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Committee sends housekeeping pension ordinance changes and defined-contribution update to public hearing
Summary
The Ordinance Committee unanimously voted to send technical amendments to the city’s pension ordinance (Chapter 126) and related Chapter 84 provisions to public hearing.
The Ordinance Committee unanimously agreed to send housekeeping amendments to the pension ordinance and related chapters to public hearing. The committee moved Chapter 126 — governing the municipal pension plan — and Chapter 84 — related defined-contribution and OPEB references — toward public review after staff described the changes as technical updates to match the pension plan document.
Tom Livingston, who presented the amendments, told the committee the ordinance language in Section 126.2 was inconsistent with the written pension plan and required amendment to reflect the plan’s composition. The changes add an at-large “public” member slot referenced in the plan, clarify union representation on the pension board and replace references to the city comptroller with the chief financial officer (or the CFO’s designee). Livingston said he also shortened board member terms from five years to four to conform with charter limitations on commissions and boards.
Tom said the edits to Chapter 84 reflect that the pension board serves as the OPEB board and remove outdated references to the comptroller and to an incorrect five-member assumption. Several committee members noted that a broader pension-code review could be warranted in the future and would require outside counsel with ERISA expertise; the committee described the current package as time-sensitive only to allow filling a vacant board seat.
A motion to send Chapter 126 to public hearing passed unanimously; the committee explained that once the ordinance language is updated the Council can appoint the outstanding board member so the pension board becomes fully constituted. The committee then voted unanimously to send Chapter 84 to public hearing as well.
Staff indicated no substantive policy changes were proposed; the package is intended to conform city code with the written pension plan, to correct references and to allow immediate appointment of the final trustee.
