Election of the Permanent Board of Trustees’ for the Illinois Police Officers’ Pension Investment Fund
Source: IPOPIF

The Illinois Police Officers’ Pension Investment Fund (hereafter “IPOPIF”) was created by the Illinois Legislature and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker on December 18, 2019. The law, Public Act 101-0610, provided for the mandatory consolidation of the investment assets of the state’s public safety pension funds into two investment funds, one for police officers (Article 3) and one for firefighters (Article 4). The investment fund will be governed by a nine-member, independently elected and autonomous Board of Trustees.
The Transition Board of Trustees of the IPOPIF conducted the nomination of candidates and election of Permanent Board of Trustees in accordance with the Act. An election was not needed for the municipal representatives nor beneficiary representatives and all Trustees currently seated in these positions were elected to the Permanent Board by acclamation. Governor Pritzker’s Illinois Municipal League representative was reappointed and will be seated on the Permanent Board. All Trustees will take the Oath of Office at the January 8, 2021 board meeting.

Six candidates were interested in running for the three participant representative positions and an election was conducted by the IPOPIF’s independent election service provider, Survey & Ballot Systems. Election ballots were mailed to 12,903 eligible participant members of Article 3 police pension funds. A total of 4,771 ballots were received and accepted for tabulation, which represented a 36.98% return rate. There was one ballot received that was deemed invalid and was not counted in the final tabulation. Also, 29 ballots were returned as undeliverable and were not included as a part of the total count of 4,771 ballots. The following three participant representatives were elected by Article 3 active member participants, pending certification at the December 14, 2020 board meeting. Once certified, these participant representatives will take the Oath of Office at the January 8, 2021 board meeting:

Shawn P. Curry, Sergeant, Peoria Police Department
Lee Catavu, Officer, Aurora Police Department
Paul Swanlund, Officer, Bloomington Police Department

The Transition Board of Trustees offers their appreciation to Art Holecek, Aaron Porter and Steve Witnik for their candidacy and interest in serving on the IPOPIF Board of Trustees.

The Permanent Board of Trustees will be seated at the January 8, 2021 board meeting. All Trustee terms will be established at this meeting. Please contact me with any questions.

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Saving Blue Lives through Training on PTSD – New classes
IPPFA

Saving Blue Lives through Training on PTSD, Suicide, Resilience, and Peer Support

The Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA) and Northern Illinois University have teamed up to develop a program to assist law enforcement leaders and rank-and-file officers in expanding their knowledge of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, as it effects police officers. This program, “Saving Blue Lives through Training on PTSD, Suicide, Resilience and Peer Support,” is offered at no cost to those attending.

First responders are routinely exposed to critical incidents involving exposure to injury or death in others, as well as the risk of injury or death to themselves. Research shows, and those in the profession intuitively know, that individual incidents and accumulated exposure can adversely affect the mental and physical health of those involved.

The NIU – IPPFA Program will include:

  • Learning the symptoms of PTSD
  • Conditions that often arise with PTSD, such as depression and substance abuse
  • Identifying ways to bolster resistance
  • Suicide and conditions such as PTSD
  • Methods for dealing with PTSD without the help of a mental health professional
  • Effective treatments with the help of a mental health professional

NIU has received a grant from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority for a demonstration project. This allows NIU and the IPPFA to develop and sponsor two, two-day seminars on PTSD awareness and dealing with this condition.  The seminars will be conducted by a qualified mental healthcare professional, along with the assistance of experienced sworn personnel with substantial careers in emergency response and investigations. If the initial program is successful, funding may be available for up to a three-year period of outreach on this vital topic.  As we proceed, the program will be expanded to include fire/EMS.

Here are the upcoming dates (all trainings are 8a – 4p):

January 11th and 12th

February 8th and 9th

March 22nd and 23rd

Training will be held via Zoom. We’ve now done four virtual trainings and they have gone very well,  We limit the number of attendees to 30 with Zoom,  so sign up soon!

Click here to register.

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Annual Salary Limitation and Annual Increase to the Monthly Pension for New Hires on
or after January 1, 2011

Source: Illinois Department of Insurance Public Pension Division

In accordance with state law, the Department of Insurance (“Department”) is to annually calculate the maximum annual salary for annuity purposes and the Cost of Living Adjustment to annuity (“COLA”) applicable to Tier II participants and Tier II annuitants in the retirement systems and pension funds established under the Illinois Pension Code, and to make the results of those calculations available to the boards of trustees of those systems and funds by no later than November 1 of each year.

The Department interprets the Illinois Pension Code to provide for a COLA for Tier II annuitants and an increase to the maximum annual salary for annuity purposes of Tier II participants when there has been an annual unadjusted percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12 months ending with the September preceding November 1 of a given year. If the annual unadjusted percentage change in the CPI during that period is zero or is negative, however, then the Department interprets the Illinois Pension Code to require that, in the next calendar year, neither an increase in the maximum annual salary for annuity purposes of Tier II participants nor a COLA for Tier II annuitants shall be provided. For the year ending in September of 2020, the annual unadjusted percentage increases in CPIs are positive; therefore, there will be a COLA for Tier II annuitants and an increase in the maximum annual salary for annuity purposes of Tier II participants.

FULL ARTICLE

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Board of Trustees NOTICE OF MEETING – December 18, 2020
Source: IFPIF

NOTICE: BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

To Be Held on Friday, December 18, 2020 9:00 A.M.

Because of the COVID-19 emergency and to comply with social distancing guidance, public participants are encouraged to participate by teleconference and/or videoconference.

Agenda

 

 

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Election of the Permanent Board of Trustees’ for the Illinois Police Officers’ Pension Investment Fund
Source: IPOPIF

Congratulations to the following candidates who were elected for the Permanent Board for the Police Officers’ Pension Investment Fund:

       

                                                  

Lee Catavu, Aurora Police Department

I have been a police officer since 2004 and currently serve as an Aurora police officer.  I have had experience as a detective and field training officer.  I also serve as Secretary of the Aurora Police Pension Fund, which is the largest Article 3 fund in the State, with a quarter of a billion dollars in assets.  In addition I am the President of the union representing the Aurora police officers.  I have dedicated my professional career to looking out for the best interests of the brave men and women who go out everyday and put their necks on the line.  I have several ideas to ensure a proper and ethical administration of our funds for the benefit of us, and our families.  I invite any of you to contact me directly at PRESIDENT@AURORAAPPO.ORG if I can be of any assistance to you.  I will always make myself available to you and humbly ask for your vote in the upcoming election for active trustee of our pension investment fund board.  Thank you for your service.

 

Shawn Curry, Peoria Police Department

I began my police career in 1996 with the Woodford County Sheriff’s Department.  While at the Sheriff’s Department, I worked corrections, court security, and patrol.  In 2003, I was named Deputy of the Year.  I also served as Treasurer of FOP Lodge # 228 for six years.   In 2004, I started with the Peoria Police Dept.  Most of my time in Peoria has been spent being assigned to the Criminal Investigations-Violent Crime Unit. I served on the Peoria Police Benevolent Unit #27 executive board before being elected to the Peoria Police Pension Fund where I currently serve as President. I have served on the Peoria Police Pension Fund for the past 11 years.  I have also served as Chair of the Peoria Police PAC Committee, VP of the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association, Legislative Chair for the IPPFA, and Chair of the IPOPIF Transition Board.  I wrote the Public Safety Suicide Prevention Act and I am a Saving Blue Lives Instructor.  I have been honored with 5 Distinguished Service Awards, was selected as the Peoria Police Officer of the Year in 2010 and received the Peoria Police Meritorious Service Award in 2018.  I was selected as the IPPFA Person of the Year in 2019 for my work on Officer Mental Health and Awareness efforts.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at 309-231-3945.

 

Paul Swanlund, Bloomington Police Department

I was hired by the Bloomington Police Department in 2003 and worked in the Patrol Division for 13 years.  In 2016, I was selected to be a part of the Detective Division and was primarily assigned Financial Crimes cases.  In October of 2019, I was assigned to the Digital Forensics Unit where the primary focus is on cell phone and computer forensics.  I have had the privilege of serving on our department’s Pension Board since 2014 and currently serve as President of this board.  I also serve on our Union’s Grievance Committee.  I have been the recipient of numerous Letters of Commendation and a Unit Citation.  If elected to this board, my goal will be to make sure the best companies and people are hired to maximize the returns on our investments and to keep state politics out of that decision making process.  I can be reached at 309-275-7973 if you have any questions or concerns you would like to address directly with me.

 

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2020 Best Cities to Retire
Source: Dave Ramsey

Whether your retirement is years away or right around the corner, knowing the best cities to retire can help you make your hard-earned dollars go farther when you’re ready to put your plan into action.

So, how do you know which cities are actually the best for retirement? Well, that depends on how you want to retire. But two of the most common factors include the cost of living and quality of life. Some others include:

  • Tax rates
  • Housing costs
  • Quality of health care
  • Overall happiness of residents

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Full Article

 

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