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CITY OF LINO LAKES, MINNESOTA
<br />NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
<br />December 31,2015
<br />Note 6 PENSION PLANS
<br />A. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION (PERA)-DEFINED BENEFIT
<br />PLANS
<br />PLAN DESCRIPTION
<br />The City participates in the following cost-sharing multiple-employer defined benefit pension plans
<br />administered by the Public Employees Retirement Association of Minnesota (PERA). PERA's defined
<br />benefit pension plans are established and administered in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, Chapters
<br />353 and 356. PERA's defined benefit pension plans are tax qualified plans under Section 401 (a) of the
<br />Internal Revenue Code.
<br />I. General Employees Retirement Fund (GERF)
<br />All full-time and certain part-time employees of the City are covered by the General Employees
<br />Retirement Fund (GERF). GERF members belong to either the Coordinated Plan or the Basic
<br />Plan. Coordinated Plan members are covered by Social Security and Basic Plan members are not.
<br />The Basic Plan was closed to new members in 1967. All new members must participate in the
<br />Coordinated Plan.
<br />2. Public Employees Police and Fire Fund (PEPFF)
<br />The PEPFF, originally established for police officers and firefighters not covered by a local relief
<br />association, now covers all police officers and firefighters hired since 1980. Effective July I,
<br />1999, the PEPFF also covers police officers and firefighters belonging to a local relief association
<br />that elected to merge with and transfer assets and administration to PERA.
<br />BENEFITS PROVIDED
<br />PERA provides retirement, disability, and death benefits. Benefit provisions are established by state statute
<br />and can only be modified by the state legislature.
<br />Benefit increases are provided to benefit recipients each January. Increases are related to the funding ratio
<br />of the plan. Members in plans that are at least 90"/o funded for two consecutive years are given 2.5%
<br />increases. Members in plans that have not exceeded 90% funded, or have fallen below 80%, are given I%
<br />increases.
<br />The benefit provisions stated in the following paragraphs of this section are current provisions and apply to
<br />active plan participants. Vested, terminated employees who are entitled to benefits but are not receiving
<br />them yet are bound by the provisions in effect at the time they last terminated their public service.
<br />I. GERF Benefits
<br />Benefits are based on a member's highest average salary for any five successive years of allowable
<br />service, age, and years of credit at termination of service. Two methods are used to compute benefits
<br />for PERA's Coordinated and Basic Plan members. The retiring member receives the higher of a step-
<br />rate benefit accrual formula (Method I) or a level accrual formula (Method 2). Under Method I, the
<br />annuity accrual rate for a Basic Plan member is 2.2% of average salary for each of the first ten years
<br />of service and 2. 7% for each remaining year. The annuity accrual rate for a Coordinated Plan member
<br />is 1.2 percent of average salary for each of the first ten years and I. 7% for each remaiuing year.
<br />Under Method 2, the annuity accrual rate is 2. 7% of average salary for Basic Plan members and l. 7%
<br />for Coordinated Plan members for each year of service. For members hired prior to July I, 1989, a
<br />full annuity is available when age plus years of service equal 90 and normal retirement age is 65.
<br />CITY OF LINO LAKES, MINNESOTA
<br />NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
<br />December 31,2015
<br />Note 6 PENSION PLANS !CONTINUED>
<br />A. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION (PERA)-DEFINED BENEFIT
<br />PLANS (CONTINUED)
<br />I. GERF Benefits (Continued)
<br />For members hired on or after July I, 1989, normal retirement age is the age for unreduced Social
<br />Security benefits capped at 66. Disability benefits are available for vested members and are based
<br />upon years of service and average high-five salary.
<br />2. PEPFF Benefits
<br />Benefits for the PEPFF members first hired after June 30, 2010, but before July I, 2014, vest on a
<br />prorated basis from 50% after five years up to I 00% after ten years of credited service. Benefits for
<br />PEPFF members first hired after June 30, 2014, vest on a prorated basis from 50"/o after ten years up
<br />to I 00% after twenty years of credited service. The annuity accrual rate is 3% of average salary for
<br />each year of service. ForPEPFF who were first hired prior to July I, 1989, a full annuity is available
<br />when age plus years of service equal at least 90.
<br />CONTRIBUTIONS
<br />Minnesota Statutes Chapter 353 sets the rates for employer and employee contributions. Contribution rates
<br />can only be modified by the state legislature.
<br />I. GERF Contributions
<br />Basic Plan members and Coordinated Plan members were required to contribute 9.1% and 6.50"/o,
<br />respectively, of their annual covered salary in calendar year 2015. The City was required to
<br />contribute 11.78% of pay for Basic Plan members and 7.50"/o for Coordinated Plan members in
<br />calendar year 2015. The City contributions to the GERF for the year ended December 31, 2015,
<br />were $182,102. The City contributions were equal to the required contributions as set by state
<br />statute.
<br />2. PEPFF Contributions
<br />Plan members were required to contribute 10.8% of their annual covered salary in calendar year
<br />2015. The City was required to contribute 16.20% of pay for PEPFF members in calendar year
<br />2015. The City contributions to the PEPFF for the year ended December 31, 2015, were
<br />$393,560. The City contributions were equal to the required contributions as set by state statute.
<br />PENSION COSTS
<br />I. GERF Pension Costs
<br />At December 31, 2015, the City reported a liability of $2,124,833 for its proportionate share of the
<br />GERF's net pension liability. The net pension liability was measured as of June 30, 2015, and the
<br />total pension liability used to calculate the net pension liability was determined by an actuarial
<br />valuation as of that date. The City's proportion of the net pension liability was based on the
<br />City's contributions received by PERA during the measurement period for employer payroll paid
<br />dates from July I, 2014, through June 30, 2015, relative to the total employer contributions
<br />received from all of PERA's participating employers. At June 30, 2015, the City's proportion
<br />share was .00410% which was a decrease of .0022% from its proportion measured as ofJune 30,
<br />2014.
<br />For the year ended December 31,2015, the City recognized pension expense of$257,399 for its
<br />proportionate share of the GERF's pension expense. IV-27
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