08-09-1995 FSTFSR MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER FIRE DEPARTMENT COMPENSATION TASK FORCE HELD AT THE ELK RIVER FIRE STATION WEDNESDAY,AUGUST 9, 1995 Members Present: Bob Pearson, Randy Sykes, Tom Dillon, Hank Duitsman, Lori Johnson Members Absent: Cliff Skogstad The meeting of the Elk River Fire Department Compensation Task Force was called to order at 6:35 p.m. by Randy Sykes. Randy indicated that there were several changes in the minutes of the July 11, 1995, meeting. He indicated that the vote was stated incorrectly at the meeting and it should have been 25 against, one in favor. This and other changes to the minutes will be entered in the record. Randy opened the meeting stating that no vote had been taken on the Mayor's April 27, 1995, proposal. Randy further indicated that at the last Fire Department meeting, the fire membership gave the Task Force a directive which was to not continue pursing the change to a defined contribution plan. • Hank stated that he would like an opportunity to discuss this directive as a change to the defined contribution plan was the basis for all other changes in the fire compensation. He further indicated that he would like an opportunity to present his proposal to the Fire Department. He stated that last year's contribution to the Relief Association was given based on the fact that the plan would move towards changing to a defined contribution plan. If that is not the case, the Council may need to consider contributing only the legally required amount. Hank asked what the membership felt was wrong with the proposal that he had presented. He indicated that the hours each firefighter puts in are climbing and he does not believe that they are going to go down, even with a possible change to company alarms. Tom expressed concern that there are no guarantees with a defined contribution plan. Hank reiterated that he would not expect a future Council to change or reduce a per hour rate which was what had been proposed previously. Tom expressed concern that he does not know one fire department under the defined contribution plan that gets a city contribution. Hank indicated that it would be the Relief Association's decision as to whether or not the pension fund received a contribution because the total hourly amount would be split between base pay and a pension contribution as the membership requested. Hank also stated that under the method proposed whereby firefighters would receive a set amount per hour which would include their base pay plus the retirement contribution, the city would pick up any decrease in state aid. Bob and Tom indicated that they do not feel that state aid is going to be decreased or eliminated and therefore the firefighters would take on the liability for any change in state aid. Hank explained that he would expect that as other employees got increases, firefighters would also get an increase in pay.