Loading...
03-27-1970 - Regular Meeting - Minutes0 • • 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, - 1 .- 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 ® 2 - 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? i F 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 - 3 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 - 4 - 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 - 5 - nb