MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING
FEBRUARY 20, 2001

MEMBERS PRESENT: Leigh Ann Hogue, Instructional Assistant; Monica Johnson, Secretarial/Clerical; Gail M. Grimes, Instructional Assistant; Russ Southworth, Maintenance; Doug Botkin, Maintenance; Walter Kirk, Custodial; Judi Hale, Food Service; J D Jones, Law Enforcement; Mike Baker, Operations and Jo Ann Bright, Custodial. 

ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT: Doug Marshall, Budget; Diana Marshall-Shoop, Human Resources; Elizabeth Simpson, Hunan Resources and Wayne Young, Physical Support. OLD BUSINESS: Doug Botkin brought up that the Work Calendar committee needs a representative from the Classified Council. After a short discussion Doug Botkin nominated Russell Southworth to be the representative. No other nominations were made so Russell Southworth was elected to be Classified Council's representative on the Work Calendar committee. The first meeting will be held on February 23, 2001 @9:00 A.M. Food Service will hold an election on March 8, 2001 to fill the vacant Classified Council position. Elizabeth Simpson said that Ron Brown was checking with Legal Services about using available sick leave hours during scheduled breaks, so the individual would not be without pay during these breaks. 

NEW BUSINESS: Sara Gatewood a representative from County Employees Retirement System spoke to Classified Council and handed out information about the new laws dealt with the calculations to determine service credit. A copy of her handout is included. A few of the questions asked were:

1) Are there a minimum number of hours that must be worked per day to qualify for a days worth of service credit? NO THERE IS NOT A MINIMUM. WORKING ONE HOUR WILL COUNT THAT AS A DAY TOWARD SERVICE CREDIT.

2) If an individual does not work 180 days when their work calendar was more than 180 days, what is the formula for calculating the cost of the days to obtain a full years service credit?

If the member is contracted for the 185 and works less than 180 days then the calculation for buying the summer months is based on the 100% actuarial rate (number of months x age factor x CROP or final compensation, whichever is higher), if they are not contracted for 185 days and work less than 185 days at the end of the school year, then those summer months are calculated as they have been in the past (yearly wages divided by the number of months that they actually worked, multiplied by the number of months that they have to buy, and the member pays the employer and employee share of contributions on that average salary).

3) Our Law Enforcement Officers were asking about the hazardous duty retirement. One officer said that he understood that they would have to participate under the hazardous duty for 5 years before it would become effective for them. If we understood a hazardous duty participant only has to have 20 service years rather than 27 to be eligible for full retirement. Ho do the previous years they earned under the non-hazardous duty program count?

I don't know what the officer meant by "five years before it would become effective for them". A member is considered vested after 5 years, but hazardous duty would be effective from day one. Yes, 20 years is the magic number for hazardous duty employees, but it is more beneficial for them to have the full 20 under hazardous duty coverage. In regards to the non-hazardous service, they have the option to convert that to hazardous, assuming that it is the same position that hazardous duty was requested for. We actually do a retirement calculation. We multiply the Basic payment x a hazardous conversion factor. The Basic payment is calculated by multiplying final compensation (based on calculation date) x months of service to convert divided by 12 x factor for the system in which the non-hazardous contributions were reported x an early factor of 100%.

4) You explained how the 185 days were used to calculate a year's service credit. You said if the individual was under a 185-contract day position and worked at least 180 days would get a full years service credit. Suppose the individual did not start on the first day of the 185-contract day position but started on the third day and still worked more than 180 days. i.e. contract started on August 10th but the individual did not start until August 12th. Would they receive a full years service credit? If they are contracted for 185 days at the beginning of the year, and your agency verifies that they worked at least 180 of those days, they will get the 12 months. It all boils down to what you verify them for at the beginning of the year.

J D Jones, Law Enforcement Representative, ask about furniture needs in the Law Enforcement offices located in the various schools. Who should provide for those needs. Wayne Young said that the officer would need to complete a job request and send it to the Warehouse. If the furniture is still functional it will not be replaced, but if the furniture is not still functional it will be replaced. If some of the desk will not lock, you need to justify why the lock is needed.

Doug Botkin, Maintenance Representative, was inquiring about the Board owned vehicles that were being taken home under Board Policy 03.2321. The IRS requires if an employer owned vehicle is driven to and from home then the commute miles should be considered as income and reported on the employee's Form W-2. Financial Services should provide the calculations.

Doug Botkin, Maintenance Representative, ask how the survey went for the savings bonds. Diana Schoop said there was a very low response and therefore Financial Services will not consider the payroll deduction.

The next Classified Council meeting will be held on Monday, April 16, 2001.

PLEASE REMIND ALL EMPLOYEES THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REVIEW THE ANNUAL RETIREMENT STATEMENTS THAT ARE MAILED TO THEIR HOME ADDRESS IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER EACH YEAR. IF YOU HAVE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS DEDUCTED FROM YOUR PAYCHECK AND YOU DO NOT RECEIVE AN ANNUAL STATEMENT, PLEASE CONTACT DIANA SCHOOP IN HUMAN RESOURCES. ALSO EACH INDIVIDUAL SHOULD COMPLETE THE SOCIAL SECURITY FORM, WHICH WILL REPORT BACK TO THEM THE AMOUNTS PER YEAR THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED FOR THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS. THE PAYROLL OFFICE HAS THESE FORMS THAT YOU CAN REQUEST.

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Last update: 2/20/2004 4:00:49 PM