Auditor Selection Committee - Regular Meeting

Municipal Firefighters Pension Trust Fund Board of Trustees meeting December 15, nine hundred hours, City Hall, Room 244. Present Chair, Terry McLeod. Jim Robinson, trustee. David Hollins, trustee.

Chrissy Stoker, plan administrator.

Scott Duff, trustee.

Howard Birch, trustee. Pledge of allegiance.

So I'm not sure if

we need public comment for this. I don't know if you wanted to speak to it. I think we have the documents in front of us now. So moving on, this is a line of duty disability hearing for the application for Victor Cleveland. You guys in front of you, we've got a couple different pieces of

paper.

The first was the return to work form. That was what we were going to look at using for this hearing, but we just received the medical certification for Victor from his doctor, which is the form that was requested from Paul. And then, Jim, you're online, right? He's apparently

Hey, Jim. Can you hear us okay? Are you muted? Can you hear us?

I'll give him a call.

Yeah. They got a great name. I have

Is this from the portal? Okay. He just logged out.

He just logged out.

Okay. So I believe that the guy who might be restarting would have been done by is that the correct date of birth? Okay. Because I do remember Doug reached out to me and said, hey. Can you confirm her date of birth? And I gave him that. So that's the one.

Yes. So

looks like Jim just logged out. Maybe we'll give him a minute. He's coming back in now. He logged out for a minute, so I'm assuming he's having a little technical difficulties. Where is Jim located at?

I'm Alright. Well, we'll give him a couple more minutes. I'd like to hear from him. He did respond to the email of this documentation saying believed it would suffice. Chrissy, do you have an email readily available?

Yes,

I do. So just reading from Jim Brantley's email from this morning at 08:17, he wrote, Chief, I believe that given the circumstances, this document, what you have before you today, is sufficient for the board to move forward with consideration of the application for disability retirement benefits at the special meeting this morning. As the application is finalized following today's meeting, we can supplement the application with the signed document once his physician returns, and we now have that as well. I

did receive this from Paul to be read during the board meeting, so I'll read this and then we'll kind of go from there. By unanimous vote, at this duly called special meeting, Board of Trustees of Northport Firefighters Municipal Pension and Local Option Trust Fund hereby make the following determinations or orders. Actually, I'm going hold off on reading it because it sounds like that's after we vote.

All right.

So we have the form in front of us. Jim is not available at the time. I'll give him one more call.

Just for clarification.

Go ahead. So the

form that Mr. Donnelly sent last week has the physician's name, credit, his license number, and date. There's not an area for signature. The physician is not in country right now. The office sent this this morning. If we need to follow-up and do a different form that has a signature or add a signature to that in the future, they're happy to do that. They just want to be able to get a signature, but they stated it doesn't have a signature on it. So that's why it's

That's that form that Paul said? Okay.

I see it.

Paul said that one was acceptable. That does have the signature signature on it.

This is the original

Should we just put him on your phone?

That's right. He didn't answer the first time. But if he answers, I'll come on speakerphone.

Well, after hearing his email, it seems like this suffices. It's what is legally Okay to make a decision on.

I agree. We can't get on the phone. With the actual signature position for recordkeeping makes sense. But we don't need as opposed. Right. Sure. So that is the back of the back end of the form that Paul sent originally out to us to have him his doctor fill out. So it doesn't actually have a line item for signature. It's just got a line item for printed name and license number, which this has. So I can't get ahold of Jim, but he responded by the email.

Looks like maybe he's calling in. Jim, can you hear us now?

Okay. Alright.

The other alternative is Zoom. There should be a chat feature where he could type to you guys possibly. Yeah. It's right here on the right. Okay. Let's see. So if he clicks on chat, he can type. Okay. And this volume's not it's all up. Yeah.

This

is exactly what we did last time. Right? It's not like

Yep. We're

Okay. And then Sarah even helped set it up too. All right, and he's gone again. So he We'll keep the chat up in case he comes back.

I mean, I feel that we've gotten the documentation that was originally requested. I feel like it's appropriate for us to continue. So here are the determination orders that are on the document I'm going to read. I'll read those orders and then we'll vote on those, I imagine. It'll probably be the best.

So we're going to vote on the board has received satisfied with the request of medical certification for Victor Cleveland to receive disability benefits in line of duty. We're Mr. Cleveland is totally and permanently disabled to the extent that he is wholly prevented by reason of his medical determinable physical impairment from cancer from rendering useful and efficient service as a firefighter. Mister Cleveland's severe cancer disability is covered by Florida's firefighter cancer presumption laws, and his disability was directly caused by the performance of his duty as a firefighter. Given the facts of this case and proven indisputable permanent medical disability from presumptive cancer, the board waives requesting additional re records, interrogations, or independent medical examination for the approval of this disability retirement claim.

And Victor Cleveland's request for disability benefits in line of duty is hereby approved and granted effective immediately. Those are the items we're voting on. Any questions? Is it appropriate just to say we make a motion to approve as read? I

would say yes. Yeah.

Okay. So we have a motion to approve the disability as read. Do we have a second?

Second.

We have a motion and a second. All in favor?

Aye.

Aye. All right. By unanimous vote, this duly called special meeting, the Board of Trustees, Northport Firefighters Municipal Pension Local Option Trust Fund made the following determinations and orders. Right. Chrissy, you?

So according to the calculation, and I apologize I didn't have a chance to print it. My printer at home was out of ink. But so the estimate that I sent you guys over the weekend, those will be finalized numbers once we've received all the payroll information from the city of Northport, including any lump sums he may have been, eligible to receive at the time of retirement. All options were presented, although, and Chief Titus responded to confirm in writing that, Victor Cleveland did intend to choose the 100 joint and survivor option. Doug also put in the cover letter that these options were calculated, in consideration of the fact that they will be looking at COLAs, because of the cancer presumption.

So these numbers were calculated assuming that COLAs will start when Mr. Cleveland would have turned 55 and continue for nine years. And if the board determines that those COLAs are not based on statutes in the local law plan, then these benefits will be recalculated and they'll actually go up a little bit. So it's not like she'll ever have to pay money back to the fund. The cover letter also provides that there is a partial monthly benefit payable for the period 12/11/2025 through December 31.

That partial payment will be finalized when benefits are finalized. And I will work with either Chief Titus, or Amy, myself to get her set up for payments as soon as possible and true them up when the numbers are final. Chief, have you been working with her? Do you want me to reach out? Would you like me to send you the documents that's just a direct deposit form? We'll need a check and a tax form.

If you send those to me, I'm happy to. I'm trying to kind of Okay.

Did he respond?

Jim, can you it says I can hear all of you, which oh. Alright. Could a speaker be off in here somewhere? What if we disconnected from the system and just have him play through the computer?

If you could ask him for his phone number, one of us call him and put him on speaker phone if that's easier. I have a number, but I don't think it's going through.

Jim, we're so sorry. We're just thinking about oh, I can hear and see how it'd for him, you can't hear me too. Oh, man.

He probably doesn't have my number with Duffy. I think you said you had his?

Okay.

I can hear you, Jim. Yeah.

Okay. You

obviously can hear us.

Yeah. I can hear you.

Oh, okay. So did you hear us that we approved his, line of duty disability?

Yes. And the the only thing I'd say, I I I saw the email this morning from the chief. I think as we process this application, once it's approved, we can supplement physician then. I

think that's what this is.

Okay. They're telling me that we have a

I can read him, just a couple minutes prior to this meeting.

That's what we received

this morning, and that's what Mr. Braley had sent. It has to be filled out.

A couple minutes prior to the meeting, Chief Titus sent you a email, the medical certification with Victor Cleveland. Okay. Yes.

That's what I was referring to. I think we can process the application with that based on the special circumstances we're dealing with here and the

to

be do meeting, And And for instance, with the other form that we want the doctor to sign once he's back in the country.

Okay. Perfect.

Thank you very much. Anyone have any other questions for Jim?

Unless he's got any other guidance, I think we're good.

Do you have anything else you wanted to add, Jim, or that was it?

No, I think that's it. I know that there's some conversation we're going to have to have after this meeting I saw from Foster Foster. And I know Paul and I briefly spoke about it regarding the colon. I think we need to look at that.

Okay. Yeah. That's something we can do at a later time. It's not something we need to happen.

Jim, this is Chrissy from Foster and Foster. I have a question about and hopefully you can answer this. When I'm setting up the payments to Amy, this being a line of duty disability and death, can you advise on the distribution code for the payment form, or should I simply mark it as taxable amount not determined? I'm just unsure if this is considered a death benefit or a disability benefit payable to Amy.

In terms of of whether it's taxable to to the to the beneficiaries?

Yes, sir.

Yeah. I don't I don't know the answer to that. I don't know. That that to me is a CPA question. Okay. That's something that they should probably get a CPA and get advice on. Because I don't know if if disability benefits from the IRS standpoint come to the beneficiary

Okay. In

tax free status. I don't know.

Okay.

Okay. And that and that may and that may make a difference to them. You know? Mhmm. I I know that we looked out on the front end of this a disability retirement versus just state processing a standard, what would be probably an early retirement. And and I know that it was determined that the disability retirement was slightly more favorable to them. But that that's a question of, you know well, I don't guess it would matter because the worst would be that it is taxable, and then and a standard, pension benefit would be taxable for certain. So that wouldn't change anything there, I don't guess. Okay.

K. That might be something that

I didn't have an answer for it. Have them get in touch with a CPA?

Probably not. It's not really an actuary question.

As quickly as possible so that if there is any any way that the monies can come to them to to ease their tax burden, we can we can work with them on that.

Do you think it would be do you think I should mark the payment form as taxable amount not determined?

I think, yeah. Right now I think so, yes.

Okay. Thank you, sir.

Okay. Any other questions or concerns?

No, you're

not. Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Jim.

All right. Okay. Right. Chrissy, did you have anything else for us?

I don't. But we're going to start using the benefit calculation from Doug over the weekend. I'm going to work with Chief Titus today when I get back to my office and send you the forms, for Amy to come actually get and send those before I leave today. And you can send them to Amy, return them to me, reach out with any questions. If she's comfortable reaching out to me, she absolutely can. I'm all ears. And as soon as we get her paperwork back, I will send in the forms to Salem Trust and get her started and then work in the background to true up the benefit once we get the earnings information from the city.

And then Paul said we'll touch base on the COLAs at a later meeting.

Yes. And is someone going to follow-up with do we know when the doctor gets back from So

I think he's been gone. I think he left on the tenth. And they said it was a little over two weeks. So Okay. I'm assuming after Christmas.

Okay. Did Paul say he's going to be in touch with him? Or are you

I'll follow-up. So I guess Okay. I didn't want to belabor the meeting. But this is actually the form. It didn't require a signature. This is what Mr. Donnelly sent. If they want us to add a signature line to this because that's maybe a few record, then we would just send this back or ask them to just have him sign it and send it back to us and we make sure that you guys have it. So if it needs it, that's not an issue at all.

Jim, did you want the medical certification form from Doctor. Mamis that was dated the eleventh? It didn't have his wet ink signature on it. Does that need a signature? I thought I heard you say we should follow-up with that.

I'm

So I'm not sure. Maybe there's a little disconnect. Due to the timing, Paul had provided us an abridged version of the application that got rid of the questionnaire and a lot of that. So his bridge version just had a signature for Victor. And then this was what that second part for the doctor was. This is all that included. So it doesn't specifically ask for. It says printed name and license number. If they need a signature, I'm sure we could facilitate that down

the road.

But I think there might have just been a little bit of disconnect between Jim and Paul. But no, I think we've done what we need to with this. And then if we need to tighten up something, I'm sure we can handle that. All right. Any questions, comments, concerns?

Right. Right.

Yes, Matt. So just to follow-up, I want to make sure I heard that correctly. When the doctor's back in the country, we're going to follow-up with provided and and seek to get that form back with the doctor's signature on it. Correct?

Yes. That is the form that we have. The the email that you received this morning is different from the form we're looking at now. I don't know. Did you end up sending him this too? Okay. So the medical certification for Victor Cleveland, the the very short form, it's a copy, that is the form that was provided to us by Paul, the abridged form. So that that it didn't ask for a signature. It just asked for printed name. But, again, if we need to get a signature, that that's something we can handle them, you know, when they get back to the country.

Just as a matter of of tying up any loose ends, when the doctor's back, let's get that form signed add it to the packet.

Understood. All right. We'll make sure that's done. So okay. Outside of that, the next meeting is 03/13/2026, nine hundred hours. We have no public comment. Meeting is adjourned. Oh, we're be out. Sorry. Did we that's not an updated date?

Or is that

Change hold on. Oh, maybe it is the thirteenth.

Don't have to do the thirteenth. Was it the twenty sixth?

Yeah. We definitely made changes. Okay. Perfect.

So, yeah, we are correct. March 13.

That's right. Friday the thirteenth.

Thank you guys very much for coming on short notice. Thank you, Jim. I appreciate it. Meetings adjourned.

Thanks, Jim. Yeah.

Thank you. No worries. Alright. Have a good holiday.