Retirement Division February 17, 2011 MINUTES of Meeting Retirement Commission

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

February 17, 2011

TRUSTEES PRESENT

Peter Blum, Chair
Charles Casella
Claude Poulin
Michael Carey
Linda Yelmini
Fae Brown-Brewton
Sal Luciano
Bob Coffey
Ronald McLellan
James Dzurenda
Thomas Culley
Steve Greatorex
Bob Baus
Paul Fortier
Richard Cosgrove

MUNICIPAL LIAISON

Thomas Landry

OTHERS PRESENT

Jeanne Kopek, Director, Retirement Services
Helen Kemp, Asst. Director and Division Attorney, Retirement Services
Colin Newman, Asst. Director, Retirement Services
Natalie Braswell, Attorney to the State Comptroller
Peggy Gray, Executive Asst., Retirement Services
Nancy Paretti, Court Reporter
George Spurlock, CEIU
Kinza Faiz

CALL TO ORDER

The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:06 AM.

DIVISION DIRECTOR'S ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

A letter to affected employees concerning the SAG Award and the Commission's decision to have outside counsel pursue a Private Letter Ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, drafted with the assistance of Ms. Yelmini and Dan Livingston, was distributed to the Commission members this morning. The letter was sent by email to Higher Education agencies for distribution to their employees.

Following the close of the February 2011 Retirement payroll, the current backlog of unfinalized retirement records is approximately 11,208. The Division processed 107 new retirees to payroll (87 normal, 20 disabilities). Finalizations for the month were 68.
The Division is currently finalizing September 2005 retirements.

As of January 31, 2011 we had 75 new applications for disability retirement. 260 applications are waiting for further documentation and 121 are scheduled for upcoming MEB hearings. The total number pending is 456 applications.

For the month of January 22 applications were received, 28 applications were placed on the MEB agenda and 19 applications were approved in January. We are now reviewing January 2011 cases and all reviews are being done in chronological order. The next available meeting for scheduling is September 2011.

We continue to work with the Executive Office to get additional doctors for the MEB.

NEW MATTERS

1. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 13, 2010 MINUTES. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Casella to approve the minutes of the December 16, 2010. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

2. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 19, 2011SPECIAL MINUTES. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the minutes of the Special meeting on January 19, 2011 All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

3. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION CHAIRMAN'S PER DIEM EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENTS. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Chairman's Per Diem reimbursements. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

4. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM SERVICE RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement System Service Retirements for the month of January 2011. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

5. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEMS VOLUNTARY PENDING DISABILITY RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement Systems Voluntary Pending Disability Retirements for the month of January 2011. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

6. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM DISABILITY RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement System Disability Retirements for the month of January 2011. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

7. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETROACTIVE RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement System Retroactive Retirements for the month of January 2011. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

8. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM PRE RETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement System Pre Retirement Death Benefit Retirements for the month of January 2011. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

9. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM SERVICE RETIREMENTS FOR JANUARY 2011. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System Service Retirements for January 2011. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

10. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT FUND AND PERSONAL EXPENSES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund and Personal Expenses for the month of January 2011. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

11. REQUEST COMMISSION ACCEPTANCE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD FROM ITS MEETING ON JANUARY 21, 2011 RELATIVE TO APPLICATIONS FOR DISABILITY RETIREMENT RECEIVED FROM THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM. Mr. Luciano moved to accept, seconded by Mr. Casella of the recommendations of the Medical Examining Board from its meeting on January 21, 2001 relative to applications for Disability Retirement received from the Municipal Employees Retirement System. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

12. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETIREMENTS. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Municipal Retirement System Retirements. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

13. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION MANAGEMENT TRUSTEES PER DIEM AND TRAVEL EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENTS FOR NOVEMBER Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Management Trustees Per Diem and Travel Expenses Reimbersements for November 2010. All voted in favor/Mr. Baus abstained

Majority Decision

14. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION UNION TRUSTEES PER DIEM AND TRAVEL EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENTS. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Union Trustees Per Diem and Travel Expenses Reimbursements All voted in favor/Mr. Poulin abstained

Majority Decision

15. REQUEST APPROVAL OF TWO MATTERS CONSIDERED AT THE NOVEMBER 20, 2010 MEETING OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON REGULATIONS AND OVERPAYMENTS

A. Hilda Quevedo (MERS) (contingent annuitant) - Overpayment of $1,501.49 due to an error in the final average earnings used to calculate the retirement benefit.

Action: Mr. Luciano moved; Mr. Casella second to accept the recommendation of the Overpayment subcommittee to deny the request for a waiver of repayment of an overpayment as Mrs. Quevedo failed to meet all the statutory and regulatory requirements required for approval.

Voting in favor the motion: Mr. Cosgrove, Mr. Poulin, Mr. Carey, Mr. Luciano, Mr. Coffey, Mr. Dzurenda, Mr. Culley, Mr. Greatorex .

Voting in opposition of the motion: Messrs. McLellan and Casella, Ms. Brown-Brewton.

Motion carried by majority vote.

B. Amy Vasnunes (SERS member) - Overpayment of $18,811.03 due to receipt of retroactive social security disability benefits.

Action: Ms. Yelmini moved; Ms. Brown-Brewton second to accept the recommendation of the Overpayment subcommittee to deny the request for a waiver of repayment of an overpayment as Ms. Vasnunes failed to meet all the statutory and regulatory requirements required for approval.

Voting in favor the motion: Mr. Casella, Mr. Cosgrove, Mr. Poulin, Mr. Carey, Ms. Brown-Brewton, Mr. Coffey, Mr. McLellan, Mr. Dzurenda, Mr. Culley, Mr. Greatorex.

Voting in opposition of the motion: Mr. Luciano

Motion carried by majority vote.

16. STATUS - PROCUREMENT OF LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THE SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 SEBAC PENSION GRIEVANCE AWARD (attached under the attorney-client privilege - informational only - no discussion necessary).

There was no discussion or motions with regard to this Agenda item.

17. REQUEST RECEIVED FROM KINZA FAIZ THAT THE COMMISSION REVIEW AND RECONSIDER ITS FEBRUARY 21, 2008 DENIAL OF HER REQUEST TO TRANSFER FROM TIER II TO TIER I IN SERS AND PURCHASE HER PRIOR STATE SERVICE.

Ms. Faiz appeared before the Commission and asked for reconsideration allowing her to change to Tier I status and purchase as needed to "catch up" her contributions that would have been made in Tier I. After discussion by the Commission Ms. Yelmini moved, seconded by Mr. Casella to deny the request of Ms. Faiz and uphold the decision made on February 21, 2008. All voted in favor to deny.

Unanimous Decision

18. REQUEST RECEIVED FROM THE FAMILY OF DECEASED RETIREE, PAUL ORSINI THAT THE COMMISSION REVIEW AND RECONSIDER ITS OCTOBER 21, 2010 DENIAL OF THE REQUEST TO POSTHUMOUSLY CHANGE HIS JANUARY 1, 1988 RETIREMENT OPTION ELECTION.

When Mr. Orsini's son did not appear Mr. Casella moved, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to table the request of the family to a future date.

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. McLellan moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to adjourn. All voted in favor.
Meeting was adjourned at 10:36 AM

_____________________
Peter R. Blum, Chair

___________________________
Jeanne Kopek, Director, Retirement Services

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