03-27-1970 - Regular Meeting - Minutes0
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MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA
MARCH 27, 19.70.
The adjourned regular meeting of the City Council was called to order
at 4:02 P.M., by Mayor Leonard S. Gleckman, in the West Covina City
Hall. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Russ Nichols.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Gleckman; Councilmen Gillum, Nichols,
Chappell, Lloyd
Also Present: George W4kefield, City Attorney
Lela Preston, City Clerk
George Massa, City Manager
Leonard Eliot, Controller
H. R. Fast, Public Services Director
Allen Sill, Police Chief
Cal Wetherbee, Fire Chief
Jim Butler, President - W.C.C.E.A.
Ron Hedrick, President. - W.C.F.A,
Ross Nammar, Administrative Assistant
Mayor Gleckman: We have a request from the Edgewood Little
League with regard to experimenting and
allowing for opening day the use of advertis-
ing signs for their sponsors on the fences of the ball field. We
have an ordinance that prohibits this type of advertidng but it has
never been tried before and it would be of help to the League and it
might be given a try as an experiment and if Council agrees I would
entertain'l,a motion allowing the placing of signs on the fences on
Opening Day as an experiment with these type of signs, and further
ask our Sign Committee.presently working on recommendations, and
our Recreation & Park Commission to see this in action and then come
back with a recommendation.
So moved by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by
Councilman Nichols, and carried,
Mayor Gleckman: I alto have a request from the California
Committee on Aging, asking that we proclaim
the month of May as Senior Citizens Month.
If there are no objections,;I will so proclaim. (No objections.)
SISTER CITY. PROGRAM: ...
(Council.Discussion)
Mayor Gleckman: In the. absence of the City Manager and our
agendas at 4a05 P.M., I would ask Council
if they have any items they would like to bring up at this time?
Councilman Lloyd: I think we might.discuss for .a moment the
Sister'City Program.. We are supposed to stay
on top of this -and Mr. Nichols and I said we
were going to do something qnd .I for one-.fr-ankly, haven't done
much and if it is an important program then I thinkwe should probably
do something to get it off .of the ground. If we are not going to do
anything let's say we are not. I would like comments from the rest
of the Council.
Councilman Nichols: The last thing :that.happened, there was a meet-
ing among those vitally concerned with the
Sister City program and Councilman Lloyd and Councilman Nichols; and
I think at that time it was:left on the basis .we. would work with them
very carefully and would respond to their needs and would make specific
recommendations to the Council for approval of expenditure of funds,
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ADJ. REG. C.C, 3-27-70 Page Two
etc. We have received no further contact from any member or representa-
tive of. -the Sister CityGroup since that meeting, which leads me to
believe they must be disbanded or inactive. At any rate not needing
the presence or assistance of the City. There has been no request
for funding or further support to my knowledge. I think it would be
appropriate to have the Cite Manager direct a staff member to look
• into this and report back to us regarding its current status and
activities and at that time'we might discuss it further.
Mayor Gleckman: I had occasion to meet with Tom Lipscomb,
Chairman, of our Board Authority, who had
occasion to visit our Sister City recently
and he came back with a couple of programs he would like to get the
West Covina Sister City group involved in® I referred him to
Councilman Nichols and Councilman Lloyd because they were the Council
liaison, and I really didn't know the status of the Sister City
group. I would entertain,a±motion that Council direct one of the
members of staff to look into its present situation and come back with
a report for further actionjby Council, at our first meeting in
April.
So moved by Councilman -Lloyd, seconded by
Councilman Chappell, and carried.
Mayor Gleckman: I have been informed by the staff that the
City Manager is winding up his final
recommendation to the City Council and knowing how important it is
both to the employees and the City of West Covina, that whatever
action we take that it be a proper one, so I would suggest that we
afford the City Manager right up to the last minute whatever time is
• necessary for his recommendation. So at this time we will call a
recess.
• RECESS CALLED AT 4:10 P.M. 'COUNCIL RECONVENED AT 4.25 P.M.
1) EMPLOYEES" RETIREMENT PROGRAM
SOCIAL SECURITY WITHDRAWAL
(Mayor Gleckman apologized for the delay, and asked Mr. Aiassa for
his oral report.)
Mr. Aiassa: As you know we have had a series of meetings
City Manager all clay yesterday and called an early meeting
for p.m. today in case there was a mis-
understanding or technicalities in communications, and we have
changed one little area. I'am going to ask Mr. Eliot to present to
Council, our conclusions that we have arrived at between the Public
Safety employees and the Miscellaneous employees, and the recommenda-
tion we would like to pose to the Council, and then I would like to have
the Employees' Association president - Jim Butler address the
Council. I believe the Firemens° Association and the Policemens°
Association also have representatives present and each will present
to Council the outcome of tl'eir meetings held late last night.
Mayor Gleckman: We had a Temporary Restraining Order - Mr. City
Attorney will you tell us the disposition of
that `first?
Mr. Wakefield: The Temporary Restraining Order was dissolved
City Attorney thismorning at the request of the plaintiffs.
The action was taken off calendar so far as
the Court is concerned. Thy City Council is now free to take any
action it deems appropriateunder the circumstances.
Mr. Leonard Eliot Asa result of the various meetings held by
Controller the various associations with the City Manager
an area of agreement has been found and a
common recommendation has been made, and that. is that the City
permit the employees to drop social security coverage and go to a
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ADJ.-REG.: C.C. 3-27-70 Page Three
Employees' Retirement Systems
straight State Plan which would be the one-half pay at age 55 for the
Safety Employees and the 1/ Oth Plan for Miscellaneous Employees, with
a further proviso since employees will be losing a certain amount of
benefits under the Disability and preretirement Survivors Benefits,
that the City undertake to provide this by a separate insurance carrier.
• We have researched it carefully and based on our present plan wherein
we will be saving about $309,000 a year, the additional cost for the
additional coverage would still allow a net savings to the City and
• still protect against loss of any benefits, as part of the agreement
for the withdrawal of the suit. The Police and Fire Associations
had a meeting last night and in order.to help fund this insurance
they have agreed to have a three year period in which they will not
come back to this Council fqr any improvements in their Retirement
Plan. The Miscellaneous employees during this interim would be
coming back for improvement if available and present them to the
City Council. I believe that is the substance of all recommendations
from all Associations.
Jim Butler, President Speaking for the Association, however, I would
W.C.C.E.A. likethe presidents of the Firemens° and
Policemens° Associations to concur, we
are basically in agreement with Mr. Eliot's report, except I think
he neglected to mention the inclusion of the 1959 Survivors' Benefits
which the Personnel Board,hcd voted on as part of their recommenda-
tion to the City Council.
Mr. Eliot: Thatis correct.
Mike McCrary, President Our Board of Directors agreed to accept
Policemens° Association' this proposal.
Ron Hedrick, President Our Board of Directors met last night
Firemens° Association and came to the same conclusion and
recommendation of the Board in the past,
that we would accept the proposal of Mr. Aiassa.
Mr. Aiassa: Mr. Mayor, I would like this to go into the
City Manager reco'd. This is the -factor that will make
thisavailable to us. Mr. Wakefield contacted
Mr. Graybill, Attorney for the 'PERS, and he said he discussed the
problem of group insurance covering the Disability and Survivors'
Benefits with Deputy Attorney George Powers and both are of the
opinion that if the group'insurance contract that provides Disability
and Survivors' Benefits is not a fixed amount and without any age
or length of service stated3that there will be no conflict with
those sections of the public code which prohibit a public agency from
providing supplemental retitement benefits. In his letter, the last
paragraph, states "I would like, of course, to review the policy
proposed before any commitments are made and would suggest that more
than one proposal be obtained, if possible."
Mayor Gleckman: Thank you. Is there -anyone here that wishes
to make a statement at this time?
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THERE BEING NO FURTHER STATEMENTS HEARING CLOSED. COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
Councilman Gillum: I would like to take this opportunity to
commend.the employees, the Firemens° Associa-
tionand the Policemens° Association, and
the Employees' Association, also the City Manager and his staff. We
all know this program started out 18 months ago and we terminated, I
think, with a great deal of;.concern and unfortunately at times, hard
feelings. I would liketo commend all groups for helping to work
out the problems to the benefit and satisfaction of the majority of
the employees. As Chairman of the Committee I want to extend my
thanks to the Committee members and all those employees that have worked
so hard and diligently on this program.
Councilman Chappell: I would like to have the City Attorney tell,
us that we are on terra firma here and
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ADJ. REG. C.C. 3-27-70
Employees' Retirement Systems
Page Four
not leaving ourselves open for any type of liability that might have
been overlooked at this time.
Mr. Wakefield: As I.indicated in the memorandum which I
City Attorney wrote to Mr. Aiassa, I think there is no legal
• prohibition against the City contributing
towards the cost of providing a straight insurance policy providing
• Survivo_r and Disability Benefits in a fixed amount for Miscellaneous
employees. This is the major source of loss of benefits as I under-
stand it. Now in individual cases there may be some individual case
where an individual has lost some other kind of benefits which are
not now apparent, but the major portion of the potential liability
so far as the City is concerned, would be covered by a policy of
insurance along the lines ir}dicated.
There is no assurance yet that such a policy
can be obtained, although it is a typical kind of life insurance
and I don't see any real problem in finding a carrier willing to
write such a policy. Of course, the details are yet to be worked out
but I have every reason to believe they can be worked out to the
satisfaction of all concerned. Frankly, I see no legal problem in
the City proceeding to terminate Social Security coverage under the
conditions outlined by the various employee representatives.
Mayor Gleckman: Are there any further comments? If not a
motion would be in order.
Mr. Wakefield: Mr, Mayor - I might say that no action is
City Attorney required to actually terminate Social Security.
• The City Manager should be directed to communi-
cate with Miss Gaffney in the office of the PERS at Sacramento,
• advising her definitely that the City has decided to proceed with the
withdrawal from Social Security.
Mayor Gleckman: I would entertain a motion directing the
City`Manager to communicate by letter to
Miss Gaffney, at the State Office in Sacramento
of the Public Employees' Retirement System, advising that the City
has decided to proceed with the withdrawal from Social Security.
So moved by Councilman Chappell, seconded by
Councilman Lloyd. Motion carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Councilmen Gillum,! Nichols, Chappell, Lloyd, Mayor Gleckman
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
Mayor Gleckman: I would entertain a further motion that City
Council provide a Survivors and Disability
Benefits policy to be obtained as quickly as
possible to provide for the'Miscellaneous Employees who'. will lose
that type of coverage.
So moved by Councilman Chappell, seconded by
Councilman Lloyd.
(Attention was called to the fact that this policy should also cover
Safety employees.)
Councilman Lloyd offered an amended motion that City Council provide
a Survivors and Disability Benefits policy to be obtained as quickly
as possible to provide for the Miscellaneous Employees and Safety
Employees that will lose that type of coverage by -che withdrawal from
Social Security. Seconded by Councilman Chappell, and carried.
Vote called for on original motion. No "ayes",
all votes "Nay ". Motion defeated.
Mayor Gleckman: Mr. Aiassa or Mr. Wakefield - is there any
further action that must be taken at this
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ADJ. REG. C.C. 3-27-70 Page Five
Employees' Retirement Systems
meeting to provide the employees with what Council should provide*
them to protect the employees?
Mr. Aiassa: One item I would like to stress is that any
City Attorney savings of money now earmarked for retirement
• remain:earmarked for retirement and we build
a reserve fund, so that if there is an area wherein we can be sued
for a right or benefit given under the original PERS and OASDI by
• going to the straight PERS Ghat we have this fund. I also would
like to have a directive from the Council to immediately meet with
some of the insurance actuaries to see if we can make this plan for
the Disability and Survivor'benefits available. And one further
comment - Mr. Butler has polled his Board of Directors and they have
agreed to be the instrument=or vehicle to begin the policy for the
employees, they will be thecdtalyst and we will assist them in the
bookkeeping and the accounting.
Mr. Butler, President Yes weidid agree. I had one comment. The
W.C.C.E.A. 1959jSurvivors Benefits would be appreciated
also.; This was recommended by the Personnel
Board and the Retirement Committee.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Lloyd, and
carried, adding the 1959 Survivors' Benefits into the PERS system
contract.
Mr,. Aiassa: Mr. Mayor - I would like to make sure that
City Manager there is no one that wants to make a further
comment? And I hope we have "peace in the
• troops".
Mayor Gleckman: On behalf of City Council I would like to say
• that I think this City Council has reacted=
favorably towards the Employees' Association, at least in the 4 +
years I have been on Council, and all I. can say if there are any
hard feelings they are self-inflicted. City Council is a lay board
and we have you, the professionals, to rely on for most of the
decisions, including this one, and if you are unhappy about this one
all I can say is it is yourown fault, we did what we felt was best
for the community and the employees. We hope we can all live with
it so that we can do the job we set out to do and that is to give the
residents of this City the finest service as we have in the past,•
and as Mr. Aiassa says - "try and keep peace in the family" to
where we are all happy to be working for the City. I -know Mr. Aiassa
appreciates the services you render and I know the residents do,
otherwise we would be in trouble, especially the five elected
officials.
Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Lloyd, and
carried, adjourning meeting at 4:40 P.M.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
APPROVED:
MAYOR
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