HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 2003 s
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ORDINANCE N0.
AN ORDINANCE CREATING A POLICEMENIS RELIEF, RE-
TIREMENT AND PENSION FUND; LEVYING AND APPRO-
PRIATING FUNDS FOR THE ESTABLISH11ENT THEREOF
FOR THE NEXT ENSUING FISCAL YEAR AND FOR FUTURE
YEARS AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 1644; PRO-
VIDING FOR DIRECTING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SAID
FUND; CREATING AND PROVIDING FOR THE SELECTION
OF A BOARD OF TRUSTEES; PRESCRIBING THE DUTIES,
POWERS, QUALIFICATIONS, TIME OF MEETING OF SUCH
BOARD; PROVIDING FOR MEMBERSHIP; PROVIDING FOR
AND PRESCRIBING THE TIME AND MANNER OF DETERMIN-
ING ASSESSMENTS UPON POLICEMEN PARTICIPATING IN
THE BENEFITS HEREUNDER AND FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF
DONATIONS AND OTHER GIFTS OF MONEY IN AUGMENTA-
TION OF SUCH FUND; PROVIDING FOR RETIREMENT AND
PENSION OF POLICEMEN BECAUSE OF DISABILITY AND
AGE, THE LENGTH OF SERVICE AND PRESCRIBING THE
QUALIFICATIONS, AMOUNTS, MANNER OF OBTAINING AND
WHO SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE SUCH BENEFITS;
PROVIDING FOR REFUNDS; PROVIDING FOR AND PRES-
CRIBING THE AMOUNT OF ALLOWANCE OR BENEFITS TO
A WIDOW, DEPENDENT CHILDREN OR DEPENDENT PARENTS
IN THE EVENT OF DEATH AND DEFINING WHO MAY PAR-
TICIPATE AS SUCH BENEFICIARIES; EXEMPTING BENEFITS
UNDER THIS ORDINANCE; AND PROVIDING FOR THE
EXEMPTION OF BENEFITS AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 15
OF ARTICLE 6243B, AND FURTHER PROVIDING THAT
SUCH BENEFITS UNDER THIS ORDINANCE SHALL NOT BE
ASSIGNABLE; PROVIDING FOR MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS
AND PROVIDING FOR THE INVESTMENT OF THE SURPLUS
OF THE FUND; PROVIDING FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH BY ANNUAL AND MONTHLY
APPROPRIATIONS TO SAID FUND; PROVIDING FOR THE
SEPARATION OF FUNDS FOR THE PROTECTION OF SAID
SYSTEM; PROVIDING FOR ANNUAL ACTUARIAL VALUATIONS;
AND NAMING AND DESCRIBING SAID FUNDS FOR ACCOUNT-
ING PURPOSES; PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS;
PROVIDING FOR INVESTIGATIONS AND PROVIDING A
SAVING CLAUSE.
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WHEREAS, Article 6243-B, of the Revised Statutes of the
'State of Texas, provides that all incorporated cities and towns con-
taining more than One Hundred Thousand (100,000) inhabitants and
Mess than One Hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand (185,000) inhabitants
(according to the last preceding Federal Census, having fully paid
( Fire and Police Departments, shall provide and constitute a Board
of Trustees of the Firemen, Policemen, and Fire Alarm Operators?
!Pension Fund for the purpose of providing for retirement pensions,
disability pensions and death benefits for the members of said de-
,Ipartments; and,
WHEREAS, Article 6243-B, Section 16, provides that in such
icities subject to said pension law, if it is deemed advisable and a
( majority of the members of the Fire Department or Police Department
vote to authorize and provide for the maintenance and administration
of Pension Funds for each department independent and apart from each
other, that said division and separation shall be permitted and
shall apply to the management, control and disposition of said funds;
land.,
WHEREAS, by reason of the fact that the Legislature of
Texas did, by the passage of Article 6243=E, (Acts of 1937, 45th Le-
gislature, H. B. #258) create the Firemenfs Relief Pension Fund, and
thereby provide for the levying of a tax against insurance companies
for the support and maintenance of said fund, and further provide a
complete pension system for the Firemen of this State, including the
Firemen of the City of Fort Worth, it has become necessary and de-
sirable that the Police Pension Funds and Firemenfs Pension Funds
be kept separate and apart; and that members of the Fort Worth Po-
lice Department, by reason of the fact that ample provision for
(pensions has been made for the members of the Fire Departments, have
heretofore unanimously voted that said pension funds be maintained
land administered separately and apart from each other; that such
faction was had in strict compliance with Section 16, of Article
16243-B, of the Revised Statutes of the State of Texas, providing for
a separation of such funds, and for the maintenance of a Police
Pension System separate and apart from the pension system of the
,Fire Department; and,
WHEREAS, Article 6243-C, Section 6, of the Revised Statutes
hof the State of Texas, provides that 'tall cities included in the pot-
!pulation brackets of Article 6243-B, Acts of the First Called Session
of the 43rd Legislature, shall hereafter from the effective date of
;this act (1933) be deemed to have a pension system without the ne-
cessity of any election or any action on the part of the City Coun-
cil, and such City Council or. Governing Board shall immediately
provide adequate funds for the payment of pensions under the terms
of Article 6243-B and the terms of said act*; and,
WHEREAS, Section 7, of Chapter 11, of the Charter of the
City of Fort Worth provides that the City Council may grant by or-
dinance relief to members of the department of police permanently
disabled in the discharge of their duties and provide for the organi-
zation and administration of a pension fund for the benefit of old,
disabled and infirm members of the Police Force; and,
WHEREAS, in view of the fact that Ordinance No. 1644, of
the City of Fort Worth, providing for the establishment of a pension
fund for the members of the Fire and Police Departments has become
inoperative and of no force and effect by reason of the failure of
the City Council to appropriate funds from year to year for the
payment of the pensions provided for in said ordinance, and as the
members of the Fire Department have been provided with a complete and
adequately financed pension system by the State of Texas, thus re-
lieving the City of Fort Worth of such expenditures, but in effect
resulting in descrimination against the Police Department, it be-
comes imperative and in the interest of the public welfare and imme-
diate provision be made by the City Council of the City of Fort
Worth for the establishment and maintenance of a pension system for
the members of the Fort Worth Police Department in order to carry out
the policies and mandatory requirements announced by the Legislature
of Texas and the provisions of the Charter of the City of Fort
Worth as set forth above; and,
WHEREAS, in addition to the requirements of the law, it is
deemed wise, expedient and advantageous and to the best interests
of the City of Fort Worth in the proper, efficient and economical
administration of the Police Department that the members of said
department should be, in some measure, compensated at the expira-
tion of a definite period of honest and faithful service by the
creation of an adequate fund for their benefit and also for the bene-
fit of their dependent children, and dependent parents; and,
WHEREAS, in order to properly maintain said pension system
and death and disability funds in the future it has been determined
that said funds and the appropriation to be made to it annually, at
hereinafter described by the City of Fort Worth, should not be in
anywise considered a gratuity, donation or bounty, but a contractual
pension system, whereby the appropriation made and to be made by the
City of Fort Worth each month and year is to be and considered as a
part of the compensation paid to police officers in consideration of
their hazardous employment and special services to the City of Fort
Worth and its citizens;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF FORT WORTH:
Section 1. In consideration of the contributions made and to be
made by the members of the police department of the City of Fort
Worth under the conditions and provisions hereinafter set forth,
and in consideration of services rendered and to be rendered in the
future by the members of said department to the City of Fort Worth
and its citizens, the City of Fort Worth, acting by and through its
City Council, hereby appropriates the sum of $3V00.00 out of the
anticipated revenues for the ensuing fiscal year beginning October(/
11 1938, for the purpose of providing a pension fund and death and
disability benefits for the benefit of the members of the Fort
Worth Police Department, their widows, dependent children, and other
dependents, and it is contemplated that a like and adequate amount '
to properly carry out the purpose of the pension system herein
created shall be included in the budget of each fiscal year in the
future, such future appropriations to be made in consideration of
future contributions made and services rendered by the members of
said department, entitling each qualified member to participate in
the total accumulated funds upon the terms and conditions herein-
after set forth; that the amounts of such future contributions shall
also be determined by valuations to be made of said fund annually
as more particularly hereinafter described.
Section 2. There is hereby created a pension fund and it shall be
held and administered under the control of the Mayor, two council-
men and two citizens selected from the ranks of the Police Depart-
ment of the City of Fort Worth to be designated by the Mayor, the
Chief of the Police Department, the Chief of the Fire Department,
(or the City Manager of Fort Worth, if designated to act by the
Chief of the Fire Department) and their successors, and as such, the
above named shall constitute-, a Board of Trustees of the Police De-
partment Pension Fund, designated in Article 6243-B as the Firemenfs,
Policemen's and Fire Alarm Operators' Pension Fund. Said Board is
to provide for the disbursement of said fund and to designate the
beneficiaries thereof, and shall be known as the Policemen's Pension
Fund Trustees of Fort Worth, Texas, provided, however, that in the
event any question of the name of said Board should arise, the offi-
cial name of said Board shall be *Board of Firemen's Policemen's
and Fire Alarm Operators' pension Fund, Trustees of Fort Worth,
Texas". The Board shall hold its office until the next general
election in such city for municipal offices; said Board shall organ-
ize by choosing one member as Chairman and by appointing a secretary;
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such Board shall have charge of and administer said fund and shall
order payments therefrom in pursuance of the provision of this ordi-
nance, which is enacted in conformity with Article 6243-B, Revised
IStatutes of Texas. It shall report annually to the governing body
�of the City of Fort Worth the condition of the said fund and the
;receipts and disbursements on account of the same with a complete
Ilist of the beneficiaries of said fund and the amounts paid them.
I�Section 3. On the first day of October, 1938, and on the first day
l�of October each succeeding year thereafter, the City Council shall
turn over to said trustees the sum of $30,000.00, which amount to-
gether with interest as it may accrue shall constitute a separate
and distinct fund and shall not be used for any purpose except for
pensions as provided by this ordinance, and such pensions shall only
be paid after certification by the trustees as above named, in con
formity with the laws of this State; that said amount after October
Itime
lst, 1938, may be diminished or increased according to valuations
to be made of said fund annually as hereinafter set forth, but at no
shall said contribution by the City of Fort Worth be less than
ithe amount required to maintain the pension system in full force and
(effect as provided by Article 6243-B of the Revised Statutes of Texas.
Section 4. The benefits of such system for which provisions have
hereafter been made shall become effective from and after the first
day of October, 1938, and shall extend to and be enjoyed at that
time by such persons as may show they are eligible for them, provid+
ling, however, that no person shall be eligible for retirement as hefe-
!after provided until after the 1st day of October, A. D. 1940.
4ection, 5. Each fully paid policeman in the employ of the City of
Fort Worth, who desires himself or his beneficiaries to participate
jlin said fund shall file a written statement with the City Secretary
INof his desire to participate in said fund and authorize the deduction
!of a sum of $5.00 from his wages each month, semi-monthly, to form
(part of the fund known as the Policemen' s Pension Fund, and the City
IjAuditor of the City of Fort Worth is hereby authorized to make such
I1deductions and pay same over to the City Secretary to be deposited
to the account of said pension fund. Any donations made to such fund
and received by any member of said department and all funds received
from any source for such fund may be deposited in like manner to the
credit of such fund.
Section 6. The Board shall hold regular monthly meetings and other
meetings upon call of its chairman. It shall issue orders signed
by the President or chairman and secretary to the persons entitled
thereto, of the amount of money ordered paid to such persons from
such fund by said Board which order shall state for what purpose
such payment is to be made; it shall keep a record of its proceedings
which record shall be a public record; it shall at each monthly meet-
ing send to the City Treasurer a written list of persons entitled to
payment from the fund, stating the amount of such payment, and for ;
ghat granted, which list shall be certified to and signed by the
president or chairman and secretary of such Board* attested under
( oath. The treasurer shall enter a copy of said list upon the book to
Abe kept for that purpose, which book shall be known as the *Record
of Policemen' s Pension Fund", of Fort Worth, Texas, and the said
Board shall direct payments of the amounts named therein to the per-
son entitled thereto out of said fund. No money of said fund shall
j. be disbursed for any purpose without a vote of a majority of the
Board, which shall be a no and yes vote entered upon the proceedings
of the Board.
Section 7. The City Secretary and Treasurer of the City of Fort
, Worth shall be ex-officio treasurer of laid fund. All money for said
fund shall be paid over to and received by the treasurer for the use
of said fund, and the duties thus imposed upon such treasurer shall
The additional duties, but he shall receive no compensation therefor.
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Section 8. Any person who at the establishment of said fund, or
thereafter shall have been duly appointed and enrolled in the police
department of the City of Fort Worth, who makes application for par-
ticipation in said fund and who has filed his written application
within thirty (30) days after the organization of such Board or who
shall file his application within thirty (30) days after becoming
a member of such department and who shall have allowed said de-
ductions from his salary, as well as the beneficiaries hereinafter
named, shall be entitled to participate in said fund. Any Police
officer employed at the date of the passage of this ordinance, or
hereafter employed by the City of Fort Worth, after the expiration
of three (3) months service in said police department shall be re-
quired, as a condition of his employment, to become a member en-
titling him to participation in said fund, and he shall authorize
the deductions provided for herein.
Section 9. Whenever any member of said department who shall have
contributed a portion of his salary, as provided herein, shall have
served twenty-five (25) years or more in said department and shall .
have attained the age of fifty (50) years, shall be entitled to be
retired from said service upon application, and shall be entitled to
be paid from said Fund a monthly pension of $75.00 per month, pro-
vided, however, that this portion of said ordinance shall under no
condition become effective until after October lst, 1940.
Section 10. Whenever any member of the police department of the
City of Fort Worth and who is a contributor to said fund as provided,
shall become so permanently disabled through injury received, or
disease contracted, in the line of duty as to incapacitate him for
the performance of duty, and shall make written application therefor
approved by a majority of the Board, he shall be retired from service
and be entitled to receive from said fund $75.00 per month as a
member of said department, at the time he became disabled, to be
paid in regularly monthly installments. mDisease contracted in lire
of dutye, under the terms of this ordinance, shall be construed to
mean only such disease as is directly and immediately caused from
duty-service, and the determination of the Board upon such claims
shall be final. Payments under this section shall be made from the
Disability Fund only as more particularly hereinafter described.
Section 11. In the event any member eligible to participate in said
fund, having made contributions thereto, shall sever his connection
with the police department of the City of Fort Worth for any reason
voluntary or by discharge, he shall be entitled to receive from sad
fund the amount contributed by him and in addition thereto 3J% inter-
est upon such contributions, subject to the condition hereafter set
forth.
Section 12. The monthly contributions of the individual members
from salary deductions shall be invested in such securities as are
now or may hereafter be authorized by the laws of the State of Texas
for the investment of the funds of legal reserve life insurance com-
panies. An individual record shall be maintained of the amount of
the contribution of each employee and the total interest income
shall be distributed and credited at the end of each calendar year
on the basis of the accumulated salary deductions as of the beginning
of the year, and the total of said individual employeels credits,
after such interest credit shall have been made, must equal the total
accumulated securities and cash in this fund. In the event an em-
ployee withdraws from service before retirement, the amount of his
reserve as of the beginning of the calendar year may be withdrawn
by him in cash at the time of leaving the service, provided, however,
that no member shall be entitled to withdraw funds without first giv-
ing the Board sixty (60) days wrftten notice of such intention.
In the event a member is discharged from the service, for misconduct
or any other reason, and an appeal is filed by such member to the
Civil Service Board, the Board of Trustees shall not pay over the
contributions described above until said appeal is finally and comp-
pletely adjudicated. In the event of the death of an employee while
in the service of the department, the amount of his reserve from his
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Section 10 (a) . Death from accidental injury incurred in line of
duty shall be construed to mean accidental injury received while o
actual duty as a policeman when the injury received totally disabl
the member from date of accident and results in his death within
ninety (90) days from the date of the accident. Likewise, death
from disease contracted in line of duty shall mean disease, such a
Influenza and/or pneumonia, following exposure while on duty which
causes the total disability of the member within ten10 days of
such exposure and results in his death within ninety 90) days frolt
the beginning of such total disability. ,Any claim made because of
death caused by injury incurred in line of duty or disease contracted
in line of duty which does not come within the two foregoing defi-
nitions shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees
of said fund.
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contributions may in like manner be withdrawn or paid by the Board
of Trustees in monthly installments; provided, however, no with-
drawal of accumulated contributions will be allowed at death if
death results from accident incurred or disease contracted while
line of duty, and the widow or other beneficiary of the deceased i*
paid an income of $75.00 or more for a period of ten years. In th$
event of total and permanent disability of an employee that has
existed for six months or more, the Board of Trustees shall have
the right to use the accumulated reserve from his contributions in
a like manner to provide a disability income to the employee and/off
his widow or designated beneficiaries in monthly installments, and!
any reserve so used shall be deducted in the event of death or lat r
withdrawal. When an employee remains in the service to the age of
retirement, his accumulated reserve upon retirement shall be trans-
ferred to the flCurrent Pension Fund". Until such contributions are
placed in the Current Pension Fund as herein provided the contribu-
tions by the employees shall be maintained separate and apart from
other funds provided for herein and shall be referred to and design-
ated "Member's Pension Reserve Fund.fl
Section 13. In the case of the death before or after retirement of
any member of the Fort Worth Police Department resulting from disease
contracted or injury received while in the line of duty, and who at
the time of his death or retirement was a contributor to said fund
leaving a widow and no children, the widow shall be entitled to
receive monthly from said fund an amount not exceeding I of the base
pay of a private per month, and if not retired before death J of the
base pay of a private per month; and, if at the time of the death
of such contributor, under the circumstances and conditions herein-
above set forth, such contributor leaves a child or children under
seventeen years of age and the wife of such contributor is dead or
divorced from such contributor, the child or children under seven-'
teen years of age shall be entitled to receive monthly from said
fund an amount not exceeding 1/3 of the base pay of a private per
month, said sum to be paid equally divided among said children
under seventeen years of age if more than one; and if at the time
of the death of said contributor under the conditions hereinabove
set forth, such contributor leaves a widow and a child or children
-- under seventeen years of age, the widow shall be entitled to re-
ceive monthly from said fund for the joint benefit of herself and
such child or children an amount not exceeding J of the base pay of
a private per month, and if not retired before death, J of the base
pay of a private per month, said payments to be made uhtil such child
or all said children, if mewe than one as the case may be, shall
reach the age of seventeen years, and after said child or all of
said children, as the case may be, have reached the age of seventeen
years, then the widow shall be entitled to receive monthly from
said fund for herb benefit an amount not exceeding J of the base pay
of a private per month, and if not retired before death J. of the
base pay of a private per month. In no case shall the amount paid
to any one family exceed monthly the amount of J of the base pay of
a private per month. On the re-marriage of any widow, such pensia�i
paid to her and for her benefit shall cease and in the event that II
there are child or children under seventeen years of age at the
time of said re-marriage, 1/3 of the base pay of a private per month
shall be paid monthly to the widow for' the sole benefit of the chid
or children under the age of seventeen years; provided, however,
that the pension board, if it finds that such payments to the widow
are not being used for the benefit of said child or children may
order said monthly benefits paid to►said child or children instead of
to said widow, who has remarried. Where there is more than one
child of such contributor the benefits herein provided for shall b�
equally divided among the children and upon the marriage or death
of any child receiving such pension, or upon any child receiving
such pension reaching seventeen years of age, such pension payment
for the benefit of said child shall cease, and if there remains a
child or children under seventeen years of age, the share of said
child so married or reaching seventeen years of age, shall be paid
for the benefit of the remaining child or children under seventeen,
years of age. In the event that a contributor leaves a widow and
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child or children under seventeen years of age who are not the
children of said widow, the pension board may, in its discretion
either pay monthly to the widow for the benefit of herself and said
child or children, an amount not exceeding J of the base pay of a
private per month as hereinabove provided, or said Board may order
1/4 of the base pay of a private per month paid to the widow and
1/4 of the base pay of a private per month paid to said child or
children. No widow or child of any such member resulting from any
marriage contracted subsequent to the date of retirement of said mem-
ber shall be entitled to a pension under this ordinance. The above
described payments to the widow, children and dependents shall be
specifically limited as to total payment in a sum not to exceed
$150.00 per month for 24 months and thereafter a monthly income of
$75.00 per month for 96 additional months irrespective of the age
of any of the beneficiaries named or described herein; said paymen s
shall be made only from the Accidental and Death Fund and shall no
be paid from any other fund described in this ordinance. This li-
mitation on the state law is designed to preserve said system upon
a sound financial and actuarial basis. The same limitations shall
apply to Section 14, hereafter set forth.
Section 14. If any member of the police department dies from in-
juries received or disease contracted while in the line of duty wh
was a contributor to said fund and entitled to participate in said
fund himself, leaves no wife or child, but who shall leave surviv g
him a dependent father, mother, brother or sister, wholly dependen
upon said pension for support, such dependent father, mother, brother
and sister shall be entitled to receive in the aggregate 2 of the
base pay of a private per month, to be equally divided between thoe
who are wholly dependent on said deceased, so long as they are who ly
dependent. The Board shall have the authority to determine the
facts as to the dependency of said parties, and each of them, as t
how long the same exists, and may at any time upon the request of
any contributor to such fund, reopen any award made to any of said
parties and discontinue such pension as to all or any of them as i
may be proper and the findings of said Board in regard to such
matter and as to all pensions created under this law shall be fins
upon all parties seeking a pension as a dependent of said deceased
until such award of the trustees shall have been set aside and re-
voked.
Section 15. The Board shall consider all cases for the retirement
and pension of the members of the police department rendered neces
Bary or expedient under the provisions of this ordinance, and all
applications for pensions by widows and the children and of depen-
dent relatives, and the said trustees shall give written notice to
persons asking a pension, disability or death benefits, to appear
before said Board and offer such sworn evidence as he or they may
desire. Any three members of said department who are contributors
to said fluids may appear either in person or by attorney and contest
the application for participation in said funds by any person cls -
ing to be entitled to participate therein, and may offer testimony
in support of such contest. The president or chairman of said Board
shall have authority to issue process for witnesses and administer
oaths to said witnesses and to examine any witness as to any matte
affecting retirement, disability or death pensions tLuder the provi
sions of this ordinance. Such process for witness shall be served
by any member of the police department and upon the failure of any
witness to attend and testify, he or she may be compelled to atten
and testify, as in any judicial proceeding.
Section 16. Such Board may cause any person receiving any pension
or any other benefits under the provisions of this ordinance, who
has served less than twenty (20) years, to appear and undergo a
medical examination as a result of which the board shall determine
whether the relief in said case shall be continued, increased, de-
creased or discontinued. If any person receiving relief under the
provisions of this ordinance, after due notice, fails to appear Mi
undergo such examination, the Board may reduce or entirely discon-
tinue such relief.
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Section 17, The contributions hereby made and to be made to the
pension fund by the City of Fort Worth and by appropriation month)
and annually as hereinabove set forth shall be referred to and is
hereby designated as the Pension Reserve Fund of the City of Fort
Worth. The contributions by the City of Fort Worth for the retire
went of officers shall be made in the following manner: With each
remittance of the total salary deduction of the members of J5.00
each per month, the City of Fort Worth shall remit an amount equal
to $8.00 per each man monthly out of the annual appropriations
above described, which shall be credited and maintained perpetual)
as the Pension Reserve Fund of the City of Fort Worth. This fund
shall be invested in such securities as are now or may hereafter b
authorized by the laws of the State of Texas for investment of fun( s
of legal reserve life insurance companies. There shall be mainta ed
an individual employeets reserve record and the accumulated reserve
on each individual record by reason of contributions from the City
to its pension reserve fund must always equal the amount in the pr -
portion described above, to wit, in a ratio of 5 to 8 of the mem-
berts individual reserve credit in the members' pension reserve
fund. In the event of the death or withdrawal of a member the amount
of his accumulated reserve in this fund, or a part thereof, shall
first be used to bring the individual reserve credits up to a 3
earned interest basis, and any amount in excess of said sum and no
required for said purpose shall be transferred to the "Current De-
ficiency Pension Fundx hereinafter more particularly described. In
the event a member has made the contributions described above, and
should die from injuries sustained outside of his line of duty, or
should die from any cause not compensible under this law, then his
heirs at law shall be entitled to receive, upon proof of heirship,
all contributions made by the member to said fund, plus 3 inter-
est. In the event an employee continues in service until the age o
retirement, the amount of his accumulated reserve in the pension
reserve fund of the City of Fort Worth and in the members' reserve
pension fund shall be transferred to the current pension fund for
the payment of the pension as provided for herein.
The current pension fund shall be referred to and is hereby
disignated as the fund out of which pensions and benefits shall be
paid and a separate card index shall be maintained showing the exa t
status of said fund at all times. Money and securities belonging in
said current pension fund shall be maintained in the same type of
securities required for the other funds herein described, provided
however, that it shall be the duty of the board when reinvesting the
money of the current pension fund, to provide securities that may be
maintained on a liquid basis in order that said fund shall be assur-
ed of having sufficient cash on hand at all times to promptly meet
the payments due therefrom. Future obligations of the current pen-
sion fund shall be computed annually according to the Combined
Annuity Table with an interest assumption of 3 per annum and a
copy of the valuation report covering this fund shall be furnished
to the Auditor of the City of Fort Worth, and to each employee and
each person receiving an income from this fund. If such valuation
report shall show that said fund is at any time more than 105%
solvent, the amount of funds in excess of 105% may be transferred
by the Board of Trustees, with the consent of the City Council, to
the Current Deficiency Reserve Fund. No other payments or transfers
from said fund shall be made except for the payment of the benefit
as herein provided.
There shall be and there is hereby created a "Current De-
ficiency Reserve Fund", which said fund shall receive its contri-
butions from the transfers of money and security from the current
pension fund as above described or from any other source.
In addition to the $5.00 contribution per month per membe
appearing on the pension rolls eligible to retirement, out of the
appropriation hereinabove described, and after said contributions
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are transferred to the City's pension reserve fund, there shall be
paid out of said appropriation an amount sufficient to pay $2.50 p
month for each employee of the department, which said amount shall
be placed in the fund hereby designated as the nAccidental Death
Fund. Said fund shall be used for the purpose of paying the deat
benefits provided for in this pension ordinance. The payment of
death benefits herein contemplates injuries received and disease
contracted while in the performance of duty as set forth above.
It is further provided, however, that in the event death should
occur from accidental injury incurred not on duty, the widow or the
designated beneficiary shall be paid a monthly income from the acci-
dental death fund in the sum of $130.00 per month for a period of
not to exceed twenty-four (24) months; that the payment of $2.50 per
month by the City of Fort Worth for each employee of the department
will permit the relaxation of the State law to the extent that the
sum mentioned to wit, $130.00 per month for twenty-four (24) months,
may safely be provided for herein as extra compensation for the
hazardous nature of the service rendered by the members of said de-
partment in addition to the death benefits payable for injury re-
ceived or disease contracted in the performance of duty. For the
purpose of this ordinance ffinjuries received or disease contracted
line of duty " shall mean and shall be construed to mean by the
Board, the performance of duty as a police officer in the enforce-
ment of the law or any regular duty imposed upon one engaged in la
enforcement work, and shall not be restricted in such a manner as to
contemplate employment during a regularly defined shift for a certain
number of hours in the general course of employment, but it shall
equally apply to any police officer who is a regular contributing
member to said fund who voluntarily or in obedience to call during
off hours or hours other than those at which he is regularly re-
porting for duty, receives an injury or contracts a disease while
in the performance of his duty.
Section 17(a) There shall be and there is hereby created a "Disabi-
lity Fund", which said fund shall be supplied out of the appropria-
tion above described and by contributions in the sum of $2.50 per
month for each employee of the department making regular contribu-
tions to the pension fund. Said fund shall be used for making pay-
ments of $75.00 per month in the event of permanent and total dis-
ability as provided for in Section 10 hereinabove. No disability
income shall be payable out of the disability fund to any employee
who is continued on the payroll of the department at a salary of
$75.00 per month or more.
The Board of Trustees of the pension fund shall have the
right at any and all times to have an actuarial valuation made of
the accidental death fund and of the disability fund and in the
event it is shown from said actuarial valuation made upon an interest
assumption of not more than 3 and upon reliable disability tables
that one or either of said funds is more than 110% solvent, then
all funds not required to maintain said percentage of solvency shall
be immediately transferred to the "Current Deficiency Reserve Fund.
Section 18. All police officers and those members of the police de
partment paid out of the police department budget and those partic
pating directly or indirectly in the enforcement of the criminal
statutes of the State of Texas and the ordinance of the City of For
Worth who have filed their application and who are regularly enroll d
as members in said department and eligible for participation in sa
fund and have contributed a portion of their salaries are hereby de-
clared to be members of the police department of the City of Fort
Worth and they and their beneficiaries shall have the same rights
and privileges as are herein granted to other members of such de-
partment of cities operating under and by virtue of Article 62.43-B,
of the Revised Statutes of Texas, and all provisions of this ordi-
nance shall be retractive as the length of time served by any membe
of said department. The records of said department shall be prima
facie evidence of the age of each member and length of service.
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Section 19. No amount awarded to any person under the provisions
of this ordinance shall be liable for the debts of any such person;
shall not be assignable and shall be exempt from garnishment or
other legal process.
Section 20. Should any part, portion, section or part of a sectio
of this ordinance be declared invalid or inoperative or void for
any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision,
opinion or ,judgment shall in no way effect the remaining portions,
parts, sections or parts of sections of this ordinance, which provi-
sion shall be, remain, and continue to be in full force and effect.
I
Section 21. Ordinance No. 1644 is hereby repealed.
Section 22. This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force
and effect from and after the first day of October, A. D. 1938.