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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-05-20 FPB MINUTES,· ' ' FIREFIGHTERS PENSION BOARD SPECIAL MEETING May 20 , 1999 A special meeting of the Englewood Firefighters Pension Board was called to order by Chairperson Ken Holland at 5 :00 p.m. in Conference Room A of the Englewood City Hall , 3400 South Elati Street. Members Present : Members Absent : Others Present: A quorum was present. Ken Holland , Chairperson, Employee Representative Tom Bums, Mayor Frank Gryglewicz, Director of Financial Services Michael Ballinger, Employee Representative Gary Kasson, Council Appointee Jay Seay, Employee Representative (notice) Jon Seay Rick DeWitt, Attorney Dan Brotzman, City Attorney Carol Wescoat, Recording Secretary * * * * * HEARING OF BENEFIT REQUEST FROM JON SEAY (CONTINUED) Discussion of Jon Seay Chairperson Holland stated this hearing was continued from May 13 , 1999. There was a motion to approve the Volunteer Firefighters Pension Benefit for Jon Seay and the Board was discussing the and issue and the Motion .. Mr. Kasson discussed Jon Seay ' s timeline of service and the unaccounted time with no documentation of his service . He sees the timeline as August , 1961 to February, 1982 , reduced by an approved six months leave of absence . He referred to documents presented by Mr. DeWitt that claim as ofFebruary 17 , 1982 Mr. Seay had 21 years , six months . Mr. Kasson 's calculated the time from August 1961 to February 1982 as 20 years , and six months of service. He stated that his review of the documents pointed out periods of time that there is no documentation of any involvement by Mr. Seay . The dates in question are from November 26 , 1975 to August 6, 1976, which coincides with the date of the letter stating Mr. Seay was dropped from the rolls . He continued by saying there was no documentation in 1977 to indicate Mr. Seay had been involved with the Volunteer Firefighters, and in 1978 , the on evidence of involvement is a Board meeting where Mr. Seay' s response time was discussed . The document does not state in what capacity Mr. Seay attended the meeting. Mr. Kasson said that Mr. DeWitt had presented testimony that said that Mr. Seay was still active in the Volunteers after 1982 , but he could not say in what capacity. He recalled documentation that Mr. Seay housed fire trucks, but there was no documentation indicating he attended fires or training . Mr. Kasson referred to the 1969 By-Laws requiring 24 hours of annual training to maintain Volunteer status. Chairperson Holland referred to Exhibit 8, the handwritten notes from the Executive Board meeting. He understood Mr. Miller retired June I, 1976 and his name appears on the notes as having attended this meeting . He commented on Exhibit 11 which was initiated by Dale Jackson, who had died prior to the date of the document. He said there are inconsistencies. He said that his recollection of testimony relating to Mr. Seay's involvement in later years consisted of housing fire equipment. He said that would not constitute active involvement in the Volunteers . Mayor Bums agreed with the comments . He clarified the timeline of August 28, 1961 to February 17 , 1982, less a six month leave of absence . He recalled that Mr. Seay 's testimony could not recall the date he actually ended his active service in 1982 . Mayor Bums also said, he did not think the Board could supply a date for him. He talked about Mr. Seay's testimony indicating that to his knowledge the exhibits presented were accurate . Mayor Bums was not able to find 20 years of service in the evidence presented . He referred to the August, 1976 letter from Mr. Jackson and commented that Mr. Seay said he had not received a copy of it. Mayor Burns thought it would be improper for the Chief of the Volunteer Firefighters to notify the Chief of the Paid Firefighters that someone was dropped from the rolls if it were not true. He commented that there was some indication that Mr. Jackson had done that on his own, and thought that would have been incredibly irresponsible if it were true . He referred to the number of activity reports that Mr. Seay did not sign. He commented on the documentation that was presented at the end of the prior meeting . He said Mr. Seay ' s name does not appear on either the 1978 or 1979 Rosters. He is not sure if they are accurate, official Volunteer records , or, if they are as characterized by counsel, social rosters . He stated that they needed to start with some sort of roster, and for some reason Mr. Seay does not appear on those. He commented that even if he weren't active socially with the group, his name would still be on the Roster. He said as a fiduciary member of this Board, he is still unable to find 20 years of service . Mr. Gryglewicz agreed with the comments . He stated he was swayed by the most official documents in the records, the letter to Chief Hamilton, dropping Mr. Seay from the rolls and the actuarial report that shows Mr. Seay terminated, December 1977 . Mr. Ballinger said that the evidence was sketchy , and dates were inconsistent on many Exhibits . He said names of Volunteer on the Exhibits are not consistent with the names on the rosters. He was more impressed with the evidence that contained in the 1979 and 1980 Rosters of the Volunteers. Firefighters Pension Board Meeting 2 ' I ·, • ,. Mr. Gryglewicz commented that on the documents presented later at the previous meeting. He believed every document was signed at the bottom. A number of the Exhibits presented earlier were not signed at the bottom. Chairperson Holland said he paid special attention to the testimony of the witnesses, given the sketchiness of the documents presented . There seemed to be definite opinions of the younger firefighters as to Jon Seay' s involvement. He said that it was clear that younger firefighters who were actively involved had no recollection ofMr. Seay. Mayor Bums commented on Mr. Stout's testimony that he was actively involved in training and meetings from 1977 to 1980 and did not remember Mr. Seay ' s involvement, and there were only nine or ten members. He referred to Mr. Seymour's testimony that Mr. Seay had been dropped during the 1970s. He commented on the hearing process and questioned the procedures in preparing for the hearing . Mr. Ballinger said that he was concerned that the younger Volunteers did not know Jon Seay . He said the older Volunteers ' recollections really did not have relevance because most retired before the dates in discussion . Chairperson Holland called for the question . Those in favor of granting a pension to Mr. Jon Seay . Ayes : Nays : Absent : None Holland, Ballinger, Bums, Gryglewicz, Kasson Seay The motion was defeated . MAYOR BURNS MOVED TO ADJOURN. MR. GRYGLEWICZ SECONDED . Ayes : Nays : Absent: The motion carried. Holland , Ballinger, Bums, Gryglewicz, Kasson None Seay Meeting adjourned at 5 :25 p.m. ~~ Ukk t!-4/-- Carol Wescoat Recording Secretary Firefighters Pension Board Meeting 3