Brian Head to pick up 5.98% retirement contribution for Public Safety Tier II employees

Brian Head's Town Council voted unanimously on June 9 to pick up a 5.98% employee contribution for public-safety employees enrolled in the transitional Tier II retirement system, a measure the council said is intended to help retain affected staff.

Admin. Service Director Shane Williamson and Public Safety Director Chief Dan Benson outlined the background: a 2012 legislative restructuring of public-employee retirement created a Tier 2 system that initially provided a lower benefit (37.5% at 25 years) for a transitional group of hires. The Legislature later established a '25-50' structure (50% at 25 years) for later Tier 2 hires, but Benson said employees hired during the earlier transitional period "remain locked into the 37.5 percent tier." The town reviewed options such as rehiring or termination but concluded employees could not be moved into the improved tier.

Chief Benson described the council's local response: "Picking up the employee contribution of 5.98 percent is a meaningful way to partially offset the benefit disparity these employees face and to demonstrate the Town's commitment to retaining its public safety staff," he said.

Council Member Tidwell moved to adopt Resolution 26-575, which elects to pick up the 5.98% contribution required under subsection 49-23-301(2) as enacted in SB 56 (Public Safety and Firefighting Tier 2 Retirement Enhancements) effective July 1, 2026. Council Member Cruz seconded the motion and the vote was recorded 4-0 in favor (Freeberg, Cruz, Tidwell, Mayor Pro Tem Nyen; Mayor Calloway absent).

The council expressed hope that the Utah Legislature will eventually equalize Tier 2 benefits statewide. For now, the local pickup applies to town employees participating in the specified Public Safety Tier II contributory retirement system and becomes effective July 1, 2026.