June 12, 2019, Meeting Minutes

MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON JUNE 12, 2019 AT 5:00 P.M.

Present: Thomas Scanlon, Robert Moynihan, Patrick Burns, Philip Mantoni, Haskell Kennedy, Attorney Alfredo Vivenzio, Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, Judy Dziobek, Recording Clerk, Alberto Ayala, Attorney Judd Peskin, Edgardo Arroyo, Attorney Lan Kantany, Miguel Reyes, Attorney Charles Casartello, Harold Goodman, Attorney Katherine Lamondia Wrinkle

Chairman Scanlon called the meeting to order at 5:00 P.M.

Agenda Item #1-Minutes
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the minutes of the meeting held on May 1, 2019, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #2-Accidental Disability Application-Edgardo Arroyo-Police Department
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 Edgardo Arroyo, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #3-Accidental Disability Application-Miguel Reyes-Department of Public Works
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Kennedy and second by Moynihan to enter into Executive Session and then return to open session. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Mantoni, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

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

A motion was made in Executive Session by Mantoni to accept the application for Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Miguel Reyes, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Kennedy.
Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Mantoni, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #4-Superannuations
Motion made by Moynihan to accept the following Superannuations: James Byrd, Building Coordinator, School Department with 14 years and 6 months as of 5/8/19; Alison Dean, Info Specialist, Police Department with 12 years and 1 month as of 4/30/19; Teodoro Espada, Jr., Firefighter, Fire Department with 30 years and 1 month as of 6/3/19; Juan Guzman, Firefighter, Fire Department with 32 years and 7 months as of 7/20/19; Sharon Kiniry, Principal Clerk Typist, School Department with 12 years and 7 months as of 7/30/19; Martha Lancaster, Principal Clerk and Typist, School Department with 26 years and 1 month as of 7/6/19; Carlos Medina, Paraprofessional, School Department with 13 years and 4 months as of 5/4/19; Alvin Mitchell, IT System Analyst, Springfield Housing Authority with 19 years and 11 months as of 6/29/19; Kenneth J. Murray, Lieutenant, Police Department with 30 years and 6 months as of 6/2/19; Brian Strout, Sergeant, Police Department with 31 years and 7 months as of 5/9/19, second by Burns and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #5-Warrants
Motion made by Mantoni to approve and reaffirm the following warrants: Warrant #24 Transfers in the amount of $72,381.24, Warrant #25 Refunds in the amount of $97,409.96, Warrant #26 Expenses in the amount of $50,809.18, Warrant #27 Expenses in the amount of $1,047,243.49, Warrant #28 Expenses in the amount of $51,727.94, Warrant #29 Retiree payroll in the amount of $6,591,024.93 and redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $4,275,000.00, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #6-Refunds–Juanita Perez-School Department
Motion made by Moynihan to approve and reaffirm the approval of the request for a refund for Juanita Perez. The name was submitted to her particular Department, the Law Department and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #7-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the twenty-nine (29) requests for refunds and transfers to other systems. The names have been submitted to their particular Department, the Law Department and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #8-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the makeup of contributions to: Ivia Santiago, Coordinator, School Department, for 6 months of employment with the School Department, second by Burns and voted unanimously. Motion made by Moynihan to approve the redeposit of refunds to: Ivia Santiago, Coordinator, School Department, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 1990 and Garrett Sullivan, Administrative Officer, Fire Department, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 1976, second by Burns and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #9-Benefits under Section 101
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the survivor benefits to the beneficiary of Asuncion Collazo of the Springfield Housing Authority-Deceased, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #10-Director’s Report
Executive Director Susana Baltazar informed the Board that Incumbent Board Member, Robert Moynihan, retired Springfield Police Department Lieutenant, and Helen Caulton, Commissioner of the Division of Health and Human Services, have taken out nomination papers for the upcoming Retirement Board Election. Ms. Baltazar stated that the Ballots would be mailed on June 28, 2019, and the counting of the ballots would be on July 24, 2019. Ms. Baltazar also informed the Board that Haskell Kennedy, Jr. has been re-appointed to the Springfield Retirement Board for another term commencing July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2022. Executive Director Baltazar also stated that 12 retirees have not returned their Benefit Verification Forms. They were sent reminders and phone calls were made. Motion made by Moynihan to send a certified letter notifying them that their June benefit will be held until we receive the required Benefit Verification Forms, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously. The Director also received the amendment to the Lease agreement for space at 70 Tapley Street until June 30, 2020 with the City. Ms. Baltazar reviewed the 2018 Investment Report with the Board as well as the PRIT year to date performance. The PERAC disability approvals for Harold Goodman-School Department and Jeffrey Litchfield-Facilities were also received.

Agenda Item #11-Attorney’s Report

Alberto Ayala/Police Department-Hearing of Offset Claim on Third Party Recovery
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Motion made by Mantoni and second by Moynihan to enter into Executive Session and then return to open session. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Mantoni, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Executive Session to discuss the offset claim on the Third Party Recovery for Alberto Ayala.

Based on the recommendation by Attorney ViVenzio to recover the monies for lost wages, a motion was made in Executive Session by Kennedy to allow the Executive Director to negotiate the terms of the payment for the offset with Mr. Alberto Ayala and/or Attorney Judd L. Peskin, second by Mantoni. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Mantoni, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Harold Goodman, Jr./School Department-Hearing of Offset Claim on Third Party Recovery
Harold Goodman and his attorney, Katherine Lamondia Wrinkle, appeared before the board for a hearing regarding an Offset Claim on Third Party Recovery. Attorney Vivenzio addressed the board about the facts regarding the M.G.L. c. 32, §14A hearing. Harold Goodman, Jr. suffered an injury in his capacity as a Junior Custodian with the School Department and was awarded Accidental Disability benefits based on his permanent disability. The Springfield Retirement System was not made aware of a claim filed by Mr. Goodman’s attorney against a Third Party. Attorney Wrinkle discussed the details of Mr. Goodman’s claim. After discussion, a motion was made by Mantoni to table action on this matter and to have Attorney Wrinkle provide additional information to the board regarding the claim, at the July 10, 2019 meeting, second by Kennedy. Moynihan, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Scanlon, yes, Burns, no.

Attorney Vivenzio also updated the Board on a few cases that he has settled.

Agenda Item #12-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #13-New Business
None

F. Y. I. PERAC 2018 Investment Report, PERAC Memos, #16-Cash Book Submissions, PERAC Newsflash, PERAC-GASB 67 and 68 Information, April PRIT Fund Update, Trial Balance, Adjusting Entries, Receipts, Disbursements and General Ledger for the month of April, Treasurer’s Reconciliation for the month of March, Crescendo Ventures-Quarterly Report, Boston Millennia-Quarterly Report, Budget Balances as of May, Monthly Transfers for May, Recent Retiree Deaths, Monthly Cash flow

The correspondence and reports were received and reviewed by the Board Members and the Executive Director.

Motion made by Moynihan to adjourn at 6:38 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