May 4,2016, Meeting Minutes

MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON MAY 4, 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, Sharon Flanagan, George Flanagan, William Sepulveda, Attorney Joseph Donnellan, Michael Basile, David Wells, Attorney Katherine Lamondia Wrinkle.

Agenda Item #1-Minutes
Motion made by Burns to approve the minutes of the meetings held on April 12, 2016 and April 21, 2016, second by Mantoni and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #2-Superannuations
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the following Superannuations: Eileen Askwith, LPN, School Department, with 40 years and 6 months as of 4/19/16, Dorothy Augustus, Paraprofessional, School Dept. with 15 years and 7 months as of 6/22/16, Gilles Brisson, Jr. Custodian, Facilities Physical Plant, with 24 years and 8 months as of 7/2/16, Janet Chapdelaine, Paraprofessional, School Dept. with 30 years and 4 months as of 6/22/16, James J. Fitzpatrick, Senior Custodian, School Dept. with 37 years and 1 month as of 7/6/16, James Gormally, Police Officer, Police Department, with 33 years and 4 months as of 5/5/16, Anthony Gregory, Fire Alarm Supervisor, Fire Dept. with 28 years and 7 months as of 4/30/16, William Herchuck, Firefighter, Fire Dept. with 30 years and 6 months as of 5/19/16, John H. Leonard, Police Officer, Police Department, with 32 years and 7 months as of 6/11/16, Jimena Milliken, Paraprofessional, School Department, with 25 years and 6 months as of 6/22/16, Maria Molina, Paraprofessional, School Department, with 17 years and 3 months as of 7/30/16, Roxanne Morrison, Principal Clerk, School Dept. with 23 years and 8 months as of 7/16/16, Joanne R. Murphy, Paraprofessional, School Dept. with 10 years and 1 month as of 7/29/16, Sady M. Quiros, Paraprofessional, School Dept. with 17 years and 5 months as of 6/22/16, Janet Stupak, Community Relations Coordinator, Library with 10 years as of 6/22/16, Elaine Such, Principal Clerk, School Department, with 39 years and 7 months as of 6/30/16, Mary Sullivan, Paraprofessional, School Department, with 30 years as of 6/22/16, Paul Tomassetti, Maintenance Tech III, W & S Comm. with 23 years and 1 month as of 6/4/16, Elaine R. Waldo, Paraprofessional, School Dept. with 23 years and 8 months as of 6/22/16, William P. Collins, Police Captain, Police Department, with 36 years and 6 months as of 5/5/16, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Motion made by Scanlon to accept the request to rescind a Superannuation Application for David Meehan, Facilities Assistant Director of Municipal Buildings, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #3-Warrants
Motion made by Mantoni to approve the payment of the following warrants: Warrant #12 Expenses in the amount of $ 62,708.93, Warrant #13 Refunds in the amount of $ 207,546.56, Warrant #14 Expenses in the amount of $17,678.16, Warrant #15 April Retiree allowances in the amount of $5,895,268.57 and a redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $4,850,000.00, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #4-Refunds
Motion made by Scanlon to approve the twenty-seven (27) requests for refunds, second by Burns and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #5-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Burns to approve the request to redeposit a refund for William Rollin, School Paraprofessional, for the refund from MTRS in 2011, second by Scanlon and voted unanimously.

Motion made by Burns to approve the request to makeup contributions for Diane Hemingway, Payroll Manager at School Department, for 6 months of employment at the School Department, second by Scanlon and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #6- Accept Creditable Service Liability
Motion made by Kennedy to deny the request to accept 8 years and 6 months of creditable service for Sharon Flanagan while employed at Springfield Technical Community College as a part time staff assistant in the IT Department, second by Burns and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #7- Accidental Disability-Jose Alves/Facilities
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the request from Mr. Alves to withdraw his application for Accidental Disability benefits, second by Mantoni and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #8- Accidental Disability Remand-William Sepulveda/Fire Department
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Kennedy and second by Scanlon 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 remand for disability benefits

Motion made by Scanlon to affirm the Board’s prior decision to accept the responses of the medical panel, the evidence of the Disability application and approve the accidental disability benefits for Firefighter Sepulveda after receiving additional information supporting the application, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #9-Involuntary Accidental Disability-Michael Basile/Fire Department
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Mantoni 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 approval of disability benefits.

Motion made by Burns to accept the responses of the medical panel, the evidence of the Disability Application submitted by Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, and approve the accidental disability benefits for Firefighter, Michael Basile, second by Scanlon and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #10-Accidental Disability-Michael Foley/School Department
Motion made by Burns to deny the request for accidental disability benefits for Michael Foley based on the responses of the medical panel, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #11- Ordinary Disability-Rodney Dolan/Water & Sewer Commission
Motion made by Kennedy to accept the application for Ordinary Disability submitted by Rodney Dolan, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Scanlon and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #12-Director’s Report
Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, notified the Board that the City of Springfield, the Springfield Housing Authority, and the Water & Sewer Commission have been notified of the revised funding schedule. Chairman Moynihan acknowledged Member Burns for his contribution and research of the funding schedules provided by PERAC. The Director informed the Board that Paul Todisco from PRIM will be present at the June 1, 2016 meeting to discuss investment performance and the asset allocation, as well as answer any questions the Board may have. The Director also informed the Board that a PERAC class on Vendor Disclosures will be held on May 25, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. in the conference center as part of the Retirement Board Member training.

Agenda Item #13-Attorney’s Report
Attorney ViVenzio updated the Board of Miguel Rodriguez’ appeal, a former firefighter, that was just heard on April 25, 2016. Attorney ViVenzio represented the Board in this matter. Attorney ViVenzio also informed the board that Third Party Offsets may be due to the Retirement System from some future wages of current applicants for accidental disability benefits.

Agenda Item #14-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #15-New Business
None

F. Y. I.
PERAC Memos: #14 Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 2nd Quarter 2016, #15 Disability Regulations and Signed Transmittals, PERAC Newsflash, March PRIT Fund Update, Trial Balance, Adjusting Entries, Receipts, Disbursements and General Ledger for the months of February and March, Treasurer’s Reconciliation for February and March, Recent Retiree Deaths, Monthly Transfers for April, Budget Balances for April

Motion made by Scanlon to adjourn at 6:00 P.M. second by Kennedy 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