MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON MARCH 1, 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, Attorney Sondra Oldach, Attorney Charles Casartello, Attorney Marshall Moriarty, Attorney Joseph Donnellan, William McDonald, Peter Krupczak, Kevin McNeish, Michael Basile, Drew Piemonte. Robert Mulcahey
Agenda Item #1-Minutes
Motion made by Mantoni to approve the minutes of the meeting held on February 8, 2017, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.
Agenda Item #2-Superannuations
Motion made by Moynihan to accept the following Superannuations: Richard J. Goodreau, Police Officer, Police Department with 34 years and 7 months as of 3/4/17; Carlos Landrau, Police Officer, Police Department with 32 years as of 4/1/17; Bonnie Roy, HR Manager, School Department with 10 years as of 3/9/17; Jorge Colon, Firefighter, Fire Department with 32 years as of 2/25/17; Jackie Ligon, Working Foreman 1, Water and Sewer Commission with 19 years as of 2/28/17, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.
Motion made by Mantoni to accept the request to rescind the Superannuation Application for Charlotte Lee, Employment Director at Elder Affairs, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.
Agenda Item #3-Warrants
Motion made by Kennedy to approve and reaffirm the payment of the following warrants: Warrant #6 Expenses in the amount of $102,386.39, Warrant #7 February Retiree allowances in the amount of $6,125,608.82 and redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $5,900,000.00, Warrant # 8 Refunds in the amount of $196,192.56, second by Burns and voted unanimously.
Agenda Item #4-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Kennedy to approve the payment of eight (8) requests for refunds and transfers to other systems, second by Moynihan and voted unanimously.
Agenda Item #5-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Burns to approve the makeup of contributions to: Lori Abbey, Paraprofessional, School Department, purchasing 6 months at the School Department as a part time Parent Facilitator; Maria Diaz Rivera, Paraprofessional, School Department, purchasing 1 month at the School Department as a part time Parent Facilitator; Xianhong Zheng, Financial Accountant, Comptroller, purchasing 5 months at the Comptroller’s Office as a part time Financial Accountant, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.
Agenda Item #6- Accidental Disability-Kevin McNeish/School Department
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Kennedy and second by Mantoni to enter into Executive Session and then return to open session. Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Mantoni, yes, Moynihan, yes, Scanlon, yes.
Executive session to discuss the member’s physical condition as in the application for Accidental Disability benefits.
Motion made by Moynihan to accept the Accidental Disability application for Kevin McNeish, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Mantoni. Burns, no, Kennedy, no, Mantoni, yes, Moynihan, yes, Scanlon, yes.
Minutes of the March 1, 2017 Board Meeting (continued)
Agenda Item #7-Accidental Disability-William McDonald-Facilities
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Kennedy and second by Moynihan 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.
Motion made by Moynihan to accept the responses of the medical panel, the evidence of the Accidental Disability application and approve the disability benefits for William McDonald, second by Mantoni and voted unanimously.
Agenda Item #8-COLA
Motion made by Moynihan to grant a 3% cost of living adjustment effective July 1, 2017, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.
Agenda Item #9-Director’s Report
The Executive Director informed the Board that a PERAC class on PERAC’s new system, PROSPER, which will focus on the Compliance Unit’s application, will be held on March 23, 2017 in the conference center as part of the Retirement Board Member training.
Ms. Baltazar also informed the Board that Miguel Rodriguez, who had appealed the Accidental Disability denial, had retired under a Superannuation Retirement and not an Ordinary Disability. A motion was then made by Mantoni to rescind the prior vote and not request a medical panel pursuant to Chapter 32, §8 to examine Mr. Rodriguez, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.
Agenda Item #10-Attorney’s Report
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Mantoni and second by Moynihan 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 two offset claims on third party recovery, including Michael Basile’s hearing.
Agenda Item #11-Old Business
None
Agenda Item #12-New Business
None
F. Y. I. PERAC Pension News, PERAC Education-Upcoming Course Offerings, January PRIT Fund Update, Pre-Closing Trial balance for the month of December, Budget Balances as of February 2017, Recent Retiree Deaths, Monthly Transfers for February
Motion made by Moynihan to adjourn at 6:55 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