The Pembroke Pines City Commission appointed two members to the Police & Fire Pension Board during its Aug. 20 meeting and agreed to broaden outreach for future openings to attract candidates with financial-services backgrounds.

Mayor Angelo Castillo nominated two candidates to fill city-appointed seats on the nine-member pension board; those appointments were part of a wider discussion about the importance of fiscal expertise on the board that oversees a large public pension fund.

Commissioners discussed the statutory and local-code eligibility requirements for citizen appointees and concluded the city may lawfully prefer candidates with financial experience although the code does not require it. Several commissioners urged expanded outreach to increase the applicant pool for future vacancies, including targeted digital outreach to reach residents with investment, fiduciary or pension oversight experience.

The commission voted on the two appointments; the meeting record shows the motion carried with a 4–1 vote. Commissioner comments emphasized the board’s oversight role for roughly a billion-dollar portfolio and the importance of strong fiduciary oversight to preserve the fund’s long-term health and reduce the city’s large pension-related property-tax contribution.

Councilmembers asked staff to re-run recruitment outreach with additional targeted social-media advertising and to return with a revised application period if a broader pool is needed for future seats. Current board members whose terms have expired were noted to continue serving until replaced per local rules.