MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON MARCH 20, 2018 AT 5:00 P.M.

Present: Robert Moynihan, Patrick Burns, Thomas Scanlon, Philip Mantoni, Attorney Alfredo ViVenzio, Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, Attorney Lan Kantany, John Feudo, Matthew Donnellan, Stephanie Douglass, Daniel Gauthier, Deborah Stelzer, Khristy Lord, Angelina Santiago, D. Jeremy Demar

Remote Participation: Haskell Kennedy gave adequate notice to the Chairman that he would not be present at the rescheduled March 20, 2018 meeting. He participated by remote participation since he was out of state and not able to be present. Haskell Kennedy stated the following at the beginning of the meeting: his full name, that he was alone, and would remain alone for the entire meeting.

Due to remote participation all votes taken will be by Roll Call.

Chairman Moynihan called the meeting to order at 5:01 P.M.

Agenda Item #1-Minutes
Motion made by Burns to approve the minutes of the meeting held on February 13, 2018, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, abstained, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes. Motion made by Burns to approve the minutes of the meeting held on February 27, 2018, second by Mantoni. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #2-COLA
Motion made by Scanlon to grant a 3% cost of living on the COLA base effective July 1, 2018 for eligible retirees and survivors, second by Kennedy. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #3-Accidental Disability Application-John Feudo/Water & Sewer Commission
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the application for Accidental Disability benefits submitted by John Feudo, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Mantoni. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #4-Accidental and Ordinary Disability-Daniel Gauthier/Police Department
Motion made by Scanlon to rescind the prior vote taken at the February 13, 2018 meeting to deny the application for Accidental Disability benefits, second by Kennedy. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Mr. Gauthier was not able to attend the February 13, 2018 meeting due to health reasons. At the March 20, 2018 meeting, Mr. Gauthier addressed the Board and presented information regarding his Accidental Disability application. Motion was made by Scanlon to accept the application for Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Daniel Gauthier, second by Mantoni. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #5-Superannuations
Motion made by Mantoni to accept the following Superannuations: Karen Carney, Procedures Clerk, Office of City Clerk with 31 years and 4 months as of 2/21/18; Vanessa Cestero, Sr. Clerk and Typist, Police Department with 18 years and 8 months as of 2/13/18; Alina Lupa, Gardner, Parks Department with 14 years and 4 months as of 2/28/18; Richard Mekal, Paraprofessional, School Department with 14 years as of 2/27/18; William F. Murphy, Senior Custodian, School Department with 21 years and 5 months as of 2/27/18; Diane Purchase, Parent Facilitator, School Department with 14 years and 8 months as of 4/24/18; Philip Ronca, Sr. Custodian, Facilities with 23 years and 5 months as of 3/3/18; Clarence Taylor, Police Officer, Police Department with 38 years and 3 months as of 3/3/18; Andrew Torres, Paraprofessional, School Department with 26 years and 1 month as of 3/22/18; Edward Wood, Building Custodian A, Facilities with 30 years and 2 months as of 4/5/18; Paul Zeppa, Firefighter, Fire Department with 32 years and 3 months as of 3/9/18; Ellen Angeli, Sr. Systems Developer, IT Dept. with 36 years and 9 months as of 5/5/18 (Correction), second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #6-Warrants
Motion made by Burns to approve and reaffirm the payment of the following warrants: Warrant #4 Refunds in the amount of $168,871.62, Warrant #5 Transfer in the amount of $187,358.66, Warrant #6 Expenses in the amount of $103,427.38, Warrant #7 Expenses in the amount of $360,809.83, Warrant #8 Retiree payroll in the amount of $6,349,532.66 and redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $6,000,000.00, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #7-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Burns to accept the thirty eight (38) 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 Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #8-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Mantoni to allow the makeup of contributions to Jailene Hernandez, Parent Facilitator, purchasing 7 months at the School Department as a part time Parent Facilitator from 2017 to 2018; Adrienne Cuffie, Junior Custodian, purchasing 4 months at Facilities Physical Plant as a part time Junior Custodian from 2017; Stephen Wyszynski, Police Sergeant, purchasing 2 years at the Police Department as a Cadet from 1985 to 1987, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes. Motion made by Burns to allow the redeposit of the redeposit of the refund to Brenda Houston, Billing Clerk, Health Department, for the refund from Springfield Retirement in 2004, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #9-Director’s Report
Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, presented the Annual Statement to the Board. Motion was made by Scanlon to approve and submit the 2017 Annual Statement as prepared to PERAC by May 1, 2018, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes. Ms. Baltazar also presented to the Board the Vendor Disclosure Statements that were received from Boston Millennia and Crescendo Ventures. Ms. Baltazar stated that the PERAC disability approvals were received for Jaquan Davis-Fire Department, Robert Williams-Police Department, Michael Surprise-Facilities, and William Gagnon-Water & Sewer Commission. During a discussion of the integration of PTG, the processing of Members’ information, and recent additional projects, the Board agreed with the Executive Director to appoint Teresa D’Agostino to Director of Member Services. Ms. Baltazar also informed the Board that retirees and survivors were returning the Affidavits for Retired Members and Survivors, and that Donald Leclair’s retirement benefits were recalculated to include the veteran’s allowance.

Agenda Item #10-Attorney’s Report
Attorney ViVenzio informed the Board that a joint memo was filed on the appeal for Luis Astacio, and that Christian Bach has filed an appeal on the Board’s decision to affirm the PERAC refund amount due from Christian Bach for excess earnings. Correspondence was also received affirming the Board’s decision of Michael Foley’s denial of an Accidental Disability.

Agenda Item #11-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #12-New Business
None

F. Y. I. PERAC Memos: #11-Investment Related Issues and Concerns, #12-PERAC v. CRAB & others, SJC No. 12331 (February 13, 2018), #13-Mandatory Ethics Training, #14-Interest Payments in Certain Situations, January 2018 PRIT Fund Update, Treasurer’s Reconciliation for the month of December, Crescendo Ventures Distribution Information, Crescendo Ventures Quarterly Report-4th Quarter and 2017 Financial Statements, Budget Balances as of February, Monthly Transfers for February, Recent Retiree Deaths, After-Closing Trial balance and Reports through the month of December

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

Motion made by Scanlon to adjourn at 6:10 P.M. second by Mantoni. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Mantoni, yes, Kennedy, yes, Moynihan, yes.

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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