Pension Update, Odds and Ends
By Jim Meynard
It has been a quiet couple of months since the last issue. As I have been touting, in this magazine and in meetings around the state, we are, still, working the new computer system in. Actually, it is going quite well, considering what I now know about the condition of the records on the old one. Sharon, Cindy and Leanna have done a marvelous job of researching old records to make sure the data is correct and updating the new system to make sure it stays that way. Give them a big “Thanks!” next time you call, for sure.
As I have promised, you will get a letter shortly advising you of a member number and verifying your current pension service and beneficiary information. The delay in getting this out, long promised since October, is mainly due to data errors and equipment compatibility issues. We believe we have it all fixed. They are in the mail! We should be moving next toward sending out annual statements for each active member after the close of our fiscal year in July. Stay tuned for that one. It, too, will require some modifications for the first run, but I believe you will be pleased to see the result in the coming year and each year thereafter.
As you are all aware by now, C.H.Wofford retired from the Board of Trustees after many years of service as the retired representative. Chief Michael Buice, who already served on the board as an active firefighter but retired from Gwinnett County Fire Department earlier, was re-appointed to the Board to serve as the retired representative. C.H. was honored at a dinner with his family at The Old Town Feed and Seed in Conyers, where he received a commemorative wall clock and well wishes from the Trustees, staff and associates of the pension fund.
Chief Buice’s active firefighter Trustee position on the Board was filled by Captain Antonio Webb. Captain Webb is a Fire Inspection Officer with City Hall East in Atlanta. He has 13 years with the Atlanta Fire Department.
More recently, Winford Poitevint, the Governor’s designee on our Board, retired from government service and the Board. He has been replaced by Rita Smith, a Fire Safety Officer that has 25 years with the Rome Fire Department. Ms. Smith was appointed by Governor Roy Barnes to serve as the Governor’s Designee on the Board of Trustees.
Chief Buice serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees and Allen Conger, who is also a volunteer, serves as Vice Chair. Chief Alan Shuman, whom all of you know well as the State Fire Marshall, rounds out the Board of Trustees as the Insurance Commissioner’s Designee. This arrangement provides us with fire service knowledgeable people in all positions on our Board.
I am just about to turn six months’ service with the Pension Fund. I have learned a lot; I still have a lot to learn. I have been out to some of the district meetings and the conference in August. While I have tried to answer your questions, I am sure I have come up short a couple of times. And there is little excuse for that, for the same questions seem to come up in each meeting. Perhaps, this is a good place to address a couple of them, perhaps we should put an “FAQ” on the web site.
First, who qualifies for the pension fund? The answer is simple: any active firefighter, full time or volunteer, the day he/she becomes active, that is, joins the service of an ISO rated fire department, may join the pension fund. There is no waiting period, no probation. There is no age requirement; there is no age restriction. A firefighter does not have to belong to any other association or know anybody special (not even me). Firefighters in departments rated 1-8 become members of the older pension fund; firefighters in departments rated 9 become members in the newly created Class 9 fund. Benefits for the Class 9’s are not as good, but it is a newly created fund, stay tuned.
Active full time firefighters must qualify through the Standards and Training Council each year in order to receive pension credit for the year. This is an annual accreditation. Firefighters who do not meet the standards are not suspended or “kicked out” of the fund, they simply lose a year of pension service credit towards retirement. Dues for that year will be refunded to those who are not in compliance.
Volunteer firefighters must meet at least 50% of the aggregate of offered training, drills, and calls of their department in order to receive pension service credit. The department must offer at least 8 hours of training per month (total 96 hours per year). Each year, the Chief of the volunteer department will be asked to attest via affidavit as to the level of compliance of each of the members of the department that participate in the pension fund. Those that fail to meet the standard will lose pension service credit for the year. Dues will be refunded to those who do not meet the standard for the year.
Firefighters who join their respective pension fund after having been a firefighter for some period of time, may “buy back” time in that fund, as long as that time was served in compliance as described above. Time is bought back, not at the monthly dues rate, but at an actuarially determined rate that represents the previous rates of interest and the assumed actuarial risk foregone by the buyer. Firefighters interested in purchasing time must contact the pension office to determine the cost of buy back.
These are just a few of the easier questions and answers encountered in recent meetings. Please, if you have any questions regarding the Fund, either Fund, give me a call and I will get an answer.
Happy New Year!