a PAC required occupational assessment. She said a conflict would exist if Member Scacca votes regarding approval of the disability request. Member Greer moved to approve the request for a non-job-connected disability pension waiver of an occupational assessment. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Jeff Harper In response to a question, Ms. Ford reported the PAC had forwarded Jeff Harper’s request for a 30-year pension to the Pension Trustees for final determination. As the City had contributed funds to Social Security during Mr. Harper’s first 4.5 years of employment, concern was expressed an additional City contribution to pension plan may be necessary even if Mr. Harper’s contribution is waived. It was noted the City always is responsible to fully fund the plan. ITEM #6 - Director's Reports - None. The next PAC meeting is scheduled for February 11, 1999. ITEM #7 - Board Members to be Heard Staff will meet next week to select a board attorney. Mr. Ford will report on the status of a committee request to consider the effects on the plan should a new employee qualify for pension credit based on previous participation in a qualified plan. ITEM #8 - Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:16 a.m.