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CITY OF RAMSEY, MINNESOTA <br />NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS <br />December 31, 1990 <br />Note 9. DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS - STATEWIDE <br />A. Plan Description <br />All full-time and certain part-time employees of the City of Ramsey are <br />covered by defined benefit pension plans administered by the Public <br />Employees Retirement Association of Minnesota (PERA). PERA administers the <br />Public Employees Retirement Fund (PEKE) and the Public Employees Police and <br />Fire Fund (PEPFF) which are cost-sharing multiple-employer retirement plans. <br />PERF members belong to either the Coordinated Plan or the Basic Plan. <br />Coordinated members are covered by Social Security and Basic members are <br />not. All new members must participate in the Coordinated Plan. All police <br />officers, firefighters and peace officers who qualify for membership by <br />statute are covered by the PEPFF. The payroll for employees covered by PERF <br />and PEPFF for the year ended December 31, 1990, was $574,247 and $339,762, <br />respectively; the City's total payroll was $1,083,801. <br />PERA provides retirement benefits as well as disability benefits to members, <br />and benefits to survivors upon death of eligible members. Benefits are <br />established by State Statute, and vest after three years of credited <br />service. The defined retirement benefits are based on a member's average <br />salary for any five successive years of allowable service, age, and years of <br />credit at termination of service. Two methods are used to compute benefits <br />for Coordinated and Basic members. The retiring member receives the higher <br />of step-rate benefit accrual formula (Method 1) or a level accrual formula <br />(Method 2). Under Method 1, the annuity accrual rate for a Basic member is <br />2~ of average salary for each of the first ten years of service and 2.5o for <br />each remaining year. Fora Coordinated member, the annuity accrual .rate is <br />1$ of average salary for each of the first ten years and 1.5o for each <br />remaining year. Using Method 2, the annuity accrual rate is 2.5% of average <br />salary for Basic members and 1.5% for each remaining year. Using Method 2, <br />the annuity accrual rate is 2.5a of average salary for Basic members and <br />1.So for Coordinated members. For PEPFF members, the annuity accrual rate <br />is 2.5o for each year of service. For PERF members whose annuity is <br />calculated using Method 1, and for all PEPFF members, a full annuity, is <br />available when age plus years of service equal 90. <br />There are different types of annuities available to members upon retirement. <br />A normal annuity is a lifetime annuity that ceases upon the death of the <br />retiree. No survivor annuity is payable. There are also various types of <br />joint and survivor annuity options available which will reduce the monthly <br />normal annuity amount, because the annuity is payable over joint lives. <br />Members may also leave their contributions in the fund upon termination of <br />public service, in order to qualify for a deferred annuity at retirement <br />age. Refunds of contributions are available at any time to members who <br />leave public service, but before retirement benefits begin. <br />B. Contributions Recduired and GontribLtions Made <br />Minnesota Statutes Chapter 353 sets the rates for employer and employee <br />contributions. The City makes annual contributions to the pension plans <br />equal to the amount required by State Statutes. According to Minnesota <br />Statutes Chapter 356.215, Subd. 4(g), the date of full funding required for <br />the PERF and the PEPFF is the year 2020. <br />-27- <br />