Fire Pension Board
Avon Park Fire Pension System
AVON PARK FIRE PENSION BOARD
Members
Board Chairman-5th Trustee, Warren West
Secretary-Member Elect, Jonathan Prevatte
Member-Elect, Jason Simmons
City Appointed Member, Samantha Mootoosammy
City Appointed Member, Tonya Marshall
Avon Park City Liaison: Deputy Mayor Jim Barnard
Plan Administrator: Chrissy Stoker, Foster & Foster Actuaries and Consultants
All meetings are held at the Fire Station, 98 S. Delaney Avenue., Avon Park, Florida
The last Monday of each quarter, meeting times are 1:30 P.M.
The sole and exclusive administration of and responsibility for the proper operation of the system and for making effective the provisions of this article is vested in a board of trustees. The board is designated as the plan administrator. The board shall consist of five trustees, two of whom, unless otherwise prohibited by law, shall be legal residents of the city, who shall be appointed by the city council, and two of whom shall be members of the system, who shall be elected by a majority of the firefighters who are members of the system. The fifth trustee shall be chosen by a majority of the previous four trustees as provided for in this section, and such person's name shall be submitted to the city council. Upon receipt of the fifth person's name, the city council shall, as a ministerial duty, appoint such person to the board of trustees as its fifth trustee. The fifth trustee shall have the same rights as each of the other four trustees appointed or elected as provided in this section and shall serve a four-year term unless he vacates the office sooner. Each resident trustee shall serve as trustee for a period of four years unless he vacates the office sooner or is replaced by the city council at whose pleasure he shall serve. Each member trustee shall serve as trustee for a period of four years unless he leaves the employment of the city as a firefighter sooner or otherwise vacates his office as trustee, whereupon a successor shall be chosen in the same manner as the departing trustee. Each trustee may succeed himself in office. DROP participants can be elected as but not vote for elected trustees. The board shall establish and administer the nominating and election procedures for each election. The board shall meet at least quarterly each year. The board shall be a legal entity with, in addition to other powers and responsibilities contained in this section, the power to bring and defend lawsuits of every kind, nature and description.
The duties and responsibilities of the board shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
(1) Construe the provisions of the system and determine all questions arising under the system.
(2) Determine all questions relating to eligibility and membership.
(3) Determine and certify the amount of all retirement allowances or other benefits under this article.
(4) Establish uniform rules and procedures to be followed for administrative purposes, benefit applications and all matters required to administer the system.
(5) Distribute to members, at regular intervals, information concerning the system.
(6) Receive and process all applications for benefits.
(7) Authorize all payments from the fund, and notify the disbursing agent, in writing, of approved benefit payments and other expenditures arising through operation of the system and fund.
(8) Have performed actuarial studies and valuations, at least as often as required by law, and make recommendations regarding any and all changes in the provisions of the system.
(9) Perform such other duties as are required to prudently administer the system.
