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CITY OF ELK RIVER <br />NOTES TO BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS <br />DECEMBER 31, 2019 <br />NOTE 11 DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS —FIRE RELIEF ASSOCIATION <br />A. Plan Description <br />All members of the Elk River Fire Department (the Department) are covered by a defined <br />benefit plan administered by the Elk River Fire Department Relief Association (the <br />Association). As of December 31, 2018, the plan covered 43 active fire fighters and 6 <br />vested terminated firefighters whose pension benefits are deferred. The plan is a single <br />employer retirement plan and is established and administered in accordance with <br />Minnesota Statute, Chapter 69. <br />The Association maintains a separate Special fund to accumulate assets to fund the <br />retirement benefits earned by the Department's membership. Funding for the <br />Association is derived from an insurance premium tax in accordance with the Volunteer <br />Firefighter's Relief Association Financing Guidelines Act of 1971 (chapter 261 as <br />amended by chapter 509 of Minnesota statutes 1980). Funds are also derived from <br />investment income. <br />B. Benefits Provided <br />Twenty -Year Service Pension <br />Each member who is at least 50 years of age; has retired from the Fire Department of <br />the City of Elk River; has served at least 20 years of active service with such department <br />before retirement; and, has been a member of the Association in good standing for at <br />least five years prior to such retirement; shall be entitled to a lump sum service pension <br />in the amount of $7,120 for each year of service. <br />Less Than Twenty -Year Service Pension <br />The bylaws of the Association also provide for an early vested service pension for a <br />retiring member who has completed fewer than 20 years of service. The reduced <br />pension, available to members with a minimum of five years of service, shall be equal to <br />40% of the pension as prescribed by the bylaws. This percentage increases 4% per year <br />so that at 20 years of service, the full amount prescribed is paid. Members who retire <br />with less than 20 years of service and have reached the age of 50 years and have <br />completed at least five years of active membership are entitled to a reduced service <br />pension not to exceed the amount calculated by multiplying the member's service <br />pension for the completed years of service times the applicable nonforfeitable <br />percentage of pension. <br />C. Contributions <br />Minnesota Statutes, Chapters 424 and 424A authorize pension benefits for volunteer fire <br />relief associations. The plan is funded by fire state aid, investment earnings and, if <br />necessary, employer contributions as specified in Minnesota Statutes and voluntary City <br />contributions (if applicable).The state of Minnesota contributed $189,502 in fire state aid <br />to the plan on behalf of the City Fire Department for the year ended December 31, 2019, <br />which was recorded as a revenue. Required employer contributions are calculated <br />annually based on statutory provisions. The City's statutorily -required contribution to the <br />plan for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $-0- but the City voluntarily contributed <br />$30,000. <br />in <br />