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Presenter outlines costs and benefits of affiliating police with KP&F; council told deadline is Dec. 1
Summary
A KP&F representative told Hillsboro council the police-and-fire plan offers enhanced disability and death benefits and earlier retirement; affiliation is irrevocable, membership would be mandatory for covered positions, and documents are due to KP&F by Dec. 1 to affiliate for Jan. 1, 2026.
Paige Ashley, an affiliation representative for the Kansas Police and Fire (KP&F) system, told the Hillsboro City Council that affiliating the city’s police positions with KP&F would offer stronger disability and death benefits and a larger retirement multiplier than the general KPERS plan.
“I always say when I come to do presentations that I am not here to sell KP&F by any stretch of the imagination,” Ashley said, adding later that many members join primarily for the retirement benefits. She told council members affiliation is irrevocable once adopted and that any covered position moved to KP&F would have mandatory membership.
Ashley described key financial differences: employee contributions would rise from the current KPERS rate (noted in the packet as 6% for members) to about 7.55% for KP&F members; employer contributions to KP&F are larger and were described in the presentation as roughly 24% (staff cautioned the employer share fluctuates). She said KP&F’s vesting rules require 15 years for police and firefighters to vest, and noted portability rules that can combine prior KPERS service and KP&F service for retirement calculation.
Ashley said the next possible affiliation date is Jan. 1, 2026 and that the city would need to submit affiliation documents and the meeting minutes showing council approval to the KP&F office by Dec. 1 to meet that cycle. City Administrator Matt Stiles told the council staff has factored likely contribution changes into the proposed budget and that, if the council chooses to move forward, staff will prepare a resolution for a future meeting.
Council members asked whether part-time or volunteer staff would be affected; Ashley said only covered positions meeting minimum hours would be included and that agencies can choose to affiliate for police, fire or both. The presentation closed with an offer from Ashley to provide further information to staff and to accept follow-up questions.
The council did not vote on affiliation at this meeting but directed staff to prepare paperwork and a resolution for consideration if the council wishes to proceed.
