STATE OF CONNECTICUT
STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION

A regular meeting of the State Employees Retirement Commission (the ?Commission?) was held on November 17, 2016, in 7th Floor Conference Room at 55 Elm Street, Hartford Connecticut. The meeting convened at 9:00 a.m. and the following members of the Commission were present:

• Peter Adomeit, Chairman
• Sandra Fae Brown Brewton, Trustee
• Michael Carey, Trustee
• Charles Casella, Trustee
• Robert D. Coffey, Trustee
• Richard M. Cosgrove, Trustee
• Lisa Grasso Egan, Trustee
• Steven Greatorex, Trustee
• Sal Luciano, Trustee
• Laila Mandour, Trustee
• Ronald McLellan, Trustee
• Claude Poulin, Trustee
• Angel Quiros, Trustee
• Martha Carlson, Deputy Comptroller, Ex Officio Member
• Matthew Hart, Municipal Liaison
• Deborah Spalding, CIO, Office of the State Treasurer, Ex Officio Member

The following members of the Commission were absent:

• Paul Fortier, Trustee

Also present were:

• Brenda Halpin, Director, Retirement Services Division
• Michael Rose, General Counsel to the Commission Ford Harrison
• Cindy Cieslak, General Counsel to the Commission Ford Harrison
• Bruce Barth, Robinson and Cole
• Natalie Braswell, General Counsel to the Comptroller
• Colin Newman, Office of the State Comptroller
• Karen Nolen, Office of Policy and Management
• Amanda Alfonso, Executive Assistant, Retirement Services Division

A. Call to Order
Chairman Adomeit called the meeting to order at 9:08 am

B. Chairman's Report:
Chairman Adomeit announced that the two hearings that were scheduled for today had been canceled. Later in the meeting we will need to make a motion to table them until January.

C. Division Director's Report

The November retirement payroll closed with 119 retirements (102 regular, 3 Hybrids, 8 Voluntary Pending and 6 Disability). There were 13 disabilities finalized for the month.

For the ARP to Hybrid transfers there are a total of 1,906 with 394 retirees and 1,499 transfers, 4 prospective and 9 waivers. We continue to work through the backlog of transfers with 602 remaining to be completed.

Pending Disability Applications as of October 31, 2016

The next available meeting date to schedule is December 2016/January 2017.

Updated information on the Audit Backlog:

The City of Hartford has requested information on participating in the Municipal Employee Retirement System for several units.

Deputy Comptroller Carlson gave an overview of the pension module?s progress. Audit finalizations are increasing on a monthly basis. The division is close to putting a stop to the parallel processing of the audits. Every time a new situation arises code is being written for that in the system. The goal is to get audits finalized within 60 days of a retiree coming onto the payroll. The next phase of the pension module system will be implemented on December 5th. In January 2017, MERS retiree payroll will be implemented and MERS active will be launched in March 2017. In June 2017, self service will be launched for retirees and active employees.

D. New Matters

1. Request Commission Approval of the October 20, 2016 Minutes.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the October 20, 2016 minutes.
ii. Mr. Carey and Ms. Brown- Brewton abstained.
iii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iv. The Commission voted unanimously, with Mr. Carey and Ms. Brown- Brewton abstaining, in favor to approve the October 20, 2016 minutes.

 

2. Request Commission Approval of the State Employees Retirement Commission Chairman?s Per Diem Expenses.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Chairman?s Per Diem Expenses.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Chairman?s Per Diem Expenses.

 

3. Request Commission Approval of the State Employees Retirement Commission Union Trustee?s Per Diem and Travel Expenses.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Union Trustee?s Per Diem and Travel Expense.
ii. Mr. Poulin abstained.
iii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iv. The Commission voted unanimously in favor, with Mr. Poulin abstaining, to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Union Trustee?s Per Diem and Travel Expenses.

 

4. Request Commission Acceptance of the October 2016 Billing from Robinson and Cole.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the billing from Robinson and Cole.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission October 2016 billing from Robinson and Cole.

 

5. Request Commission Acceptance of the September 2016 Invoices from Ford Harrison.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the billing from Ford Harrison.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission September 2016 billing from Ford Harrison.

 

6. Request Commission Approval of the Connecticut State Employees Retirement System Service Retirements for the Month of October 2016.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut State Employees Retirement System Service Retirements for the Month of October 2016.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the Connecticut State Employees Retirement System Service Retirements for the Month of October 2016.

 

7. Request Commission Approval of the Connecticut State Employees System Disability Retirements for the Month of October 2016.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut State Employees System Disability Retirements for the Month of October 2016.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the Connecticut State Employees System Disability Retirements for the Month of October 2016.

 

8. Request Commission Approval of the Connecticut State Employees System Voluntary Pending Retirements for the Month of October 2016.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve Connecticut State Employees System Voluntary Pending Retirements for the Month of October 2016.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve Connecticut State Employees System Voluntary Pending Retirements for the Month of October 2016.

 

9. Request Commission Approval of the Municipal Retirement System Retirements

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Municipal Retirement System Retirements.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the Municipal Retirement System Retirements.

 

10. Request Commission Approval of the Judges, Family Support Magistrates and Compensation Commissioners Retirement System Retirements for the month of November 2016.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System Retirements for November 2016.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the Judges, Family Support Magistrates and Compensation Commissioners Retirement System Retirements for the month of November 2016.

 

11. Request Commission Approval of the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System Retirements for the month of November 2016.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System Retirements for November 2016.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System Retirements for November 2016.

 

12. Request Commission Approval of the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund Personnel Expenses for the Pay Period September 16, 2016 Through October 13, 2016.

i. Mr. Greatorex moved, seconded by Mr. Fortier to approve the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund Personnel Expenses for the Pay Period September 16, 2016 Through October 13, 2016.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously in favor to approve the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund Personnel Expenses for the Pay Period September 16, 2016 Through October 13, 2016.

 

13. Soracchi Matter: Request Commission?s Reconsideration of its May 21, 2015 denial of his request to purchase his prior service with the State of Florida. Discussion and action.

i. The Retirement division received paperwork from Florida and it was not any different than the paperwork that was submitted before.
ii. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to deny Mr. Soracchi request to purchase retirement credit from his prior service from the State of Florida.
iii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iv. The Commission voted unanimously to deny Mr. Soracchi?s request to purchase retirement credit from his prior service from the State of Florida.

 

14. Review and Reconsideration of Sheila Colson?s February 18, 2016 denial for a Service Connected Disability.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to table the hearing until January 19, 2017 meeting.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously to table the hearing until January 19, 2017 meeting.

 

15. Request and Reconsideration of Nancy Pine?s Petition for Reversal of the MEB decision.

i. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to table the hearing until January 19, 2017 meeting.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously to table the hearing until January 19, 2017 meeting.

Executive Session
Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to go into executive session at 9:30 a.m. Ms. Halpin, Mr. Newman, Attorney Braswell, Attorney Rose, Attorney Cieslak and Attorney Barth were invited by the Commission to stay for executive session to discuss item 1.

1. Nancy Pine ? Request for Reconsideration ? written legal opinion ? discussion and possible action.

i. Mr. McLellan asked if the MEB doctor?s had been trained on how to evaluate medical documents that are received.
ii. Ms. Halpin answered that yes the doctors have been trained appropriately.

 

Mr. Greatorex moved, seconded by Mr. Fortier to go into executive session at 9:37 a.m. Ms. Halpin, Mr. Newman, Attorney Braswell, Attorney Rose, and Attorney Cieslak were invited by the Commission to stay for executive session to discuss the reminder of the items.

2. 401a(17) and 415(b) issues ? written legal opinion ? legal update. (no motion made)
3. Conn. Gen. Stat. ? 5-192b(c) interpretation ? written legal opinion ? discussion. (no motion made)
4. Conn. Gen. Stat. ? 7-438(b) interpretation ? written legal opinion ? discussion and possible action. (no motion made)
5. Krawiec ? pending litigation ? update. (no motion made)
6. Walenski ? pending litigation ? update. (no motion made)
7. UPSEU v. Thompson ? pending litigation ? update. (no motion made)
8. Bouchard ? pending litigation ? update. (no motion made)
9. Maturo ? pending litigation ? update. (no motion made)
10. Brown ? pending litigation ? update. (no motion made)
11. Phillips ? pending litigation ? update. (no motion made)

Adjournment
With no further business before the Commission, Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Brown-Brewton to adjourn at 10:50 a.m. The Commission voted unanimously to adjourn.

Respectfully Submitted by:

__________________________________
Peter Adomeit, Chairman

___________________________________
Prepared by Brenda K. Halpin
Director Retirement Service Division
 

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