HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 10142 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 10142
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council May 18, 2018
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SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO FORT WORTH POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
UF MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT
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The purpose of this Informal Report is to inform the Mayor and Council about an upcoming amendment to
Article 14, Section 5, of the Meet and Confer Agreement between the City of Fort Worth, Texas and the
Fort Worth Police Officers Association (FWPOA) that expires on September 30, 2020.
Prior to the latest Meet and Confer Agreement, Officers were eligible for annual physical fitness incentive
pay of either $300 (hired before October 1, 2009) or $1,000 (hired on or after October 1, 2009) which were
deposited into a Health Retirement Savings account. These funds were intended to help assist Officers with
health care expenses in retirement. The differences in amounts are reflective of the fact that all employees
hired on or after October 1, 2009 will not receive any health care subsidy from the City.
In the most recent, current, Meet and Confer Agreement, all Officers are now eligible for $1,000 in annual
physical fitness incentive pay that is paid directly to them — no longer deposited into their Health
Retirement Savings (HRA) account. The manner in which these accounts were set-up, per their intent, they
can only receive employer contributions — Officers cannot voluntarily contribute to these accounts. As
such, with no new contributions, forthcoming, the FWPOA has approached the City to abolish and
distribute the funds to the affected members.
As of January 2018, combined HRA assets totaled $1,244,764.00 for 470 police officers with an average
balance of$2,616.00 (high account balance of$5,284.00 and a low balance of$263.00). HRA plan fees in
2017 were $11,575.00. Each officer pays a $25.00 annual administrative fee paid quarterly ($625) from
individual HRA account assets. The City has a Forfeiture Account balance of $15,265.00 which will be
returned to the City of Fort Worth Police Department revenue account.
To be eligible for a distribution, an officer would have to be employed with the City of Fort Worth at the
time the amendment to the Meet and Confer Agreement is executed. Officers who have terminated
employment from the city prior to the dissolution of the HRA will not be eligible for a distribution. The
HRA agreement with ICMA-RC will be dissolved and HRA distributions will be processed through the
city's payroll system and taxed as ordinary income. HRA distributions are not considered pensionable
earnings and will not be reported as such to the City of Fort Worth Employee Retirement Fund.
For an amendment to any provision of the Meet and Confer Agreement to be effective, the amendment
must be ratified by a majority vote of police officers and approved by City Council. The Association will
inform the City when a majority of police officers will vote to ratify the amendment to Article 14 of the
Meet and Confer Agreement.
We anticipate the amendment to come to the Mayor and Council this summer for approval.
If you have any questions please contact Brian Dickerson, Human Resources Director at 817-392-7783.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS