MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON NOVEMBER 6, 2024 AT 4:00 P.M.

Present: Robert Moynihan, Thomas Scanlon, Patrick Burns, Karl Schmaelzle, Attorney Alfredo ViVenzio, Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, Teresa D’Agostino, Recording Clerk,
Anthony Basile, William Lee, Seth Cournoyer, Commissioner Bernard Calvi, Attorney John Connor.

Remote Participation:
Haskell Kennedy gave adequate notice to the Chairman that he would not be able to be present at the November 6, 2024 meeting but would participate by remote participation. Due to remote participation, all votes taken were by Roll Call. Todd Jurczyk and Rebecca Gamsby from Marcum, previously Powers and Sullivan, and Laura Strickland from PRIM, also participated remotely.

Chairman Moynihan called the meeting to order at 4:00 P.M.

Agenda Item #1-Audit-Springfield Retirement System
Todd Jurczyk provided an overview remotely of the Springfield Retirement System audit report for the year ending December 31, 2023. He also went over the audit process in great detail, and updated the Board on changes to the firm from Powers & Sullivan, to Marcum, and now Marcum is part of CBIZ. As per the audit report, the financial statements comply with the financial reporting requirements issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The information required by the member units, the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, the Springfield Housing Authority and the City of Springfield, were included in this report for their reporting requirements. It is the opinion of Marcum (previously Powers & Sullivan), that the financial records submitted were found to be in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Board thanked Todd Jurczyk and Rebecca Gamsby for their presentation.

Agenda Item #2-PRIM
Laura Strickland from PRIM provided an overview of PRIM’s investment performance, as well as PRIM’s current asset allocation. At this time, there has not been much staff turnover, but they have added staff due to the fund doing so well and the increasing investments. Ms. Strickland provided the Board with a Performance Review Information booklet dated November 6, 2024 with lots of detailed fund information, and gave an overview on the market. She reviewed the year-to-date fund returns, as well as the returns since inception. The Board thanked Ms. Strickland for her presentation.

Agenda Item #3-Minutes
Motion made by Schmaelzle to approve the minutes of the meeting held on October 2, 2024, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #4-Involuntary Accidental Disability Application-William Lee-Fire Department
Attorney ViVenzio asked Mr. Lee to go over his injuries as a Firefighter, and asked Commissioner Bernard Calvi what the Fire Department’s Health and Physical Fitness Standards were. William Lee provided an affidavit with all his injuries to be included in the Involuntary Application submitted by the Commissioner. After discussion, a motion was made by Scanlon to accept the application for Involuntary Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Fire Commissioner Bernard Calvi with the affidavit from William Lee, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #5-Involuntary Accidental Disability Application-Seth Cournoyer-Fire Department
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the application for Involuntary Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Fire Commissioner Bernard Calvi, and request that PERAC convene a medical panel, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #6-Superannuation Applications
Motion made by Scanlon to approve the following Superannuation Applications: Stephen Balboni, Fire Repairs Supervisor, Fire Department with 38 years and 6 months as of January 4, 2025; Debra Bottaro, GED Teacher, MCDI with 14 years and 7 months as of December 17, 2024; Wendell Hassell, Maintenance Technician II, Water and Sewer Commission with 25 years and 6 months as of January 4, 2025; Brian Krawiec, Library Senior Clerk, Library Department with 26 years and 11 months as of October 29, 2024; Susan Montmeny, Sped Paraprofessional, School Department with 26 years and 3 months as of November 9, 2024; John Martin, Foreman, Springfield Housing Department with 17 years and 8 months as of December 9, 2024; Erica Slayton, CNA Occupational Therapist Assistant, School Department with 23 years as of November 27, 2024, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #7-Superannuation Calculations
Motion made by Burns to approve the six (6) retirement allowance calculations as presented to the Board according to statute, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #8-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions
Motion made by Scanlon to accept the redeposit of refunds to: Edward Hagelstein, Greens Superintendent Assistant, Park Department, for the refund from the State Board of Retirement in 2021; Pamela Mathison, Administrator, School Department, for the refund from the State Board of Retirement in 2018, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes. Motion made by Scanlon to accept the makeup of contributions according to statute: Caroline Calcasola, Sped Para Educator, School Department, for 7 months of employment with the Park Department; Shawn Connery, Fire Captain, Fire Department, for 1 month of employment with the Water Department; Ryan DiBernardo, Police Officer, Police Department, for 6 months of employment with the School Department and Park Department; Timothy Doyle, Mechanic I, Springfield Housing Authority, for 8 months of employment with the Department of Public Works and Park Department; Julia Glybin, City Solicitor 2nd Associate, Law Department, for 1 year of employment with the Law Department; Luis A. Rodriguez, Police Officer, Police Department, for 1 month of employment with the Park Department; Mitchell Saunders, Assistant Assessor II, Assessors Department, for 1 year and 1 month of employment with the Park Department, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #9-Warrants
Motion made by Burns to approve and reaffirm approval of the following warrants: Warrant #65 Refunds in the amount of $97,984.51, Warrant #66 Refunds in the amount of $128,122.23, Warrant #67 Expenses in the amount of $950.61, Warrant #68 Transfers in the amount of $213,241.11, Warrant #69 Refunds in the amount of $47,147.35, Warrant #70 Expenses in the amount of $128,034.92, Warrant #71 Refunds in the amount of $136,554.02, Warrant #72 Retirement payroll in the amount of $8,085,648.44 and
redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $6,800,000.00, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #10-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Burns to accept the thirty-one (31) requests for refunds and transfers to other systems as presented to the Board, and reaffirm the approval of two death refunds. 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, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #11-New Members
Motion made by Schmaelzle to accept the ninety-nine (99) New Members for membership due to their employment within the member units of the Springfield Retirement System as presented to the Board, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #12-Benefits under Section 101
Motion made by Scanlon to approve the request for survivor benefits to the beneficiary of John Montefusco of the Fire Department-Deceased, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #13-Monthly Financial Reports
Motion made by Burns to accept the monthly financial reports for the month of September as presented
to the Board, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #14- Meeting dates for Calendar Year 2025
Motion made by Schmaelzle to accept the meeting dates for 2025 as amended, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #15-Director’s Report
Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, updated the Board on how many 91A requests for information were outstanding and disability retirees who are not in compliance. After discussion, motion was made by Scanlon to grant an extension for the disability retirees to be in compliance with PERAC by November 29, 2024. For those who are not in compliance with PERAC, the benefits will be terminated beginning on November 30, 2024 and only started again on the day that they are in compliance with PERAC, second by Schmaelzle. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes. Ms. Baltazar also informed the Board that the MACRS Conference will be held from December 8, 2024 through December 11, 2024 if anyone is able to attend. Executive Director Baltazar also let the Board know that the office copy machine has required more maintenance recently. We received information regarding an updated machine at the same cost of the current lease. After review of the information, a motion was made by Scanlon to continue with New England Business Machines and to allow Executive Director Baltazar to sign the new Lease agreement to continue with the same monthly payments but with an updated copy machine, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #16-Attorney’s Report
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion made by Scanlon to enter into Executive Session to discuss recent litigation and then return to open session, second by Burns. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

A motion was made in executive session by Burns to ask the medical panel to opine on causation before a final decision on the Involuntary Application is made, second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Moynihan, yes.

Agenda Item #17-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #18-New Business
None

Reports and Notices
PERAC Memos #25-Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training-4th Quarter 2024, #26-The Application of the Anti-Spiking Provision G.L c. 32, § 5(2)(a) in the wake of the Harnett Decision, #27-Changes to Return to Service under G.L. c. § 8, #28-Violent Assault Disability: Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024, PERAC Pension News, PERAC Annual Report – 2023, September PRIT Fund Update, Treasurer’s Reconciliation for the months of August and September, Budget Balances as of October, Monthly Transfers as of October, Recent Retiree Deaths, List of Injury Reports, Monthly Cash Flow

Motion made by Schmaelzle to adjourn at 5:50 P.M. second by Scanlon. Scanlon, yes, Burns, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, 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 Kennedy, Appointed Member

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Patrick S. Burns, Appointed Member

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Karl J. Schmaelzle, 5th Member