Police, Fire pension problems persist

Debate at the April 3 Springfield City Council meeting was heated in regards to proposed changes to the makeup of the Police Officers’ and Firefighters’ Pension Plan Board of Trustees. Council heard a bill that would change the size of the board from nine to 11 members.

Five members of the public spoke in opposition to the proposal. The biggest point of contention: the addition of the city manager as chair of the board, a move opponents feel is an attempt to stack the board in favor of management during a time when discussions about changing the pension system are ongoing.

In additionally, the proposal would eliminate a board position for the Police or Fire chief and add positions for the city Finance director and city director of Human Resources.

“Right now is not the appropriate time to change the makeup of the board,” retired police officer John Truman told council. “The board that is in place knows the history of what has taken place in the past few years to get us where we are today. Without that knowledge, it would be difficult to move forward and fix the fund with the proper guidance.”

Police Officer and pension board member Angela Burgess also spoke against the proposal.

“I’m asking you to hold the city management accountable. They should genuinely work with us, but they don’t need a place on the board,” Burgess said. “This is a Police and Fire board. You are the only ones we have to protect us from city management’s agenda to stack our board.”

Deputy City Manager Bob Cumley told council that the intent of the reorganization is not to push management’s agenda.

“The goal of all of this is the same for everybody. We need to get the Police and Fire pension system turned around, and I think the recommendations we’re making to you … will help turn the system in the right direction,” Cumley said. “Our goal is the same as the members – we need to make this plan viable.”

City staff first noticed the pension fund’s $2.8 million shortfall in 2004. The Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement Plan Review Committee, formed in April, has been charged with comparing Springfield’s Police and Fire pension plan to others in the Midwest and with finding a long-term solution that is equitable to all city employees.

Committee chairwoman Evelyn Honea, the assistant city manager, said recommendations for changing the pension plan for new hires will be presented to council at its April 17 meeting. Council could vote on the board realignment plan at that time.

The committee’s preliminary report suggests changing the minimum retirement age to 55, as opposed to the current system that allows employees to retire after 25 years of service or at age 50 with 20 years of service.

Additionally, pensions would be 2.5 percent times the number of years of experience – a 25-year veteran, for example, would get 62.5 percent of their final average salary upon retirement – as opposed to the current 2.8 percent multiplier.

Familiar faces

A face very familiar to regular meeting-goers is moving on.

Detective Charles “Charlie” Ritter, a 35-year veteran of the Springfield Police Department, was recognized by council for his years of service. Ritter will retire April 14 from the department he’s served since December 1970.

Ritter, who began working on the department’s major crimes unit in 1982 and moved to the criminal investigations division in 1996, has served as the sergeant of arms for council meetings for nearly eight years. He could continue as City Council’s sergeant of arms, though he would have to be commissioned to carry a firearm.

“I’m privileged to have served with Charlie for the last 13 years,” Springfield Police Chief Lynn Rowe said at the meeting. “Charlie enters the ranks of very, very few who have served at least 35 years anywhere in the city, especially with the police department. I can tell you with enthusiasm that I wish we had a whole building full of Charlie Ritters.”

Ritter’s retirement comes just before the last meeting for current City Manager Tom Finnie, whose last day is scheduled for April 24.

Changing the Board

If Council Bill 2006-112 passes, it would increase the Police and Fire pension board to 11 members from nine.

Current

*One retiree receiving benefits from the plan (Ron Hoffman)

Two firefighters (David Hall and Gerry Koeneman)

Two police officers (Angela Burgess and Anthony Gomez)

One police or fire chief (Dan Whisler)

Three citizen members (Kevin Austin, James Brown and Chris Deleon)

Proposed

*City manager or designee

Two firefighters

Two police officers

One retiree

Three citizen members

City director of human resources

City director of finance

*Board president