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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 96-020-CCBOARD OF COUNTY CONIlVIISSIONERS Grant County, Washington IN THE MATTER OF PENSION ) ELIGIBILITY FOR SHERIFF'S ) RESERVES ) RESOLUTION NO. 96- 20 -CC A resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Grant County, Washington: finding that a pension plan will provide an incentive to keep the Sheriff's reserve deputies active for a longer period of time, in turn benefitting the public health, safety and welfare; making the retirement provisions of Chapter 41.24 RCW available to reserve deputies of the Grant County Sheriff's Office, for each reserve officer that elects to enroll; selecting the option allowing reserve deputies credit for service only after January 1, 1996, and to pay Grant County's share of annual fees only for service after January 1, 1996; and providing for other matters properly relating thereto. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF GRANT COUNTY, WASHINGTON, as follows: WHEREAS, Grant County, Washington (the "County"), is a Class 3 county, duly organized and existing under the Constitution and the laws of the State of Washington; and WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature previously enacted the Volunteer Firefighters' Relief And Pensions Act (the "Act") as set forth in Chapter 41.24 RCW, to provide retirement benefits to participants; and WHEREAS, the Act as originally enacted, did not pertain to counties and local law enforcement agencies, nor were reserve officers included in the definition of participants eligible for pension benefits under the Act; and WHEREAS, sChapter 2.44 of the Grant County Code (County Employees - Public Employee'Retirement System) provides for the acceptance and approval of the Washington State retirement plan in its entirety, and designates the county Auditor as the officer to administer such accounting, reporting and other functions as will be required for the effective operation of said plan; and WHEREAS, the Act was amended in 1995 by SHB 1453, to empower counties and local law enforcement agencies to extend benefits under the retirement provisions of the Act to eligible participants; and RES. DESIGNATING PENSION ELIGIBILITY FOR SHERIFF'S RESERVES - 1 WHEREAS, the Act was amended in 1995 by SHB 1453, redefining the definition of "participants" to include eligible reserve officers; and WHEREAS, Grant County Sheriff's Office reserve deputies qualify as "reserve officers" within the contemplation of the Act and Chapter 43.101 RCW; and WHEREAS, the pension plan set forth in the Act is the same plan volunteer fire fighters have participated in for approximately fifty years; and WHEREAS, the Act, as amended, requires that the legislative authority of a municipality pass the appropriate legislation to permit reserve officers to participate in the retirement system; and WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners (Board) has been presented with a request from the Grant County Sheriff's Office to permit its reserve deputies to participate in the retirement system set forth in the Act; and WHEREAS, the Board has found and determined that the subject pension plan will provide an incentive to keep the Sheriff's reserve deputies active for a longer period of time, in turn benefitting the public health, safety and welfare; and WHEREAS, the Board has elected to make the retirement provisions of the Act available to reserve deputies of the Grant County Sheriff's Office, for each reserve officer that elects to enroll; and WHEREAS, within one year of an election to cover reserve deputies under the provisions of Chapter 41.24 RCW, the legislative authority of the municipality must elect, on a one-time basis, one of the options set forth in RCW 41.24.410, to determine the credit for service that reserve deputies will receive; and WHEREAS, the Board has found and determined that Grant County shall select the option allowing reserve deputies credit for service only after January 1, 1996, and to pay Grant County's share of annual fees only for service after January 1, 1996, as set forth in Chapter 41.24 RCW. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS FOUND, DETERMINED AND ORDERED, as follows: Section 1: The Board has found and determined that the subject pension plan will provide an incentive to keep the Sheriff's reserve deputies active for a longer period of time, in turn benefitting the public health, safety and welfare. Section 2: The Board has elected to make the retirement provisions of the Act available to reserve deputies of the Grant County Sheriff's Office, for each reserve officer that elects to enroll. Section 3: The Grant County Sheriff, as the head of the local law enforcement agency, is authorized to enroll eligible reserve deputies and to certify reserve officer service under the retirement provisions of Chapter 41.24 RCW. RES. DESIGNATING PENSION ELIGIBILITY FOR SHERIFF'S RESERVES - 2 c Section 4: The county Auditor is designated as the officer to administer such accounting, reporting and other functions as will be required for the effective operation of said plan, including making provisions for the collection and payment of the fees required under Chapter 41.24 RCW. The County will continue to make provisions for all reserve deputies who come under Chapter 41.24 RCW as long as they continue to be employed as reserve deputies. Section 5: Grant County shall select the option allowing reserve deputies credit for service only after January 1, 1996, and to pay Grant County's share of annual fees only for service after January 1, 1996, as set forth in Chapter 41.24 RCW. Section 6: All actions heretofore taken in connection with the Volunteer Firefighters' Relief and Pension Act (Chapter 41.24 RCW) by the Board, employees and/or agents of the County that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Resolution are hereby ratified, confirmed and approved. Section 7: All resolutions or parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of said conflict. This Resolution shall be in effect from and after its date of adoption. ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Grant County, Washington, this 13 day of February, 1996. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GRANT COUNTY, WASHINGTON ---V- Tim SneAd, Chair ,i Helen Fancher, Member LeRoy C/%Allison, Member ATTEST: Peggy fig, Clerls// the Board RES. DESIGNATING PENSION ELIGIBILITY FOR SHERIFF'S RESERVES - 3