Happy Thanksgiving!

 

November 16 Working Group Update

 The 911 Telecommunicators Pension Benefit Working Group met on November 16.

The Chair apologized for cancelling the November 9th meeting she says there was a scheduling conflict.

A Vice Chair was elected so if the Chair is ever absent again the show can go on.

As most readers of this blog know opposition letters came in from MNCORA, 88 Hennepin County Detention Deputies and 3 PERA Correctional Retirees. It seems to have got some attention.

At this meeting the Chair said she "got off the rails" by only focusing on two choices for Dispatchers, their current General Fund Plan and the PERA Correctional Plan and she was "tabling" the Correctional Plan so they could consider other options.

Tabled does not mean gone as an option.

The meeting got very long and they did not get through the whole agenda. I tried to question Chad Burkitt about his memo to no avail. It should be the first item at the next meeting.

Chad Burkitt memo for Pension Working Group is wrong!

 On November 8th, Chad Burkitt, Analyst for the LCPR published a Memo on the Agenda for the 911 Telecommunicator Pension Benefits Working Group. 

He cites Minnesota Statute 353.63 which spells out which Public Employees receive special provisions for retirement, disability , etc.  "...Since this work is hazardous, special provisions are hereby made for retirement pensions, disability benefits and survivors benefits based on the particular dangers inherent in these occupations..."

He then compares it to the State Plan under MSS 352.90 which specifically mentions "certain correctional employees..." 

Mr. Burkitt then comments on the bottom of the first page of his memo, "We found no similar policy statements for the PERA Local Government Correctional Service Retirement Plan or the MSRS State Patrol Plan." 

This is patently FALSE! The entire State Statute section of 353 is Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) and 353.63 does not exist in a vacuum but is a comprehensive part of the PERA Correctional Plan! 

MSS 353E.o2 spells out the PERA Correctional Plan.

MSS 353.031 Sub 2 Directly ties police and fire and corrections to the Retirement plan in 353.63! 

"Subd. 2.Plan document policy statement.

 Disability determinations for the public employees general fund must be made subject to section 353.01, subdivision 19; and for the police and fire plan and the local government correctional service retirement plan must be made consistent with the legislative policy and intent set forth in section 353.63."   (Emphasis mine.)

What's the big deal? First off Chad Burkitt is an Attorney and an Analyst for the LCPR. As such his legal memos should be correct. Secondly, the LCPR is supposed to be neutral as to what this Working Group decides as far as possibly increasing 911 Telecommunicator Pension Benefits and even adding them to the PERA Correctional Plan. 

His memo appears to put his thumb on the scale in favor of adding Dispatchers to the Correctional Plan. Why is a supposed neutral party even contributing a Memo to the Agenda of the Working Group?

A good question!

Pension Work Group update and Letters

The cancelled Pension Work Group meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday the 16th. The last meeting was cancelled by the Chair and couldn't proceed without her because there was no Vice Chair. I'm glad to see that the first order of business after attendance is Election Of Vice Chair. 

Here's the Agenda for the 16th: https://www.lcpr.mn.gov/documents/911WorkGroup/Agenda_11.16.2021_911_Working_Group.pdf

MNCORA submitted a letter opposing the addition of 911 Telecommunicators to the PERA Correctional Plan and included letters from CO's. Thank you MNCORA and to all who signed at Hennepin County PSF and those who submitted individual letters.  My understanding is more letters are coming from across the State as opposition is growing. 

The Pension Commission has a page where they list Information From Stakeholders.

Mid page you can read MNCORA's letter and those submitted by the HCSO Detention Deputies and retirees. 

An interesting observation, the letters submitted have the names of the individuals who submitted them LELS's letters are all anonymous!

I will update as news comes in. 

St. Cloud Prison halts intake after Covid Outbreak

 According to the Star Tribune St. Cloud Prison has paused intake of new inmates due to a Covid 19 spike.

FULL STORY

Happy Veterans Day

To all of our Veterans, Thank you!

Today's Work Group cancelled

Today's meeting of the 911 Telecommunicators Pension Benefits Working Group was cancelled by the Chair today one hour before the meeting, no explanation.

They are tentatively looking to reschedule for Friday.

Here was today's now cancelled Agenda. I assume it will be the same for the next meeting.

https://www.lcpr.mn.gov/documents/911WorkGroup/911WorkGroupMeetings.htm

Urgent-November 9th Pension Group Agenda

 The 911 Telecommunicators Benefits Working Group meets again on November 9th.

The agenda includes voting on whether 911 Telecommunicators should have enhanced pension benefits including a 55 retirement and if so should they be added to the PERA Correctional Plan.

https://www.lcpr.mn.gov/documents/911WorkGroup/Agenda_11.09.2021_911_Working_Group.pdf

The Minnesota Correctional Officer Retirement Association (MNCORA) is asking for letters of opposition from CO's and Retirees.

I am encouraging all of you to write one, LELS sent a letter including letters of support to add dispatchers to our plan!

This is from MNCORA's site:

We are asking Correctional Officers and Retirees to send a letter of opposition to adding 911 Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan send to:

MNCORA@protonmail.com 

Talking Points:

-State where you work, or worked and for how long.

-State why you are opposed to adding 911 Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan.

-Did your time before entering the PERA Correctional Plan transfer in? If you've become licensed did your Correctional time credit follow you? They seek to join the Correctional Plan with past credit!

-How long before you were, or will be vested in the PERA Correctional Plan?

-Have you been assaulted or witnessed a CO assaulted on the job?

-Have you become sick with Covid or other diseases from inmates or know CO's that have?

-Put your first and last name at the bottom, or at least first name and last initial.(LELS letters are anonymous!)

We will be sending our letter to the Working Group before the Tuesday meeting and would like to pass CO letters along too, and will continue to accumulate for future actions.

Prisons face staffing shortages due to Covid 19

 Fox News is reporting: 

US prisons face staffing shortages as corrections officers quit in droves amid COVID-19

Full Story