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Richmond approves MERS addendum; change awaits union letters of understanding
Summary
The Richmond City Council approved a defined benefit plan addendum with MERS to change contribution splits for patrol officers, command and dispatchers, but the change will not be implemented until other unions provide letters of understanding, the city said.
The Richmond City Council voted to approve an addendum to the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (MERS) defined benefit plan for full-time patrol officers, command staff and dispatchers, with implementation contingent on receiving letters of understanding from other union groups.
City Manager told the council the recent contract negotiations with the patrol union produced an agreement to change how MERS contributions are split between employees and the employer. The city manager said similar letters of understanding will be required from the other two unions in order to finalize the change and that the city has begun discussions with those unions. If the letters arrive within the next few weeks, the addendum could be processed at the next council meeting.
“I believe a big move for the city council and administration to do this for their retirement purposes. We planned our budget around it,” the presiding officer said during discussion.
A motion to approve the mayor’s defined benefit plan adoption agreement addendum for the City of Richmond and to authorize the city manager to sign passed by voice vote. The transcript records no roll-call tally.
The meeting record shows the council approved the addendum with the understanding that final implementation depends on receiving and filing the required letters of understanding from the other unions and on MERS’ processing of approved minutes.
