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

July 15, 2010

TRUSTEES PRESENT
Peter R. Blum
Robert Baus
Stephen Caliendo
Charles Casella
Richard Cosgrove
Claude Poulin
Linda Yelmini
Fae Brown-Brewton
Sal Luciano
Bob Coffey
Dominic Cutaia

TRUSTEES ABSENT
Paul Fortier
Stephen Greatorex
Ronald McLellan
James Dzurenda
Thomas Culley

OTHERS PRESENT
Mark Ojakian, Deputy State Comptroller and Director, Retirement Services
Helen Kemp, Assistant Director and Division Attorney
Colin Newman, Assistant Director
Peggy Gray, Executive Assistant, Retirement Services
Craig Henrici, Counsel to the State Comptroller

GUESTS
George Spurlock, CEIU
Daniel Micari
Ruthe Bubar
Leigh Weir
Nancy Paretti, Court Recorder

CALL TO ORDER
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:10 AM.

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

Chairman Peter Blum extended his congratulations on behalf of the Commission Trustees to Stephen Caliendo on his retirement. The Trustees wish Stephen well, and will miss his presence on the Commission.

The Chairman requested a date change for the August Commission meeting. The meeting will be held on the 4th Thursday, August 26, 2010.

DIVISION DIRECTOR'S ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

On the disability side we have 39 pending applications that we received that were new. We have 402 that are still awaiting documentation. And as of June 30, 2010 we've denied, this year 193, for a total of 634.

For the month of June we received 17 new ones. There were 25 placed on the June agenda, and 13 of those were approved.

At present time we're reviewing July 2010 cases. And the next meeting we're in the process of scheduling is November 2010.

The backlog. Following the close of July's payroll, the current backlog of finalized retirement records is approximately 10,783. We processed 184 new retirees to the payroll. For the July payroll 168 normal and 6 disability, and we were able to finalize 39 for the month.

The Deputy Comptroller also notified the Trustees that as of July 1, 2010, MERS now has its own on-line benefit estimator and self help retirement counseling workshop. It's located on the Office of the State Comptroller website. Helen Kemp and her staff for working very diligently on this, and once again, coming up with a way for folks to get information on-line as opposed to relying on counseling sessions.

To briefly mention, the Gina Layman case. As you know the Medical Examining Board met and issued a decision to revoke her disability retirement pension going back to 2004.Gina Layman was a former Corrections employee who went out on disability retirement in 1996. Last year we received an anonymous tip, both in the Division, the Auditors, and the Executive Office, that this individual is now a champion BMX rider, Master of Martial Arts and a Bounty Hunter. We did an investigation at the request of the Medical Examining Board. The documentation was presented to the Board and they issued a decision to revoke her pension. The MEB went back to April of 2004 which was when Ms. Layman was cleared for all firefighter duties.

NEW MATTERS

1. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE JUNE 17, 2010 MINUTES.
On a motion by Mr. Luciano, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to approve the minutes of the June 17, 2010 minutes. All voted in favor.

Unanimous Decision

2. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT COMMISSION CHAIRMAN'S PER DIEM EXPENSES
REIMBURSEMENTS. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to approve the 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 JULY 2010. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to approve the Retirement System Service Retirements for the month of June 2010. All voted in favor.

Unanimous Decision

4. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT SYSTEM VOLUNTARY PENDING DISABILITY
RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2010. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to approve the State Employees Retirement system voluntary pending Disability Retirements for the month of June 2010. All voted in favor.

Unanimous Decision

5. REQUEST COMMISSION ACCEPTANCE OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT SYSTEM DISABILITY RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH
OF JUNE 2010 AS APPROVED BY THE MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD
ON MAY 31, 2010. (For review only)

6. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETROACTIVE RETIREMENTS FOR THE
MONTH OF JUNE 2010. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to approve the State Employees Retirement System retroactive retirements for the month of June 2010. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

7. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE
JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT FUND PERSONAL EXPENSES
FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2010. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Retirement Fund personal expenses for the month of June 2010. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

8. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE JUDGES, FAMILY
MAGISTRATES AND COMPENSATION COMMISSIONERS RETIREMENT
SYSTEM RETIREMENTS FOR JUNE 2010. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Yelmini to approve the Judges, Family Magistrates and Compensation Commissioners Retirement System Retirements for June 2010. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

9. REQUEST COMMISSION ACCEPTANCE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD FROM ITS MEETING ON
JUNE 11, 2010 RELATIVE TO APPLICATIONS FOR DISABILITY
RETIREMENT RECEIVED FROM THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT SYSTEM. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to accept the recommendations of the Medical Examining Board from its meeting on June 11, 2010. Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Poulin to accept the recommendations of the Medical Examining Board from its meeting on June 11, 2010 relative to applications for Disability Retirement received from the Municipal Employees Retirement System. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

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

Unanimous Decision

11. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT COMMISSION'S UNION TRUSTEES PER DIEM AND
TRAVEL EXPENSESREIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2010
Mr. Baus moved, seconded by Mr. Caliendo to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission's Union Trustees Per Diem and Travel Expenses for the month of June 2010. All voted in favor, Mr. Poulin abstained.

Majority Decision

12. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT COMMISSION'S MANAGEMENT TRUSTEES PER DIEM
AND TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2010. Mr. Poulin moved, seconded by Mr. Caliendo to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission's Union Trustees Per Diem and Travel Expenses for the month of June 2010. All voted in favor, Mr. Baus abstained.

Majority Decision

13. REQUEST COMMISSION CONSIDERATION OF THE JUNE 29, 2010
RECOMMENDATIONS RECEIVED FROM ITS SUBCOMMITTEE ON
REGULATIONS AND OVERPAYMENTS. Mr. Casella moved, seconded by Mr. Baus to separate out the case of Wanda Hoyle when voting. All voted in favor On a motion from Mr. Baus, seconded by Mr. Poulin the Commission moved to deny the request for waiver of overpayment of the following individuals:
James Fewell
Francis Light
Louis Rascoe
Luis Santana
Carol Corthouts
Maria Sevivas
All voted in favor.

Unanimous Decision

On a motion from Mr. Baus, seconded by Mr. Poulin the Commission moved to deny the request for waiver of overpayment of the following individual:
Wanda Hoyle
Mr. Baus, Mr. Poulin, Mr. Caliendo, Mr. Cosgrove, Ms. Brown-Brewton, Mr. Coffey, Mr. Luciano and Ms. Yelmini voted to deny. Mr. Casella abstained

Majority Decision

14. REQUEST COMMISSION DECISION ON TIE VOTE OF TWO MATTERS
CONSIDERED AT THE JULY 29, 2010 MEETING OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE
ON REGULATIONS AND OVERPAYMENTS. Ms. Yelmini moved, seconded by Mr. Luciano to table this item for futher information. All voted in favor to table

Unanimous Decision

15. REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION
FROM ITS MARCH 2010 MEETING ON THE FOLLOWING REQUEST FOR
WAIVERS OF REPAYMENT OF OVERPAYMENTS.
( Item tabled due to lack of a quorum )

16. REQUEST RECEIVED FROM DANIEL MICARI THAT THE COMMISSION
REVIEW AND RECONSIDER ITS DENIAL OF HIS REQUEST TO
RECEIVE ADDITIONAL RETIREMENT CREDIT IN TIER II FOR HIS
PRIOR SERVICE WITH THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.
(Item was tabled until the August meeting for further information)

17. REQUEST RECEIVED FROM RUTHE BUBAR THAT THE COMMISSION
REVIEW AND RECONSIDER ITS DENIAL OF HER REQUEST TO
RECEIVE HAZARDOUS DUTY RETIREMENT CREDIT FOR HER PRIOR
CONTRACTUAL SERVICE FROM 1989 TO 1992.

( Decision was tabled due to lack of a quorum)

18. MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM STATEMENT OF
OPERATIONS AND BALANCE SHEET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING
JUNE 30, 2009. ( for informational purposes only)

19. DISCUSSION, FOLLOW UP, SETTLEMENT/SETTLEMENT POLICY
ISSUES RE: Sec. 5-142A OVERPAYMENT ITEM (Cozzolino) IN
EXECUTIVE SESSION
(Item tabled due to lack of quorum)

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting ended at 11:57

___________________________
Peter R. Blum, Chairman

_______________________________
Mark Ojakian, Deputy Comptroller and Division Director, Retirement Services

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