VLAWMO Annual Financial Report 2018

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VADNAIS LAKE AREA WATER MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS DECEMBER 31, 2018 NOTE 4 DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS — STATEWIDE (CONTINUED) Benefits Provided PERA provides retirement, disability, and death benefits. Benefit provisions are established by state statute and can only be modified by the state Legislature. Vested, terminated employees who are entitled to benefits, but are not receiving them yet, are bound by the provisions in effect at the time they last terminated their public service. Benefit increases are provided to benefit recipients each January. Increases are related to the funding ratio of the plan. If the General Employees Plan is at least 90% funded for two consecutive years, benefit recipients are given a 2.5% increase. If the plan has not exceeded 90% funded, or have fallen below 80%, benefit recipients are given a 1% increase. A benefit recipient who has been receiving a benefit for at least 12 full months as of June 30 will receive a full increase. Members receiving benefits for at least one month but less than 12 full months as of June 30 will receive a pro rata increase. The benefit provisions stated in the following paragraphs of this section are current provisions and apply to active plan participants. Vested, terminated employees who are entitled to benefits but are not receiving them yet are bound by the provisions in effect at the time they last terminated their public service. General Employees Fund Benefits General Employees Plan benefits are based on a members highest average salary for any five successive years of allowable service, age, and years of credit at termination of service. Two methods are used to compute benefits for PERA's Coordinated Plan members. Members hired prior to July 1, 1989, receive the higher of Method 1 or Method 2 formulas. Only Method 2 is used for members hired after June 30, 1989. Under Method 1, the accrual rate for Coordinated Plan members is 1.2% of average salary for each of the first 10 years of service and 1.7% of average salary for each additional year. Under Method 2, the accrual rate for Coordinated Plan members is 1.7% of average salary for all years of service. For members hired prior to July 1, 1989, a full annuity is available when age plus years of service equal 90 and normal retirement age is 65. For members hired on or after July 1, 1989, normal retirement age is the age for unreduced Social Security benefits capped at 66. Contributions Minnesota Statutes Chapter 353 sets the rates for employer and employee contributions. Contribution rates can only be modified by the state Legislature. General Employees Fund Contributions Coordinated Plan members were required to contribute 6.50% of their annual covered salary in fiscal year 2018 and the Organization was required to contribute 7.50% for Coordinated Plan members. The Organization's contributions to the General Employees Fund for the year ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, were $21,847 and $23,227, respectively. The Organization's contributions were equal to the required contributions as set by state statute. (35)