F&P Pension Emergency Special Board Meeting IP: 173.171.208.35 Posted on January 28, 2012 at 03:52:29 PM by Dennis Ribaya
28 January 2012
To: All Retirees
On January 19, 2012 a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Fire & Police Pension Board was held regarding the level of professional services provided to the Pension Fund by attorneys, accountants, actuaries, investment managers, etc. The members of the committee were; F&P Pension Chairman P.J. Gray, Vice Chairman Wes Adwell, Secretary Sharon Fox along with Plan Administrator Jennifer Campbell.
The purpose of this committee was to make recommendations to the other six Trustees of their recommendations to either renew or seek to replace, any or all, of the contracted professionals which are employed by the Pension Fund. At this meeting the committee decided that Pension Attorney Ronald Cohen’s service to the Fund should not be renewed, for unspecified reasons, and Chairman P.J. Gray volunteered to inform Attorney Ronald Cohen of the committee's decision tomorrow, January 20, 2012, via telephone. Upon hearing the news from Chairman P.J. Gray, Pension Attorney Ronald Cohen immediately resigned.
At the Trustees meeting of 26 January 2012, it was brought to the attention of Chairman P.J. Gray that notice of the Executive Committee meeting was not timely posted. Since it was held on such short notice, less than 24 hours, five of the nine Trustees were not aware that the meeting was to take place and consequently they did not attend. This is probably a violation of the Florida Sunshine Law and subsequently an Emergency Special Board Meeting has been scheduled for February 2, 2012.
This Emergency Special Board Meeting will be held to discuss why Pension Attorney Ronald Cohen was told, by Chairman P.J. Gray, that the committee was recommending not to renew his contract. This committee is set up annually to make recommendations to the board of their findings, and it is up to all the Trustees, in open meeting to vote, after lengthy discussion, to accept or reject the committee’s recommendations. Also, the Pension Attorney should have the courtesy of defending himself at this public meeting. This committee has overstepped their bounds and as such should be held accountable for their actions.
All retirees interested in watching firsthand how our Pension Fund works should endeavor to be at this Emergency Special Board Meeting to be held at the F & P Pension Office, Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 2:00 PM. The meeting is open to any person who desires to attend.