February 8, 2017, Meeting Minutes

MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON FEBRUARY 8, 2017 AT 5:00 P.M.

Present: Thomas Scanlon, Patrick Burns, Robert Moynihan, Haskell Kennedy, Philip Mantoni, Attorney Alfredo ViVenzio, Executive Director Susana Baltazar, Judy Dziobek, Recording Clerk

Agenda Item #1-Minutes
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the minutes of the meeting held on January 4, 2017, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #2-Superannuations
Motion made by Moynihan to accept the following Superannuations: Leonard L. Choiniere, Streets & Engineering Foreman, DPW, with 27 years and 2 months as of 3/11/17; Mary Collins, Paraprofessional, School Department, with 27 years and 2 months as of 1/4/17; John Godwin, Inspector, Springfield Housing Authority, with 17 years as of 2/8/17; Hilda Sanchez, Paraprofessional, School Department, with 24 years and 10 months as of 2/10/17; Juan Santana, Firefighter, Fire Department, with 32 years as of 2/20/17; Richard Soto, Police Officer, Police Department, with 30 years and 6 months as of 1/25/17, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #3-Warrants
Motion made by Moynihan to approve and reaffirm the payment of the following warrants: Warrant #1 Expenses in the amount of $57,304.94, Warrant #2 Refunds in the amount of $365,882.29, Warrant #3 Expenses in the amount of $202,946.02, Warrant #4 January Retiree allowances in the amount of $6,170,791.62 and redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $5,375,000.00, Warrant #5 Expenses in the amount of $80,122.73, second by Mantoni and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #4-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the payment of thirteen (13) requests for refunds and transfers to other systems, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #5-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Mantoni to approve the redeposit of refunds to: Timothy Belbin, Firefighter, Fire Department, for the refund from Springfield Retirement in 2005; Heriberto Cruz Jr. Paraprofessional, School Department, for 2 refunds from Springfield Retirement in 2010 and 2014; Peggy Fontanez, Senior Clerk Typist, School Department, for the refund from Springfield Retirement in 2005; CV Wright, Paraprofessional, School Department, for the refund from Springfield Retirement in 2010, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Motion made by Mantoni to approve the makeup of contributions to: Vidalin Cardona, Election Assistant, Elections Department, purchasing 2 months at the Elections Department as a temporary Election Assistant; Maria Diaz Rivera, Paraprofessional, School Department, purchasing 4 months at the School Department as a part time Parent Facilitator (amended); Dennis O’Brien, Park Foreman, Parks Department, purchasing first 6 months of employment at the Parks Department as a Tree Climber; Katherine Shea, Education Coordinator, Parks Department, purchasing 7 months at the Parks Department as a Recreational Leader (amended), second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #6-Calendar for Retirement Board Member Election
Motion by Mantoni to adopt the election calendar, second by Moynihan and voted unanimously. The election shall be conducted by mail and the ballots counted on June 23, 2017. Motion by Moynihan to designate Judy Dziobek as Election Officer, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #7- Pension Administration Software Services
Motion made by Moynihan to accept the contract as amended from Pension Administration Software Services (PTG), second by Kennedy and voted unanimously. Motion made by Kennedy to have the Chairman sign the amended contract, second by Moynihan and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #8-Director’s Report
Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, informed the Board that the PERAC disability approvals were received for Emilio Arroyo-Police Department, Matthew Cincotta-Fire Department and Brian Goggin-Fire Department.

Ms. Baltazar also informed the Board that the 1099’s were mailed for 2016, as well as the Members’ Annual Statements. Ms. Baltazar notified the board that State Street Bank and Trust, who provides the class action filing services, has filed three claims on behalf of the Board. The Director also informed the Board that a PERAC class on the Annual Statement will be held on February 15, 2017 at 10:00 A.M. in the conference center as part of the Retirement Board Member training. A pre-retirement seminar will also be held on April 6, 2017 at the Springfield Central High School.

The Executive Director also informed the Board that she notified the Mayor, City Council, Housing Authority and the Water & Sewer Commission that the Board will consider a Cost of Living Increase for retirees at the meeting held on March 1, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.

Ms. Baltazar and Attorney ViVenzio addressed the Board regarding Miguel Rodriguez’ DALA case where they affirmed the Board’s decision. A motion was made by Moynihan to address the Ordinary Disability by requesting another medical panel from PERAC pursuant to Chapter 32, §8 as suggested in the decision, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #9-Attorney’s Report

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

Executive Session to discuss Raymond Delvalle’s application for withdrawal of accumulated deductions and Valmore Savage’s application for withdrawal of accumulated deductions, and to discuss an offset claim on a third party recovery.

Agenda Item #10-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #11-New Business
None

F. Y. I. PERAC Memos, 2016-#30 840 CMR 10:10(3) & 10:15(4)–Annual Review of Medical Testing Fee
2017-#1 Updated Public Records Law (Chapter 121 of the Acts of 2016), #2 The Binding Effect of PERAC’s Memoranda on All Retirement Boards, #3 2017 Limits under Chapter 46 of the Acts of 2002, #4 2017 Limits under Section 23 of Chapter 131 of the Acts of 2010, #5 COLA Notice, #6 Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training–1st Quarter 2017, #7 Actuarial Data, #8 Continuing Membership of “Non-Full-Time Employees”, #9 Buyback and Make-up Repayment Worksheets, #10 Domestic Relations Orders, #11 2017 Annuity Savings Account, #12 2017 Interest Rate, #13 Administrators to attend PERAC Training, PERAC Correspondence-2015 Schedule 7 Fee Report, PRIM-Annual CAFR Report-FY 2016, December PRIT Fund Update, Monthly Transfers for January 2017, Recent Retiree Deaths, Budget Balances as of January 2017, Treasurer’s Reconciliation for the month of December

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

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Thomas M. Scanlon, Chairman

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Robert P. Moynihan, 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