11/13/2007
TRUSTEES OF THE EMPLOYEES' PENSION FUND MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
November 13, 2007
Present: Frank Hibbard Chair
Carlen Petersen Trustee
John Doran Trustee
Paul Gibson Trustee
Absent: George N. Cretekos Trustee
Also Present: William B. Horne, II City Manager
Joe Roseto Interim Assistant City Manager
Pamela K. Akin City Attorney
Allen Del Prete Interim Human Resources Director
Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk
Brenda Moses Board Reporter
The meeting was called to order at 1:46 p.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
2. Pension Trustee Items
2.1 Accept employees listed below into membership in the City of Clearwater's Employees'
Pension Plan.
Pension Elig.
Name, Job Class, & Department/Division Hire Date Date
Molly Molter, Planner I/Planning 8/6/07 8/6/07
Moses Flores, Field Ser. Rep./Customer Service 9/4/07 9/4/07
Kenneth Sota, Pks. Ser. Tech. I/Parks & Recreation 9/4/07 9/4/07
Samara Louis, Police Communications Oper./Police 8/20/07 8/20/07
Rodney Mitchell, Field Ser. Rep./Customer Service 9/10/07 9/10/07
Richard Porthouse, Pks. Ser. Tech. I/Parks & Rec. 9/4/07 9/4/07
Sylvia Dinoto, Service Dispatcher/Gas 9/4/07 9/4/07
Christopher Owens, Water Plant Oper./Pub. Utilities 9/17/07 9/17/07
Josue Cordero, Parks Ser. Tech. I/Pakrs & Rec. 9/17/07 9/17/07
Kayleen Kastel, Accountant/Public Utilities 9/17/07 9/17/07
Dean Sullivan, Parks Ser. Tech. I/Parks & Rec. 9/17/07 9/17/07
Nicole Ashley, Recreation Leader/Parks & Rec. 9/17/07 9/17/07
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Trustee Petersen moved to accept the listed employees into membership in the City of
Clearwater's Employees' Pension Plan. The motionwas duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
2.2 Delores Nichelson, Library Department; Barbara Miller, Parks & Recreation
Department; and Gregory Bickel, Police Department, be granted regular pensions under
Section(s) 2.393 and 2.397 of the Employees’ Pension Plan as approved by the Pension
Advisory Committee.
Delores Nichelson, Librarian I, Library Department, was employed by the City on July 1,
1991, and her pension service credit is effective on that date. Her pension will be effective
February 1, 2008. Based on an average salary of approximately $39,910 per year over the
past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions, and Ms. Nichelson’s selection of
the Life Annuity, this pension will approximate $19,669 annually.
Barbara Miller, Recreation Specialist, Parks & Recreation Department, was employed
by the City on March 14, 1977, and her pension service credit is effective on June 3, 1978.
Her pension will be effective July 1, 2008. Based on an average salary of approximately
$43,212 per year over the past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions, and Ms.
Miller’s selection of the 10-year Certain & Life Annuity, this pension will approximate $35,136
annually.
Gregory Bickel, Police Officer, Police Department, was employed by the City on August
19, 1985, and his pension service credit is effective on that date. His pension will be effective
November 1, 2007. Based on an average salary of approximately $60,253 per year over the
past five years, the formula for computing regular pensions, and Mr. Bickel’s selection of the
66 2/3 Joint & Survivor Annuity, this pension will approximate $37,151 annually.
These pensions were approved by the Pension Advisory Committee on October 11,
2007. Section 2.393 provides for normal retirement eligibility when a participant has reached
age 55 and completed twenty years of credited service, has completed thirty years of credited
service, or has reached age 65 and completed ten years of credited service. Section 2.393
also provides for normal retirement eligibility when a participant has completed twenty years of
credited service or has reached age 55 and completed ten years of credited service in a type
of employment described as “hazardous duty” and further defines service as a Police Officer
as meeting the hazardous duty criteria. Ms. Nichelson qualifies under the age 65 and ten
years of service criteria; Ms. Miller qualifies under the thirty years of service criteria; and Mr.
Bickel qualifies under the hazardous duty criteria.
Trustee Doran moved that Delores Nichelson, Barbara Miller, and Gregory Bickel be
granted regular pensions under Section(s) 2.393 and 2.397 of the Employees’ Pension Plan as
approved by the Pension Advisory Committee. The motionwas duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
2.3 Marianne Gearhart, widow of James Gearhart, Solid Waste Department, be granted a
death benefit under Section 2.397 of the Employees’ Pension Plan as approved by the
Pension Advisory Committee.
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James Gearhart, Container Maintenance Worker, Solid Waste Department, was
employed by the City on May 13, 1996, and his pension service credit was effective on that
date. Mr. Gearhart passed away on September 22, 2007. Marianne Gearhart, widow of
James Gearhart, applied for death benefits on September 25, 2007. Mr. and Mrs. Gearhart
were legally married on October 26, 1979, thereby entitling her to death benefits under
provisions of the Employees’ Pension Plan.
Mrs. Gearhart’s request for death benefits was approved by the Pension Advisory
Committee on October 11, 2007. The amount of Mrs. Gearhart’s pension will be computed by
the Finance Department at a later date. This pension will be effective October 1, 2007. Based
on an average salary of approximately $29,126 per year over the past five years, this pension
will approximate $9,098 annually.
Member Gibson moved to grant Marianne Gearhart a death benefit under Section
2.397 of the Employees’ Pension Plan as approved by the Pension Advisory Committee. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
2.4 John Laird, Public Utilities Department, be allowed to vest his pension under Section(s)
2.397 and 2.398 of the Employees’ Pension Plan as approved by the Pension Advisory
Committee.
,
John Laird, Public Utilities Technician III, Public Utilities Departmentwas employed by
the City on January 14, 1991, and began participating in the Pension Plan on that date. Mr.
Laird terminated from City employment on October 12, 2007.
The Employees’ Pension Plan provides that should an employee cease to be an
employee of the City of Clearwater after completing ten or more years 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 2.393 (p) provides for normal retirement eligibility when a participant has
reached age 55 and completed twenty years of credited service, has completed 30 years of
credited service, or has reached age 65 and completed ten years of credited service. Mr. Laird
would have completed at least 20 years of service and reached age 55 on January 14, 2011.
His pension will be effective February 1, 2011. This pension was approved by the Pension
Advisory Committee on October 11, 2007.
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Member Petersen moved to allow John Laird to vest his pension under Section(s) 2.397
and 2.398 of the Employees' Pension Plan as approved by the Pension Advisory Committee.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
3. Other Business - None.
4. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 1 :48 p.m.
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Chair
Employee~s Pension Plan Trustees
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