DRAFT
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION

A regular meeting of the State Employees Retirement Commission (the "Commission") was held on July 21, 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
• Paul Fortier, Trustee
• Ronald McLellan, Trustee
• Claude Poulin, Trustee
• Angel Quiros, Trustee
• Martha Carlson, Deputy Comptroller, Ex Officio Member
• Thomas Landry, Municipal Liaison
• Deborah Spalding, CIO, Office of the State Treasurer, Ex Officio Member

The following members of the Commission were absent:

• Steven Greatorex, Trustee
• Sal Luciano, Trustee
• Laila Mandour, Trustee

Also present were:

• Brenda Halpin, Director, Retirement Services Division
• Michael Rose, General Counsel to the Commission Ford Harrison
• Natalie Braswell, General Counsel to the Comptroller
• Bruce Barth, General Counsel to the Commission Robinson and Cole
• Colin Newman, Office of the State Comptroller
• Ralph Efrid, Post Reporting
• Catherine Crandle, SERS Member
• Kellie Crandle, Daughter of Ms. Crandle
• Natalie Crandle, Daughter of Ms. Crandle
• Rob Zimberlin, Zimberlin Law LLC
• Amanda Alfonso, Executive Assistant, Retirement Services Division

A. Call to Order

Chairman Adomeit called the meeting to order at 9:12 am

B. Chairman's Report:

Chairman Adomeit also informed the Board that there was one due process hearing.

C. Division Director's Report
Last month the Division had not closed the retirement payroll at the time of the June Retirement Commission meeting there were 369 retirements (330 regular, 14 Voluntary Pending, 2 Disabilities and 23 Hybrid).

For the July 1st retirements there were 388 (352 regular retirements, 11 Voluntary Pending, 14 Disabilities and 11 Hybrid).

Pending Disability Applications as of June 30, 2016

For the month of May and June (two MEB meetings) respectively

The next available meeting date to schedule is September 2016.

On June 20th the Division launched the new Pension Module calculator and the Audit Unit began using the new calculator to run parallel systems. With the overwhelming number of retirements for July it was a challenge to complete all of the retirements in a timely manner however the Audit and Payroll staff worked together and all processing was completed on time.

For the month of August the Division is working with the consultants to finalize a number of retirements in the backlog. The number in the backlog of regular retirements is 12,652.

Update on the 2015 and 2016 MERS Re-employment survey ? the Division has continued our efforts to follow up on the surveys and have provided information to the Legal and Personnel Subcommittee regarding the status.

The Division has received a request from the Sprague Water Pollution Control Authority regarding MERS membership.

The Direct Deposit Advices will not be provided to retirees beginning August 2016 as a cost savings measure due to budget restrictions.

D. New Matters

a. Request Commission Approval of June 16, 2016 Minutes.

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey to approve the June 16, 2016 minutes.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion.
iii. Mr. Coffey asked for the minutes to be amended to reflect that he was absent.
iv. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the amended June 16, 2016 Minutes.
 

b. Request Commission Approval of the State Employees Retirement Commission Chairman's Per Diem Expenses.

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey 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 to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Chairman's Per Diem Expenses.
 

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

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey 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 to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Union Trustee's Per Diem and Travel Expenses.
 

d. Request Commission Review of the June 2016 Billing from Robinson & Cole.

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey to approve the billing from Robinson & Cole.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission June 2016 billing from Robinson & Cole.
 

e. Request Commission Acceptance of the June 2016 Invoices from Ford Harrison.

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey 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 to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission June 2016 billing from Ford Harrison.
 

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

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

g. Request Commission Approval of the Connecticut State Employees System Disability Retirements for the Month of June 2016.

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

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

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

i. Request Commission Approval of the Connecticut State Employees System Retroactive Retirements for the Month of June 2016.

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey to approve Connecticut State Employees System Retroactive Retirements for the Month of June 2016.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously to approve Connecticut State Employees System Retroactive Retirements for the Month of June 2016.
 

j. Request Commission Approval of the Municipal Retirement System Retirements

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey 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 to approve the Municipal Retirement System Retirements.
 

k. Request Commission Approval of the Municipal Retirement System Disability Retirements Approved by the Medical Examining Board.

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey to approve the Municipal Retirement Medical Examining Board Approvals.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the Municipal Retirement Medical Examining Board Approvals.
 

l. Request Commission Acceptance of the Recommendations by the Medical Examining Board of the Municipal Retirement System Disability Retirement Application Denials.

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey to accept the recommendations of Medical Examining Board Municipal Retirement System Disability Retirement Application Denials.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of Medical Examining Board Municipal Retirement System Disability Retirement Application Denials.
 

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

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

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

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

o. Request Commission Approval of the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund Personnel Expenses for the Pay Period May 13, 2016 Through June 9, 2016.

i. Mr. Carey moved, seconded by Mr. Coffey to approve the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund Personnel Expenses for the Pay Period May 13, 2016 Through June 9, 2016.
ii. Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
iii. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund Personnel Expenses for the Pay Period May 13, 2016 Through June 9, 2016.
 

p. Request from Catherine Crandle for Commission approval to go in front of the Medical Examining Board. (Appearance is scheduled at 9:30 a.m.)

i. Chairman Adomeit swore Ms. Crandle and her daughters in.
ii. At 9:30 a.m., Attorney Zimberlin presented to the Commission on behalf of his client Catherine Crandle. Ms. Crandle would like to go in front of the Medical Examining Board. She is citing extraordinary circumstances as to why she did not submit her application in on time. Ms. Crandle's daughters, Kellie and Nicole testified on her behalf as to her state of mind.
iii. There was some discussion.
iv. The Commission went into executive session at 9:51 a.m. for the purpose of discussing the Catherine Crandle hearing with legal counsel. The Commission came out of executive session at 10:17 a.m.
v. Ms. Grasso- Egan moved, Mr. Poulin seconded for the Commission to accept the request of Catherine Crandle regarding her disability application based on their findings of extraordinary circumstances.
vi. The Chairman asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion he called for a vote.
vii. Mr. Carey, Ms. Brown-Brewton, Mr. Coffey and Mr. Cosgrove voted against Ms. Crandle's request to go back in front of the Medical Examining Board.
viii. Mr. Casella, Mr. Poulin, Mr. Fortier, Mr. McLellen, Ms. Grasso- Egan and Mr. Quiros and Mr. Landry voted to allow Ms. Crandle to go back to the Medical Examining Board.

Executive Session

Ms. Brown-Breton moved, seconded by Ms. Grasso- Eagan to go into executive session at 10:34 a.m. Ms. Halpin, Mr. Newman, Attorney Braswell, Attorney Rose and Attorney Barth were invited by the Commission to stay for executive session to discuss items 1-9. There were no motions made.
1. Bouchard - pending litigation. Update
2. Brown - pending litigation. Update.
3. Maturo - pending litigation. Update.
4. Whitman - pending litigation. Update.
5. Carver - pending litigation. Update.
6. Etim - pending litigation. Update.
7. Pine - written legal opinion. Discussion
8. Walenski - pending litigation. Update
9. IRS issues. Written legal opinion. Discussion.

Adjournment

With no further business before the Commission, Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Mandour to adjourn at 11:13 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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