MINUTES OF MEETING
STATE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT COMMISSION
55 ELM STREET
HARTFORD, CT 06106

April 18, 2013

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

TRUSTEES ABSENT
Michael Carey
Richard Cosgrove

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Martha Carlson, Deputy Comptroller
Lee Ann Palladino, CIO, Office of the State Treasurer

MUNICIPAL LIAISON
Thomas Landry

OTHERS PRESENT
Brenda Halpin, Director, Retirement Services Division
Kishore Solanki, Asst. Director, Retirements Services Division
Natalie Braswell, Assistant State Comptroller

OTHERS PRESENT
Attorney Lawrence Sgrignari
George Spurlock, CEIU

CALL TO ORDER
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:08 a.m.

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Nothing to report at this time.

DIVISION DIRECTOR'S ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
I have provided a copy of the Employee Benefit Statement Contract for your information. The contract was extended for one year with our current vendor, Custom Communications, LLC. The draft final contracts for Actuarial Services will be provided next month.

Following the close of the March and April 2013 retirement payroll, the Division processed 113 new retirees (92 normal, 21 disabilities) for March and 216 new retirees (199 normal, 17 disabilities) for April. Finalizations for the month of March were 313 and for April they were 94. The current backlog of unfinalized retirement records is approximately 12,528.

At the present time, we are reviewing cases from the end of 2012. The next available meeting for scheduling is July 2013.

We have received 456 applications requests to transfer from the ARP to Hybrid. Of that number 370 are transfers, 9 waivers, 3 are prospective and a total of 73 for retirees as of the close of the April payroll.

We have received in approximately 500 CO-1094 forms related to the SEBAC 2011 Option to Retain Grandfathered Normal Retirement Date. Individual notices were mailed to each eligible employee. The Division will be processing the requests centrally and uploading the file to the Core-CT Active Payroll.

The Division is on target to convert the Retirement Payroll to Core-CT for May 1st. The conversion of several data files will begin processing this weekend. In addition I was just informed this morning that one of our staff members in the Unit is retiring for May 1st she is taking advantage of the Retirement in Lieu of Layoff Prohibited Practice and Grievance Settlement. So we will be down two staff members.

Earlier this week the Division was notified that an employee from DDS that requested a service-related disability retirement had provided fraudulent records at the time of hiring. We were contacted by the Attorney General'S Office and the Office of Labor Relations regarding this situation. The employee has been terminated by the agency and we are turning over the disability retirement file to the Attorney General.

The Division has been working with the Regulation and Overpayment Subcommittee on documenting procedures and revising the data sheets provided to the Subcommittee. It is my intention to provide all members of the Commission with copies of the procedures once they have been finalized.

I have been working with the Legal and Personnel Subcommittee with coordinating the interviews in response to the RFI for legal services. As well as working on an advertisement for short term legal services.

On the hiring front the Division has received approval to hire an RBO to replace the employee we lost in the Data Base Unit last summer. We will also be transferring one RBO from the Counseling Unit to the Miscellaneous Unit to replace the retiree and we will be able to refill the RBO in the Counseling Unit. We have approval to hire an Assistant Division Director. The exam has expired for this classification so I have requested that a new exam be administered. In addition, to continue with the strides we have made on the audit back log we will be hiring ten UCONN accounting students this summer to further reduce our numbers. We will also have assistance from two rehired retirees for the audit unit and accounts receivable. We are waiting for approval on one more Financial Clerk for the MERS Unit.
The Comptroller is in the process of procuring funding for Phase I of the Pension Module conversion from the DAS/BEST Technology Committee. We will begin with an RFP for a consultant to assist with documenting our current procedures as related to the Pension Module.

NEW MATTERS

1. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 14, 2013 MINUTES Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the March 14, 2013 minutes. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

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

Unanimous Decision

3. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM SERVICE RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2013 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut State Employees Retirement System Service retirements for the month of March, 2013. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

4. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT STATE EMPLOYEES SYSTEM DISABILITY RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2013 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut State Employee System Disability Retirements for the month of March 2013. All voted in favor
Unanimous Decision

5. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT STATE EMPLOYEES SYSTEM VOLUNTARY PENDING RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2013 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut State Employees System Voluntary Pending Retirements for the month of March 2103. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

6. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM PRE RETIREMENT DEATH BENEFIT RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2013 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut State Employees Retirement System Pre-retirement Death Benefit Retirements for the month of March 2013. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

7. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETROACTIVE RETIREMENTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2013 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut State Employees Retirement System Retroactive Retirements for the month of March 2103. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

8. 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

9. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD FROM ITS MEETING ON JANUARY 25, 2013 RELATIVE TO APPLICATIONS FOR DISABILITY RETIREMENT RECEIVED FROM THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Ms. Brown-Brewton to deny the recommendations of the Medical Examining Board from its meeting on January 25, 2013 relative to applications for disability retirement received from the Municipal Employees Retirement System. All voted to deny except Mr. Poulin.

Majority decision Mr. Luciano then moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to conditionally approve the Medical Examining Board applications from its meeting on January 25, 2013 relative to the disability retirement received from the Municipal Employees Retirement System under the condition that the town of East Haven provide a letter to the Retirement Commission that there are no jobs available in the town for the employee. All voted in favor.

Unanimous Decision

10. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETIREMENTS Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System Retirements. All voted in favor Unanimous Decision

11. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE JUDGES, FAMILY SUPPORT MAGISTRATES AND COMPENSATION COMMISSIONER RETIREMENT SYSTEM SPOUSE RETIREMENTS Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Judges, Family Support Magistrates and Compensation Commissioner Retirement System Spouse Retirements. All voted in favor Unanimous Decision

12. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES FUND PERSONNEL EXPENSES FOR THE PAY PERIOD DECEMBER 14, 2102 THROUGH JANUARY 10, 2013 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Fund Personnel Expenses for the pay period December 14, 2012 through January 10, 2013. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

13. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES FUND PERSONNEL EXPENSES FOR THE PAY PERIOD OF JANUARY 11, 2013 THROUGH FEBRUARY 7, 2013 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Fund Personnel Expenses for the pay period January 11, 2013 through February 7, 2013. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

14. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE CONNECTICUT PROBATE JUDGES AND EMPLOYEES FUND PERSONNEL EXPENSES FOR THE PAY PERIOD OF FEBRUARY 8, 2013 THROUGH MARCH 7, 2013 Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the Connecticut Probate Judges and Employees Fund Personnel Expenses for the pay period February 8, 2013 through March 7, 2013. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

15. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT COMMISSION MANAGEMENT TRUSTEES PER DIEM AND TRAVEL EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENTS Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the State Employees Retirement Commission Management Trustee Per Diem and Travel Expense Reimbursements. All voted in favor, Mr. Baus abstaining. Unanimous Decision

16. 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 Trustee Per Diem and Travel Expense Retirements. All voted in favor, Mr. Poulin abstaining.

Unanimous Decision

17. REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE LEGAL AND PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEE Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to approve the recommendations of the Legal and Personnel Subcommittee as submitted from the March 28, 2013 meeting. Ms. Yelmini will provide draft legislative language for review. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

ITEM TABLED FROM THE MARCH 21, 2013 MEETING

REQUEST COMMISSION APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LEGAL AND PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEE TO ADVISE THE OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER THAT WE RECOMMEND NO CHANGE IN CURRENT PRACTICE REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CMERS DISABILITY AND REEMPLOYMENT STATUTORY PROVISION. CONSISTENT WITH OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO REVIEW THE STATUTORY LANGUAGE AND PROMLGATE REGULATIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL This matter is resolved with the approval of the recommendations from the Legal and Personnel Subcommittee as outlined in agenda item number 17 above.

18. TOWN OF THOMPSON PERSONAL APPEARANCE REGARDING PARTIAL WAIVER at 9:30 a.m. Attorney Ken Winstock, Labor and Employment Attorney for the Town of Thompson spoke before the Commission regarding the Arbitration Award.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

A motion was made by Ms. Mandour and seconded by Mr. Poulin to move to EXECUTIVE SESSION at 10:00 a.m. to discuss Item 19, Ms. Halpin, was permitted to stay. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

19. EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE LEGAL ISSUES BEING HANDLED BY ICE MILLER - APPEARANCE BY ICE MILLER - Mary Beth Braitman and Tiffany Sharpley presented materials regarding the activities they have been involved in.

A motion was made by Mr. Fortier and seconded by Ms. Yelmini to come out of Executive Session at 11:55 a.m.

A motion was made Mr. Poulin and seconded by Mr. Fortier to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service regarding the Department of Correction review. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Luciano moved, seconded by Mr. Greatorex to adjourn the meeting at 12:00 P.m. All voted in favor

Unanimous Decision

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