January 8, 2025, Meeting Minutes

MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON JANUARY 8, 2025 AT 5:00 P.M.

Present: Robert Moynihan, Thomas Scanlon, Haskell Kennedy, Karl Schmaelzle, Stephen Lonergan, Attorney Alfredo ViVenzio, Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, Teresa D’Agostino, Recording Clerk, Loraine Swanson, HHS Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Nicholas Franck, Attorney John Connor, Paul Arpin, Joshua Cruz-Birriel, Charles Rhodes, Glenn Guyer, Brian Ward, Jamie Erickson, Commissioner Bernard Calvi Remote Participation: Attorney Leigh Panettiere and Attorney Sarah Farrell

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

Agenda Item #1-Nominations for Chairman and Vice-Chairman
Motion made by Moynihan to appoint Thomas Scanlon as Chairman for the Board, second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Scanlon, abstain. Scanlon made a motion to appoint Robert Moynihan as Vice-Chairman for the Board, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, abstain.

Agenda Item #2-Minutes
Motion made by Schmaelzle to approve the minutes of the meeting held on December 4, 2024, second by Haskell. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, abstain, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #3-Involuntary Accidental Disability Application-Nicholas Franck-Fire Department
Motion made by Schmaelzle to accept the responses of the medical panel for the Involuntary Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Fire Commissioner Bernard Calvi, the evidence of the application, and approve the Involuntary Accidental Disability benefits, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #4-Involuntary Accidental Disability Application-Paul Arpin-Fire Department
Paul Arpin stated that he had additional information to provide to the Employer and Retirement Board. After discussion, motion was made by Scanlon to continue the process and accept the application for Involuntary Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Commissioner Bernard Calvi, to allow Mr. Arpin to present additional information to the Board for review, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Kennedy. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #5-Accidental Disability Application-Joshua Cruz-Birriel-Fire Department
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the application for Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Joshua Cruz-Birriel, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Kennedy. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #6-Accidental Disability Application-Glenn Guyer-Fire Department
Medical information was reviewed and discussed according to the guidelines to be eligible for Accidental Disability benefits. The application for Accidental Disability benefits was also reviewed. Motion made by Scanlon to accept the application for Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Glenn Guyer, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Kennedy. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #7-Accidental Disability Application-Charles Rhodes-Fire Department
Motion made by Kennedy to accept the responses of the medical panel for Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Charles Rhodes, the evidence of the application, and approve the Accidental Disability benefits, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #8-Accidental Disability Application-Loraine Swanson-TJO Animal Control
Motion made by Kennedy to accept the responses of the medical panel for the Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Loraine Swanson, the evidence of the application, and approve the Accidental Disability benefits, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #9-Superannuation Applications
Motion made by Scanlon to approve the following Superannuation Applications: Ryan Carter, Police Officer, Police Department with 31 years and 4 months as of January 2, 2025; Raimonda Cina, Sped Para Educator, School Department with 25 years and 2 months as of January 15, 2025; Julie Colon, Student Support, School Department with 16 years and 2 months as of January 7, 2025; Georganne Hoyman, Project Manager, Water and Sewer Commission with 30 years and 5 months as of February 26, 2025; Jeffrey Johnson, Junior Custodian, School Department with 37 years and 3 months as of January 7, 2025; Susan Rousseau, Executive Assistant, Building Department with 31 years and 2 months as of February 8, 2025; Robert Shonak, Safety Inspector, Personnel Department with 53 years and 2 months as of January 22, 2025; Jesus Torres, Firefighter, Fire Department with 27 years and 8 months as of January 13, 2025, second by Kennedy. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #10-Superannuation Calculations
Motion made by Scanlon to approve the three (3) retirement allowance calculations as presented to the Board according to statute, second by Kennedy. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #11-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Schmaelzle to accept the redeposit of refunds to: Tatenda Chitemerere, Labor Relations Associate, Personnel Department, for the refund from the State Board of Retirement in 2022; Chefran Cruz Alicea, Security Guard, School Department, for the refund from the Holyoke Retirement Board in 2012; Christine Devine, Sped Para Educator, School Department, for the refunds from the State Board of Retirement in 1994 and 1999; Jesus Martinez, Inspector Code Enforcement, Code Enforcement-Housing, for the refunds from the Springfield Retirement System in 2021 and the Holyoke Retirement Board in 2012 and 2014; Craig Senecal, Control Technician, Facilities, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 2007, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #12-Warrants
Motion made by Lonergan to approve and reaffirm the approval of the following warrants: Warrant #79 Refunds in the amount of $86,143.51, Warrant #80 Transfers in the amount of $295.800.17, Warrant #81 Expenses in the amount of $78,847.65, Warrant #82 Retirement payroll in the amount of $8,077,564.28
and redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $6,500,000.00, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #13-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Schmaelzle to accept the thirty-three (33) requests for refunds and transfers to other systems as presented to the Board. The names have been submitted to their particular Department, the Law Department and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #14-New Members
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the eighty-five (85) New Members for membership due to their employment within the member units of the Springfield Retirement System as presented to the Board, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #15-Monthly Financial Reports
Motion made by Lonergan to accept the monthly financial reports for the month of November as presented to the Board, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #16-Director’s Report
Executive Director Susana Baltazar updated the Board on the Repeal of the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. Ms. Baltazar also gave an update on the PRIM performance.

Agenda Item #17-Attorney’s Report
Attorney ViVenzio updated the Board on the pending cases, which include the matters of Goodman and Lefebvre.

Agenda Item #18-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #19-New Business
None

Reports and Notices
PERAC Memos #31-2024 Disability Data Changes, #32-Tobacco Company List, #33-Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training -1st Quarter, 2025, #34-840 CMR 10:10(3) & 10:15(1)(c) – Annual Review of Medical Testing Fee, PERAC-Appropriation Information for Fiscal Year 2026, PRIT Fund Update-November, PRIT Third Quarter Report, PRIT Fund-FY2023-2024 Annual Financial Report, Treasurer’s Reconciliations for the months of October and November, Budget Balances as of December, Monthly Transfers as of December, Recent Retiree Deaths, List of Injury Reports, Monthly Cash Flow

Motion made by Lonergan to adjourn at 5:25 P.M. second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Lonergan, yes, Moynihan, yes.

The correspondence and reports were received and reviewed by the Board Members and the Executive Director and will be placed on file.

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Robert P. Moynihan, Chairman

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Thomas M. Scanlon, Elected Member

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Haskell O. Kennedy, Appointed Member

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Stephen J. Lonergan, Ex-Officio

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Karl J. Schmaelzle, 5th Member