December 7, 2016, Meeting Minutes

MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON DECEMBER 7, 2016 AT 5:00 P.M.

Present: Robert Moynihan, Patrick Burns, Thomas Scanlon, Haskell Kennedy, Philip Mantoni, Attorney Alfredo ViVenzio, Executive Director Susana Baltazar, Judy Dziobek, Recording Clerk, Attorney Joseph Donnellan, Drew Piemonte, Attorney Charles R. Casartello, Attorney Sandra Oldach, John Ryan, Nina Jones, Henry Jones, Attorney William Doherty, Attorney Robert Santaniello, Luis Astacio, Steven Vigneault

Agenda Item #1-Minutes
Motion made by Scanlon to approve the minutes of the meeting held on November 2, 2016, second by Burns and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #2-Superannuations
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the following Superannuations: Kathleen Brown, Comm. Police Liaison, Police Department with 20 years and 2 months as of 1/7/17; Jeffrey Cawley, Lieutenant, Fire Department, with 31 years and 9 months as of 1/5/17; Sonia Cruzado, Paraprofessional, School Department, with 22 years and 2 months as of 12/3/16; Arthur Efantis, Police Officer, Police Department, with 33 years and 6 months as of 1/3/17; Mary Fleury, Sr. Clerk Typist, Police Department, with 23 years and 3 months as of 1/4/17; James Goldrick, Police Officer, Police Department, with 34 years and 2 months as of 1/2/17; Harold Hastings, Firefighter, Fire Department, with 32 years as of 1/14/17; Richard Hottin, Jr., Police Sergeant, Police Department, with 32 years as of 1/7/17; Dan W. Jones, Junior Custodian, School Department, with 28 years and 6 months as of 1/7/17; Patrick J. Keough, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Department, with 31 years and 1 month as of 1/7/17; Donald A. Labaj, Senior Custodian, School Department, with 23 years and 4 months as of 3/4/17; Luther Monts, Maint. Tech, Water and Sewer Commission with 11 years and 4 months as of 1/7/17; Leon Moultrie, Patrolman, Police Department, with 32 years and 3 months as of 1/2/17; Antonia Rodriguez, Paraprofessional, School Department, with 21 years and 1 month as of 12/31/16; Carolina R. Salvetti, Principal Clerk, School Department, with 41 years and 3 months as of 12/24/16; Sally Starks, Paraprofessional, School Department, with 13 years as of 1/4/17; Diane Hemingway, Payroll Manager, School Department, with 32 years and 2 months as of 1/1/17; Elizabeth Dasso, Police Officer, Police Department, with 32 years and 9 months as of 1/3/17, second by Mantoni and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #3-Warrants
Motion made by Mantoni to approve and reaffirm the payment of the following warrants: Warrant # 43 Expenses in the amount of $3,039.79, Warrant # 44 Expenses in the amount of $60,997.88, Warrant # 45 Refunds in the amount of $248,108.24, Warrant # 46 November Retiree allowances in the amount of $6,069,442.82 and redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $4,600,000.00, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #4-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Scanlon to approve the payment of the sixteen (16) requests for refunds, second by Burns and voted unanimously.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Scanlon and second by Burns to enter into Executive Session and then return to Open Session. Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Executive Session to discuss a member’s application for withdrawal of accumulated total deductions, including interest.

OPEN SESSION: Motion made by Scanlon to approve the withdrawal of accumulated total deductions, including interest, to Steven Vigneault, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #5-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Burns to approve the redeposit of refunds to: Brandon Baymon, Para, School Department for the refund from Springfield Retirement in 2015; Glen Edmonds, Custodian, School Department for the refund from Springfield Retirement in 2012; Denise Griffith, Sr. Clerk Typist, School Department for the refund from Springfield Retirement in 2006, second by Mantoni and voted unanimously.

Motion made by Burns to approve the makeup of contributions for: Laura Huber, School Based Tutor, School Department, purchasing 1 month at the School Department as a part time School Based Tutor, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #6-Accidental Disability-Timothy Collins/School Department
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Scanlon and second by Kennedy to enter into Executive Session and then return to Open Session. Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Executive Session to discuss the member’s physical condition as in the application for Accidental Disability benefits.

OPEN SESSION: Motion made by Scanlon to accept the Accidental Disability application for Timothy Collins, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, no, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #7-Accidental Disability–John Ryan/School Department
Motion made by Mantoni to accept the Accidental Disability application for John Ryan, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Scanlon and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #8-Accidental Disability-Nina Jones/School Department
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the responses of the medical panel, the evidence of the Accidental Disability application and approve the disability benefits for Nina Jones, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #9-Accidental Disability-Luis Astacio/DPW
Motion made by Mantoni to table the Accidental Disability application for Luis Astacio until a functional capacity test can be performed and resubmitted back to the medical panel for additional clarification, second by Scanlon and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #10-Chapter 235 of the Acts of 1994
After discussion of Chapter 235 of the Acts of 1994, it was decided that Thomas Scanlon, Robert Moynihan and Executive Director Susana Baltazar will meet with the members who are interested in purchasing creditable service under this section. Motion made by Scanlon to adopt and allow the purchase of creditable service during layoffs for certain members of the Police and Fire Departments, second by Mantoni and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #11-RFP for Pension Administration Software Services
An RFP for Pension Administration Software Services was released on November 4, 2016. The submission deadline was on or before November 28, 2016 by 4:00 pm EST. Proposals were opened on November 29, 2016 at 10:00 am. One response was received. It was reviewed and evaluated. The Board would like a representative of Pension Technology Group to attend their January Board Meeting and make a presentation and answer any questions or concerns they may have. Executive Director Baltazar will ask PTG to attend.

Agenda Item #12-Director’s Report
Executive Director Susana Baltazar explained to the Board what PBI (Pension Benefit Information) could offer the system in regards to identifying deceased retirees and inactive members, which includes a weekly report, which is crucial due to the timing of when the Retiree payroll is processed. Motion made by Scanlon to retain the services of Pension Benefit Information (PBI), second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Ms. Baltazar also informed the Board that the PERAC approval for Section 9 benefits was received for the surviving spouse of Thomas M. Bargalla of the Water & Sewer Commission.

Agenda Item #13-Attorney’s Report
Attorney Vivenzio informed the Board he was still awaiting the DALA appeal for Miguel Rodriguez.

Agenda Item #14-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #15-New Business
None

F. Y. I. PERAC-Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2018, PERAC Correspondence-Pension Forfeiture List, PERAC Pension News, PERAC 2015 Comparative Analysis of Investment Related Expenses, Listing of Retirement Board Meetings for 2017, October PRIT Fund Update, Trial Balance, Adjusting Entries, Receipts, Disbursements and General Ledger for the month of October, Crescendo Ventures 3rd Quarter report, Financial Statements for Year Ended December 31, 2015 from Powers & Sullivan, Budget Balances as of November, Monthly Transfers for November, Recent Retiree Deaths, Treasurer’s Reconciliation for the month of October

Motion made by Mantoni to adjourn at 6:00 P.M. second by Scanlon and voted unanimously.

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Robert P. Moynihan, Chairman

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Thomas M. Scanlon, Elected Member

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Haskell Kennedy, Appointed Member

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Patrick S. Burns, Appointed Member

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Philip J. Mantoni, 5th Member