FROM: Barbara Hannah, Chief Counsel
SUBJECT: General Policy No. 022 (Authorization to Approve Service Retirements)
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve and adopt General Policy No. 022 (Authorization to Approve Service Retirements).
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BACKGROUND:
Government Code Section 31670 establishes a formal process to retire members of county retirement systems operating under the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (“CERL”). Subsection (a) indicates that retirements shall be made by the Board of Retirement (“the Board”). Currently, SBCERA follows a practice consistent with this subsection, in which service retirements are brought before the Board every month as part of the consent agenda. Depending on several factors, service retirements brought to the Board in this manner generally cover dates ranging from a month or two prior to a month or two following the Board meeting date.
To ensure efficiency in processing and approving a member’s service retirement, staff proposes a new policy in accordance with Section 31670(b), permitting the Board to authorize the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) to exercise the Board’s power and perform its duty to retire members who have met the requirements for age and service. This effectively allows an important administrative step in the retirement process to happen more quickly than in current practice. In doing so, we should be less likely to encounter any administrative delays in placing a member on payroll pending approval of a member’s service retirement. To complete the process, as required by Section 31670, service retirements will still be brought to the Board at each regular meeting, but as an informational item rather than on consent.
Committee review:
This item was reviewed by the Administrative Committee at its meeting on August 17, 2023, and recommends Board approval with a 3-0 vote. Trustee Hatch was absent.
BUDGET IMPACT:
None.
STRATEGIC PLANNING GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
Operational Excellence & Efficiency
STAFF CONTACT:
Barbara Hannah
Debby Cherney
Colin Bishop
ATTACHMENTS:
Exhibit A: General Policy No. 022 (Authorization to Approve Service Retirements)