I have drafted a resolution on Monday, October
5, 2015 calling for terminating participation in the Illinois
Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) for all Rock Island County Board
Members.
The resolution was sent
to Rock Island County Administrator Dave Ross and to Nick Camlin, Chair
of the Rock Island County Board Human Resources Committee
for consideration by the County Administrator and with the intent
of placement on the next Human Resources Committee meeting agenda for
discussion on November 10th at 10:00 a.m. for recommendation to the full
county board or consideration and vote on Tuesday, November 17th.
I have asked fellow county
board member Mr. Scott Terry to co-author this resolution with me in a
show of bi-partisan support.
The resolution states:
“WHEREAS, the Rock Island County Human Resources Committee recommends to
the County Board to adopt the IMRF Resolution to terminate County Board
member participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund; and
WHEREAS, the County Board has determined that a majority of its members
will not normally be performing the minimum of 1000 hour per year; and
WHEREAS, authorization is given to the County Clerk to sign and submit
the attached
IMRF Form 6.64T (03/12).
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the County Board approve this
recommendation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Clerk notifies the County Board
Office of this Action.”
When I was elected, I was given new employee paperwork from Rock Island
County Human Resources. Included in the new employee paperwork were IMRF
forms. I was not told that once one is in IMRF that a county board
member cannot opt out. Knowing what I have come to learn being on the
county board, I do not believe that IMRF is appropriate for county board
members and I do not wish to participate in IMRF.
In exploring what other counties and
municipalities have done, I discover that a governmental body can opt
out of IMRF participation. That is what I intend to do in this
resolution. It is the right move at the right time and shows we are
committed to working together for the good of the county given the dire
condition of our funds.
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