Personnel & Pension Board

Personnel & Pension Board Minutes Page 1 of 3 March 19, 2024 Regular Meeting Room 213, 2nd floor, 5:00 PM, City Hall Building Norwich, Connecticut 06360 I. Roll Call Meeting called to order by Paul Schroder at 5:00pm A. Members Present 1. Paul Schroder, Chair (voting member) 2. Bob Pounch, (voting member) 3. Mike Dziavit, (voting member) 4. Chris Golas, (voting member) B. Members Absent 1. Gary Gross, (alternate) C. Others Present 1. Brigid Marks, Director of Human Resources 2. Robert Buckley, City Treasurer 3. Evelyn Lopez, Retirement Plan Administrator 4. Sharad Arora, Milliman II. Minutes A. Minutes of the February 20, 2024 Personnel & Pension Board Meeting. Motion to accept February 20, 2024 minutes made by Mike Dziavit, seconded by Bob Pounch, all in favor. III. New Business A. Milliman OPEB Actuarial Valuation report as of July 1, 2023 Sharad Arora from Milliman reviewed the OPEB Actuarial Valuation report and discussed several highlights of the July 1, 2023 valuation. In 2022-2023 assets saw a moderate market performance with a rate of return of 10.76% with a market value of assets of $ 33 million. Updated trend and mortality assumptions for fiscal year 2025-2026: 1. Accrued Liability $ 74.5 million 2. Market value of Assets $ 33.8 million 3. Funded ratio 45.4% 4. Actuarial determined contribution increased to $ 4.3 million B. FY2023 comparison of the pension and OPEB plans Motion made by Paul Schroder to acknowledge receipt of FY2023 comparison of pension and OPEB plans, seconded by Mike Dziavit, all in favor. C. P&P Board Employee Representative Election Brigid Marks advised the P&P board members of changes that will be implemented to future employee representative elections. 1. HR will verify employees nominated are residents of Norwich. 2. HR will verify employees nominated want to be on the ballot. 3. The names of employees on the ballot will be disclosed to the voters prior to Election Day. P&P Board members discussed the election changes. Discussion regarding attendance of members and whether or not Bob Pounch is still a member. Motion to submit annual attendance report in the month of January to City Council and Department Heads and to acknowledge changes to Employee Representative Election was made by Paul Schroder, seconded by Mike Dziavit, all in favor. Motion to ask City Council to confirm Bob Pounch’s re-appointment made by Mike Dziavit, seconded by Paul, Schroder, all in favor. Personnel & Pension Board Minutes Page 2 of 3 March 19, 2024 Regular Meeting Room 213, 2nd floor, 5:00 PM, City Hall Building Norwich, Connecticut 06360 D. Application for retirement: 1. Chasity C. Elder, Teen Outreach Coordinator – BOE, for a deferred retirement effective November 21, 2023, payable August 30, 2036. 2. Kimberly M. McBride, Paraeducator – BOE, for a deferred retirement effective November 10, 2023, payable May 23, 2028. 3. Edna Kuzia, Assistant to Treasurer, for a normal retirement effective July 1, 2024. 4. Ruth C. Swift, Customer Service Center Manager, NPU, for a normal retirement effective August 24, 2024. Motion to approve retirement applications made by Bob Pounch, seconded by Mike Dziavit, all in favor. E. Pension Calculations: 1. Chasity C. Elder, Teen Outreach Coordinator – BOE, retired November 21, 2023, payable August 30, 2036. Her annual pension calculation is $ 4,920.53. Her application is on the agenda at this meeting. 2. Kimberly McBride, Paraeducator – BOE, retired November 10, 2023, payable May 23, 2028. Her annual pension calculation is $5,713.44. Her application is on the agenda at this meeting. Motion to approve the pension calculations made by Mike Dziavit, seconded by Bop Pounch, all in favor. F. Applications for refund/rollover of pension contributions: 1. Joanne Colton, Paraeducator – BOE, who terminated effective February 15, 2024. Refund of $ 3,250.41 including interest. 2. Cheri Danis, Paraeducator _ BOE, who terminated effective November 21, 2023. Rollover of $ 13,197.21 including interest. Motion to approve refund/rollover applications made by Bob Pounch, seconded by Chris Golas, all in favor. G. Notifications of Death: 1. Teresa M. Hanlon, Civil Engineer, DOD March 08, 2024, who retired on April 17, 2022. Survivor benefit to be paid to her spouse, Brian, in the amount of $27,338.54 annual. Motion to acknowledge notification of death and approve survivor benefit made by Mike Dziavit, seconded by Bob Pounch, all in favor. H. Eligibility List Extensions: 1. Request from Christopher LaRose, NPU General Manager, to extend the Utility Construction Pipefitter Apprentice eligibility list for one (1) year. The list expires May 04, 2024. 2. Request from Christopher LaRose, NPU General Manager, to extend the Utility Construction Pipefitter eligibility list for one (1) year. The list expires May 03, 2024. Motion to extend both list for six (6) months made by Chris Golas, seconded by Mike Dziavit, all in favor. I. Employees to be admitted into the City of Norwich Employees’ Retirement Fund: Motion to admit the following employees into the City of Norwich Employee’s Retirement Fund made by Bob Pounch, seconded by Mike Dziavit, all in favor. NAME POSITION DATE OF ACADAMY LAST DAY REQUEST/EVAL HIRE GRADUATION ON RECEIVED DATE PROBATION Katherina Grey Assessment Clerk 09/05/2023 N/A 03/05/2024 03/05/2024 Personnel & Pension Board Minutes Page 3 of 3 March 19, 2024 Regular Meeting Room 213, 2nd floor, 5:00 PM, City Hall Building Norwich, Connecticut 06360 J. New Employees: Motion to acknowledge new employees made by Chris Golas, seconded by Bob Pounch, all in favor. Name Position Date of Hire City/State Craig Kleman Community Development 02/26/2024 Winsted, CT Denise Long Records Clerk 03/11/2024 Ledyard, CT Bethany Pierce Janitor 03/04/2024 Norwich, CT IV. Correspondence Letter from Jandira Andrews, Administrative Assistant- BOE, requesting to join the City of Norwich Employees’ Retirement Fund. Evelyn Lopez provided the P&P Board members background information on Ms. Andrews’ request. Paul Schroder and board members discussed/review the circumstances of Ms. Andrews’ request to join the Employee Retirement Pension Fund. P&P Board members voted to approve Ms. Andrews’ request. Ms. Andrews is required to pass a physical prior to joining the Employee Retirement Pension Fund. She was giving two options: 1. Join pension fund effective February 1, 2022 – March 18, 2024 – this option will require for Ms. Andrews’ to buyback interim period. She will have 2 years to payback owed pension contributions with interest. 2. Join pension fund effective March 19, 2024 Motion to approve request was made by Paul Schroder, seconded by Mike Dziavit, all in favor. V. Adjournment Motion to adjourn made by Mike Dziavit, seconded by Bob Pouch, all in favor. Meeting adjourn at 5:58pm. Respectfully submitted, _____________________ Evelyn Lopez, Secretary