MINUTES OF MEETING
STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION
OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER
55 ELM STREET
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106

February 16, 2012

TRUSTEES PRESENT
Peter R. Blum
Bob Baus
Charles Casella
Claude Poulin
Sal Luciano
Steve Greatorex
Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton
James Dzurenda
Robert Coffey
Richard Cosgrove
Ronald McLellan
Linda Yelmini
Paul Fortier

TRUSTEES ABSENT
Michael Carey
Thomas Culley

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Deputy Comptroller Martha Carlson, Designee for State Comptroller Kevin Lembo
Lee Ann Palladino, CIO, Designee for State Treasurer Denise Nappier

MUNICIPAL LIAISON
Thomas Landry

OTHERS PRESENT
Brenda Halpin, Director, Retirement Services Division
Attorney Helen Kemp, Asst. Dir. and Division Counsel, Retirement Services Division
Jeanne Kopek, Assistant Director, Retirement Services Division
Attorney Natalie Braswell, General Counsel to the State Comptroller
Colin Newman, Assistant Director, Retirement Services Division
Deputy Treasurer, Jonathan Harris
David Rivera, Office of the Treasurer
Karen Nolen, OPM
Marilyn Rodriguez, Secretary, Retirement Services Division

GUESTS
Jason Powell
Sheri Silverman
George Spurlock
Ann Dacek
Keith Phaneuf, Connecticut Mirror

CALL TO ORDER
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:06 am

DIVISION DIRECTOR'S ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

I would like to provide a little information about the Counseling Unit which provides counseling to all State employees prior to retirement as well as keeping track of and otherwise managing the vested rights applications taking over the employing agency role and functions. The unit is also responsible for answering telephone inquiries and provides information to state agencies, union representatives, attorneys and financial institutions. Last year it did a lot of work on updating the benefit estimators and the purchase estimators for the SAG Award. The number of people we provided counseling to at the group counseling sessions for calendar year 2011 was:

Following the close of the February 2012 retirement payroll, the current backlog of unfinalized retirement records is approximately 13,134. The Division processed 90 new retirees to payroll for January (0 disabilities and 90 normal) and 90 new for February (11 disabilities and 79 normal). Finalizations for the month of January were 82. For February finalizations were 107. I want to thank the Commission for granting approval last month to approve the prioritization of applications that action has increased the finalized applications. We expect the number of finalizations to continue to increase in the upcoming months. I have provided a copy of a document that has additional suggestions to assist in the streamlining of our audit process for your review.

Pending Disability Applications as of January 31, 2012

The next available meeting for scheduling is June 2012.
The Auditors' of Public Accounts will begin today the audit of the Office of the State Comptroller - State Retirement Funds covering the fiscal years ended June 30, 2009, 2010 and 2011. I will be meeting with the Auditors' on February 27th and I will provide updates during the audit process.

Final item to mention - our four new Retirement & Benefits Officers started February 10th and they are currently being trained in their respective areas.

NEW MATTERS

1. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 12, 2012 MINUTES
Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Casella to approve the minutes of the January12, 2012 meeting. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

2. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION CHAIRMAN'S PER DIEM EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENT Mr. Casella moved, seconded by Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Chairman's Per Diem Expenses reimbursements. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

3. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM SERVICE RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to approve the State Employees Retirement System Service Retirements for the month ofJanuary 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

4. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM VOLUNTARY PENDING DISABILITY RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to approve the State Employees Retirement System Voluntary Pending Disability Retirements for the month of January 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

5. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM DISABILITY RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to approve the State Employees Retirement System Disability Retirements for the month of January 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

6. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETROACTIVE RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to approve the State Employees Retirement System Retroactive Retirements for the month of January 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

7. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES PRE RETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to Approve the State Employees Retirement System Pre Retirement Death Retirements for the month of January 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

8. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE JUDGES, FAMILY SUPPORT MAGISTRATES AND COMPENSATION COMMISSIONERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to approve the Judges, Family Support Magistrates and Compensation Commissioners Retirement System Retirements for the month of January 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

9. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System Retirements for the month of January 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

10. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT FUND PERSONAL EXPENSES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund Personal Expenses for the month of January 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

11. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETIREMENTS Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Luciano to approve the Municipal Employee Retirement System Retirements. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

12. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION MANAGEMENT TRUSTEE'S PER DIEM AND TRAVEL EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Ms. Sandra Fae Brown-Brewton moved, seconded by Mr. Luciano to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Management Trustee's Per Diem and Travel Expenses reimbursements for the month of January 2012.All voted in favor, Mr. Baus abstained

Majority Decision

13. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION UNION TRUSTEE'S PER DIEM AND TRAVEL EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2012 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Union Trustee's Per Diem and Travel Expenses reimbursements for the month of January 2012. All voted in favor,Mr. Poulin abstained

Majority Decision

14. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF REQUEST RECEIVED FROM SHERI SILVERMAN THAT THE RETIREMENT COMMISSION REVIEW AND RECONSIDER ITS DENIAL OF HER REQUEST TO RECEIVE THREE ADDITIONAL YEARS OF SERVICE PURSUANT TO THE 2009 RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Ms. Silverman appeared before the Commission requesting that she be made eligible to receive three additional years of service under the 2009 RIP and that her credited service total be adjusted accordingly. After discussion Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to table this matter until March 15, 2012. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

15. REQUEST COMMISSION CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FROM JASON POWELL THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO TRANSFER HIS RETIREMENT MEMBERSHIP FROM ARP TO SERS TIER II HAZARDOUS DUTY Mr. Powell requested that he be allowed to transfer from ARP to the SERS Tier II Hazardous Duty Plan as he claimed that he had been given erroneous information at the time that he commenced state employment. After discussion Mr. McLellan moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to table this matter. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

At approximately 10:19 a.m. Mr. Luciano moved to go into executive session to discuss Item #16 through 18 and to allow the Division Director and Division Counsel to stay; seconded by Ms. Yelmini. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

16. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED DECLARATORY RULING IN THE MATTER OF JAMES FOX TO BE ISSUED PRIOR TO APRIL 16, 2012 IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5-155-1(e)(1)(A) OF THE REGULATIONS OF CONNECTICUT STATE AGENCIES approved as amended All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

17. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED DECLARATORY RULING IN THE MATTER OF JAMES MALONE TO BE ISSUED PRIOR TO APRIL 16, 2012 IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5-155-1(e)(1)(A) OF THE REGULATIONS OF CONNECTICUT STATE AGENCIES approved as amended All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

18. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED DECLARATORY RULING IN THE MATTER OF ROGER BOUCHARD TO BE ISSUED PRIOR TO APRIL 16, 2012 IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5-155-1(e)(1)(A) OF THE REGULATIONS OF CONNECTICUT STATE AGENCIES approved as amendedAll voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

At approximately 10:35 a.m. Mr. Baus moved; second by Mr. Poulin to exit executive session. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

Mr. Blum reported out of executive session that while in executive session, the Commission had voted approval of Items 16, 17 and 18 as amended and that Division Counsel had been authorized to make the amendments told to her during executive session.

19. REQUEST COMMISSION CONSIDERATION OF A TABLED MATTER FROM September 21, 2011 RECOMMENDATIONS RECEIVED FROM ITS SUBCOMMITTEE ON PURCHASE OF SERVICE AND RELATED MATTERS

A request for a posthumous disability retirement application for Frederick Gilbert was made. The Subcommittee requested notarized statements regarding Mr. Gilbert's intentions. After the documentation was reviewed, Mr. Casella moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to approve this matter. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

20. REQUEST COMMISSION ACCEPTANCE OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM INTERIM ACTUARIAL VALUATION AS OF JUNE 30, 2011 FROM THE January 2012 MEETING Mr. Greatorex moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

21. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE FAVORABLE DETERMINATION OF THE ALTERNATIVE RETIREMENT PLAN (ARP) BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS) SUBMITTED JUNE 24, 2008 Mr. McLellan moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

EXECUTIVE SESSION 10:19 TO 10:35

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. McLellan moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to adjourn the meeting at 10:40 a.m. All voted in favor

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