Council committee recommends nine-person pension board

Following months of discussion and two lengthy committee meetings on the subject, the Springfield City Council's Plans & Policies Committee voted Tuesday to recommend a nine-person structure for the Police and Fire Pension Board of Trustees.

According to the city, most of the proposed board changes were agreed upon by all parties involved in the discussion: Council members, current pension board members, representatives of the Police and Fire departments, and city administration.

Most of the discussion was about the number of board members. The proposal would shrink the board from 11 people - six citizens and five representatives of Police, Fire and their retirees - to a nine-person board with six citizens and three Police/Fire/retiree members.

Mayor Jim O'Neal and several council members felt the board should have more citizen input following the Nov. 3 passage of the 3/4-cent pension sales tax. Many members of the Police and Fire departments, along with some current board members and Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky, felt the current makeup is still most appropriate.

Other proposed changes:

• The six citizen members will have specific professional backgrounds - two with financial or investment experience, one with actuarial or auditing experience, one with a medical background, and one with a legal background.

• The three employee representatives will include one current Police employee, one current Fire employee and one retiree. There will also be three nonvoting alternate members.

• The board will also include two other nonvoting members, including a council member as a liaison between the council and the board, and an appointee of the city manager, likely the city Finance director.

• Police and Fire members must be in the pension's Tier 1 or Tier 2 plans. New employees enrolled in the state Local Government Employees Retirement System would not be eligible.

• A council subcommittee will recommend citizen members. Currently this is done by the city manager.

The recommendation goes to the full council on Jan. 11 for first reading and public comment, and council could vote on the change Jan. 25.[[In-content Ad]]