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05/08/2025 Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes May 8, 2025 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 e Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 8, 2025 9:00 AM Main Library - Council Chambers Pension Advisory Committee 1 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes May 8, 2025 Roll Call Present 4 - Vice Chair David Sowers, Committee Member Ryan Cotton, Committee Member Chris Smaha, and Committee Member Corey Lenczden Absent 2 - Chair Nathan Hightower, Committee Member Juliet Marvenko, and Committee Member Lina Teixeira 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 9:00 a.m. at the Main Library. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve minutes of April 15, 2025, Pension Advisory Committee meeting as submitted in written summation. Member Smaha moved to approve the minutes of the April 15, 2025 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: None. 4.1 Approve the new hires for acceptance into the Pension Plan as listed. Name/Job Classification/Department Pension Eligibility Date Jeffrey May, Skilled Tradesworker I, General Support Services 02/24/2025 Nathanael Tayman, Traffic Signal Tech I, Public Works 02/24/2025 Christopher Powell, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 02/24/2025 Andrew Vanderlick, Parks Service Technician I, Parks& Recreation 02/24/2025 Roger Costello, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 02/24/2025 Robert Simpson, Public Info Coordinator I, Public Communications 02/24/2025 Terry Dawson, Solid Waste Equipment Oper, Solid Waste & Recycling 02/24/2025 Keyth Hooton, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 02/22/2025 Michael Deatherage, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 03/08/2025 Catherine Reese, Code Inspector I, Planning & Development 03/10/2025 Jeffrey Payne, Parks Service Technician I, Parks & Recreation 03/10/2025 Michelle Mack, Contracts & Procurement Specialist, Public Utilities 03/10/2025 Spencer Fortmuller, Gas Tech Apprentice, Gas System 03/10/2025 John Turley, Gas Tech Apprentice, Gas System E10�3/10/�2025Dylan Whitaker, Gas Tech Apprentice, Gas System 10/ 2 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes May 8, 2025 Madison Perry, Police Officer, Police Department 03/10/2025 Gregg Kunz, Gas System Specialist, Gas System 03/24/2025 Scott Davidson, Warehouse Supervisor, General Support Services 03/24/2025 Brian Cservak, Fleet Mechanic, General Support Services 03/24/2025 Leanne Hallam, Human Resources Analyst I, Human Resources 03/24/2025 Rhonda Hooks, Staff Assistant II, Information Technology 03/24/2025 Matthew Pego, Network Analyst I, Information Technology 03/24/2025 Alexis Schroepfer, Police Cadet, Police Department 03/24/2025 Amoy Nelson, Police Cadet, Police Department 03/24/2025 Genesis Rodriguez, Police Cadet, Police Department 03/24/2025 Dylan Flora, Police Cadet, Police Department 03/24/2025 Mason Spino, Police Cadet, Police Department 03/24/2025 Quinn Blauvelt, Survey Assistant I, Public Works 03/24/2025 Atley Acker, Survey Assistant I, Public Works 03/24/2025 Bradford Hardbarger, Solid Waste Equip.Oper, Solid Waste & Recyc. 03/24/2025 Jeffrey May, Skilled Tradesworker I, General Support Services 02/24/2025 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 Election of New Officers Member Sowers moved to re-elect Nathan Hightower as Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Member Smaha moved to re-elect David Sowers as Vice-Chair. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.3 Approve the following request of employees Leviticus McKinnon, Parks and Recreation Department, Shirlene Spata, Police Department, and Miguel Tambucho, Fire Department to vest their pension as provided by Section 2.419 of the Employees' Pension Plan. Leviticus McKinnon, Parks Service Technician II, Parks & Recreation Department, was employed by the City on April 22, 2013, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. Mr. McKinnon terminated from City employment on April 21, 2025. Shirlene Spata, Payroll Technician, Police Department, was employed by the City on October 6, 2014, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Ms. Spata terminated from City employment on April 2, 2025. Miguel Tambucho, Beach Lifeguard, Fire Department, was employed by the City on December 10, 2007, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. Mr. Tambucho went to a part-time position January 27, 2024. 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 3 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes May 8, 2025 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 five (5) 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. McKinnon will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in October of 2037. Ms. Spata will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in November of 2026. Mr. Tambucho will meet the non-hazardous duty criteria and begin collecting a pension in January of 2028. 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 Leviticus McKinnon, Parks and Recreation Department, Shirlene Spata, Police Department, and Miguel Tambucho, Fire Department to vest their pension as provided in Section 2.419 of the Employee Pension Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.4 Approve the following request of Alfred Basore, Parks and Recreation Department, David Bell, Parks and Recreation Department, Matthew Daerr, Fire Department, Peter Gushee, Fire Department, Lawrence Labus, Parks and Recreation Department, Thomas Mahony, Public Works Department, Daniel O'Brien, Police Department, and Stephanie Sansom, Public Works Department for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees' Pension Plan. Alfred Basore, Senior Parks Service Technician, Parks & Recreation Department, was employed by the City on November 8, 1999, and his pension service credit is effective on June 28, 2000. His pension will be effective May 1, 2025. 4 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes May 8, 2025 Based on an average salary of approximately $47,572.66 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Basore's selection of the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $32,499.12 annually. David Bell, Custodial Worker, Parks & Recreation Department, was employed by the City on March 25, 2002, and his pension service credit is effective on July 8, 2006. His pension will be effective May 1, 2025. Based on an average salary of approximately $39,292.31 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Bell's selection of the 100% Joint & Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $16,835.76 annually. Matthew Daerr, Fire District Commander, Fire Department, was employed by the City on October 4, 1999, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective May 1, 2025. Based on an average salary of approximately $131,821.97 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Daerr's selection of the 100% Joint and Survivor Annuity with the 30% partial lump sum, this pension benefit will be approximately $63,488.52 annually. Peter Gushee, Fire Training Officer, Fire Department, was employed by the City on February 9, 2004, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective June 1, 2025. Based on an average salary of approximately $114,712.27 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Gushee's selection of the Single Life Annuity with the 30% partial lump sum, this pension benefit will be approximately $47,466.00 annually. Lawrence Labus, Parks Service Technician III, Parks & Recreation Department, was employed by the City on April 14, 1981, and his pension service credit is effective on April 10, 1999. His pension will be effective May 1, 2025. Based on an average salary of approximately $48,562.47 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Labus' selection of the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $34,722.12 annually. Thomas Mahony, City Surveyor/GIS Division Manager, Public Works Department, was employed by the City on April 22, 1991, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective May 1, 2025. Based on an average salary of approximately $112,602.02 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. Mahony's selection of the 100% Joint & Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $89,658.00 annually. Daniel O'Brien, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed by the City on October 4, 2004, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective May 1, 2025. 5 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes May 8, 2025 Based on an average salary of approximately $104,696.23 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Mr. O' Brien's selection of the 100% Joint & Survivor Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $57,771.72 annually. Stephanie Sansom, Division Controller, Public Works Department, was employed by the City on March 25, 2002, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be effective May 1, 2025. Based on an average salary of approximately $85,493.04 over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions and Ms. Sansom's selection of the Single Life Annuity, this pension benefit will be approximately $54,185.40 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 five (5) 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. Basore, Mr. Bell, Mr. Labus, Mr. Mahony, and Ms. Sansom 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. Daerr, Mr. Gushee, and Mr. O'Brien have met the hazardous duty criteria. Member Smaha moved to recommend approval of the following request of Alfred Basore, Parks and Recreation Department, David Bell, Parks and Recreation Department, Matthew Daerr, Fire Department, Peter Gushee, Fire Department, Lawrence Labus, Parks and Recreation Department, Thomas Mahony, Public Works Department, Daniel O'Brien, Police Department, and Stephanie Sansom, Public Works Department for a regular pension as provided by Sections 2.416 and 2.424 of the Employees' Pension Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.5 Informal hearing for Jeremy Jenkins request for job-connected disability pension The City Attorney said the last time this application was presented to the committee, there was in issue with the disability notebook page 6 City of Clearwater Pension Advisory Committee 5. Adjourn Attest: Meeting Minutes May 8, 2025 numbers, and the hearing was continued. A concern was expressed that there was not enough time to review the entire file. Attorney Jason Fox, representing Jeremy Jenkins, reviewed the opinion of the psychiatrist who cleared Mr. Jenkins to return to work in 2015 after an incident that happened in the line of duty. This same doctor opined eight years later that Mr. Jenkins is totally and permanently disabled. Mr. Fox said the Independent Medical Examiner (IME) based his opinion that Mr. Jenkins could return to his job on incomplete evidence that said Mr. Jenkins was actively participating in a counseling program through his work. Mr. Jenkins, however, did not participate in that counseling. Several attempts have been made to contact the IME with this information to see if the IME would change his opinion. Discussion ensued with a suggestion made that Mr. Jenkins be reexamined by the IME since it had been over a year since the last evaluation. Member Cotton moved to send Mr. Jenkins for an updated Independent Medical Examination and to continue the hearing until the results are received. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:26 a.m. Chair, Pension Advisory Committee BoardR porter City of Clearwater 7