February 6, 2019, Meeting Minutes

MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON FEBRUARY 6, 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, Jeffrey Litchfield, Jonathan Carignan, Attorney Lan Kantany

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

Agenda Item #1-Minutes
Motion made by Kennedy to approve the minutes of the meeting held on January 9, 2019, second by Moynihan and voted unanimously. Motion made by Kennedy to approve the minutes taken in Executive Session during the meeting held on January 9, 2019, second by Moynihan and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #2-Accidental Disability Application-Mark Anthony–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 Mark Anthony, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #3-Accidental Disability Application-Jeffrey Litchfield-Facilities
Motion made by Mantoni to accept the responses of the medical panel, the evidence of the Accidental Disability application and approve the disability benefits for Jeffrey Litchfield, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #4-Superannuations
Motion made by Burns to approve the following Superannuations: Robert Burns, Foreman, Park Department with 37 years and 8 months as of 2/2/19; Trent Hufnagel, Captain, Police Department with 32 years and 7 months as of 2/9/19; Betty Keet, Crossing Guard, School Department with 45 years and 2 months as of 2/1/19; Henry Santaniello, Resident Manager, Water and Sewer Commission with 32 years as of 2/2/19; Joseph Tobin, Foreman, Park Department with 24 years and 8 months as of 2/2/19; Donald Tokarski, Mail Delivery Service Specialist, School Department with 17 years and 8 months as of 2/13/19, second by Moynihan and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #5-Warrants
Motion made by Moynihan to approve and reaffirm the approval of the following warrants: Warrant #1 Expenses in the amount of $9,756.54, Warrant #2 Transfers in the amount of $64,712.61, Warrant #3 Refunds in the amount of $177,003.22, Warrant #4 Expenses in the amount of $49,766.53, Warrant #5 Retiree payroll in the amount of $6,591,907.37 and redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of
$4,900,000.00, Warrant #6 Refunds in the amount of $5,005.97, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #6-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Moynihan to accept the eleven (11) 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 Burns and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #7-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the makeup of contributions to: James Collins, Police Officer, Police Department, for 4 years 7 months of employment at the Parks, School, and Police Departments
and John Goonan, Junior Custodian, School Department, for 6 months of employment at the City of Chicopee-CETA program, second by Burns and voted unanimously.

Motion made by Mantoni to approve the redeposit of refunds to Joseph Boisseau, Skilled Laborer II, Water & Sewer, for the refund from the Westfield Contributory Retirement System in 2016; Vernon Charles, Junior Custodian, School Department, for the refund from the State Board of Retirement in 2018; Betty Gomez, Coordinator, School Department, for the refund from the Northampton Retirement Board in 2018; Tiyra Johnson, Police Officer, Police Department, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 1995; Marian Rainville, Licensed Practical Nurse, School Department for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 1987, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #8-Benefits Under Section 12(2)(d)
Motion made by Moynihan to grant 12(2)(d) benefits to Mrs. Nancy Chicklowski, surviving spouse of Kevin Chicklowski, second by Kennedy and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #9-Calendar for Retirement Board Member Election
Motion made by Mantoni to adopt the election calendar, second by Burns and voted unanimously. Motion made by Kennedy to conduct the election by mail with ballots to be counted on July 26, 2019, second by Burns and voted unanimously. Motion made by Burns to designate Judy Dziobek as Election Officer, second by Mantoni and voted unanimously.

Agenda Item #10-Director’s Report
Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, informed the Board that the PERAC disability approval was received for Christopher Fontaine-Fire Department, and that James Moriarty was being examined under Chapter 32, Section 8(1). Ms. Baltazar informed the Board that a notice has been sent to the Mayor and the various units informing them that a request to grant up to a 3% COLA to the retirees would be on the agenda for the next scheduled Board Meeting on March 6, 2019. Ms. Baltazar also informed the Board that the 1099’s and the Members’ Annual Statements have been mailed, the files for the Actuarial study have been sent to PERAC, as well as the information for the biennial review of the Board’s calculations. The Executive Director also informed the Board that PBI, the firm that conducts the death searches for the System, has increased their annual fee according to the contract. Ms. Baltazar updated the Board on the PRIT year to date performance.

Agenda Item #11-Attorney’s Report
Attorney Vivenzio stated that he has a few cases pending and will update the Board accordingly.

Agenda Item #12-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #13-New Business
Board Member Burns informed the Board that at the March City Council meeting, there will be an agenda item to make a transfer to the Pension Fund.

F. Y. I.
PERAC Memos: #1- 840 CMR 10:10(3) & 10:15(4)–Annual Review of Medical Testing Fee,
#2- Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training–1st Quarter 2019, #3-2019 Limits under
Chapter 46 of the Acts of 2002, #4-2019 Limits under Section 23 of Chapter 131 of the Acts of
2010, #5-COLA Notice, #6-Actuarial Data, #7-Buyback and Make-up Repayment Worksheets,
#8- 2019 Interest Rate set at 0.1 %, #9-Accounting Changes, #10-Administrative Reminders,
PERAC Correspondence-Biannual Review of Calculations for Board Accepting Waiver, December PRIT Fund Update, Pre-Closing Trial Balance, Adjusting Entries, Receipts, Disbursements and General Ledger for the month of December, Treasurer’s Reconciliation for the month of November, Budget Balances as of January, Monthly Transfers for January, Recent Retiree Deaths

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

Motion made by Moynihan to adjourn at 5:37 P.M. second by Kennedy 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