HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-12-19 Retirement Board Minutes785
The Reading Retirement Board held a meeting on DECEMBER 19, 2001, in the Accounting and Finance Department
Off-ice, Town Hall, Reading, Massachusetts. The meeting was called to order at 6:03 P.M.
Minutes from the September 26, 2001 (4:00 P.M.) meeting were signed by the board members.
Minutes from the September 28, 2001 meeting were signed by the board members.
Minutes from the October 5, 2001 meeting were signed by the board members.
Minutes from the October 17, 2001 meeting were signed by the board members.
Minutes from the October 24, 2001 meeting were signed by the board members.
Minutes from the November 28, 2001 meeting were read and accepted.
There were no new members this month.
Approved retirement application:
Anthony Gentile Firefighter 2/1/2002
Reviewed and approved the following vouchers:
2001 Voucher # 78 Town of Reading Treasurer
79 Town of Reading Treasurer
35 years 8 months Option B
$384,707.22 Dec retiree payroll
$ 2,487.53 Dec admin. Salary
Tony Gentile is retiring February 1, 2002 and has requested that two separate periods of vacation be counted toward his
retirement:
a) In March of 1989, two weeks of vacation was guaranteed to Tony.upon retirement (as part of a group of employees
who lost some vacation time during a transition).
b) This year Tony was paid for two weeks of vacation he had earned this year, which is allowed per his contract.
The Board members requested that the Administrator contact PERAC to get their opinion on both issues because a
discrepancy was discovered between PERAC's regulations (15.03 (2d)) and a memo from PERAC dated June 28,
2000. The regulation states that amounts paid for unused vacation should not be included in regular compensation.
The memo states that payments made as a result of an annual vacation purchase policy should be included in
regular compensation.
The Board Administrator contacted Sandor Zapolin, the lawyer at PERAC. He agreed with the Board members
that the two weeks of vacation relating to March 1989, which was guaranteed upon retirement cannot be counted as
regular compensation, but the two weeks of vacation earned this year for which Tony was paid can be counted as
regular compensation. The retirement deduction for the two vacation weeks of regular compensation was deducted
from Tony's paycheck for November 23, 2001.
The Board members voted to allow the two weeks of vacation earned this year, for which Tony was paid, to be
counted as regular compensation and to have retirements deductions taken from it.
The affidavits for three of the four retirees who were sent second notices on November 9, 2001 have been returned.
They are from Gael Desmond, Myrtle Waelde and Gerald Hoyt. A third notice was sent on December 11 by certified
mail, return- receipt requested, to John Louanis. Upon return of the mail receipt, if the affidavit has still not been
returned, the Board Administrator will attempt to call John or his son.
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Memo from PERAC, dated October 4, 2001, regarding "Military Service Credit Provisions for Members Called to
Active Military Duty". Currently there is no one affected by this. However, from 7/7/00 to 4/2/01, Michael Lee, a
police officer, had served in Bosnia.
The Board members requested that the administrator check with PERAC to see if this memo applies to time served
in Bosnia. It does. The Board Administrator will calculate the military service credit due to Michael Lee.
The Division of Administrative Law Appeals sent a "Notice of Hearing" regarding the case of the Reading Retirement
Board vs. the State Board of Retirement. The case is related to the State refusing to accept liability for service for
Christopher Piece. Christopher was a temporary employee for the Middlesex Sheriffs Office but he did not contribute
to Social Security, a deferred compensation plan or the Middlesex Retirement System. A copy of the "Notice of
Hearing" and documents relating to this case were sent to Town Counsel, loan Langsam.
Eleanor Brown, a retired assistant registrar, passed away on November 30, 2001.
Lois Savage, a retired receptionist/facilities coordinator in the schools' administrative office, passed away on December
3, 2001.
PERAC has approved the revised funding schedule that the Board recently adopted. They also notified the Board of the
amount appropriated for the Reading Retirement System for Fiscal Year 2003. That amount is $3,051,200.
The FY 2003 budget was discussed.
A letter from Peter Hechenbleikner to Chairman of the Retirement Board regarding motor vehicle usage and regular
compensation was discussed. The letter categorizes two groups of Town employees. Group 1 are those who have a
municipal vehicle to take home for personal use. Group 2 are those who have the use of a municipal vehicle to take
home for business use only but which includes the use of the vehicle for commuting to and from work.
The Board Administrator will verify with PERAC if those employees falling into Group 2 must have the cost of
commuting to and from work included in their regular compensation.
TheJBoard Administrator will also check with PERAC regarding employees who are DPW emergency call -men.
These employees are required to take home a vehicle 9 -13 weeks per year. The vehicle is to be used during non-
regular working hours on nights, weekends and holidays, for Town related business only.
Memos received from PERAC
Memo dated September 20, 2001 regarding Veteran's Benefits - Retirees who are veterans and chose Option C
or D need to have their retirement allowances recalculated to adjust for the $300 veterans' benefit. In many
cases the retiree's allowance had been reduced if they chose Option C. The Board Administrator is currently
working on this. There are 23 retirees affected by this. (16 members, 7 beneficiaries).
Memo requesting an update of the Reading Retirement System's current disability retirees. The Board
Administrator is responding to this.
Memo advising the Board to suspend the retirement allowance of Paul Sheridan, if we have not already done
so. The Board Administrator is responding to this,
PERAC has sent a questionnaire they would like the Board to complete
We .
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Meeting adjourned 6:55 P.M.
Present: Boissoneau, Foley, Klepeis, Veno, Seferian, and DeAngelis.
ei�asissoneau,, I" elected
Richard P. Foley, Ecio
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