Minutes - 04/18/2012 - Police Pension Fund BoardVILLAGE OF OAK BROOK
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND - Minutes
April 18 2012
UNOFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVED AS WRITTEN
OR AS AMENDED BY BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
POLICE PENSION FUND ON May 17, 2012
1. CALL TO ORDER:
The Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Oak Brook Police Pension Fund was called to order by
President Val Torlo at 7:00 p.m. in the Samuel E. Dean Board Room of the Butler Government Center,
1200 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook, Illinois.
2. ROLL CALL:
The roll was called with the following persons
PRESENT: President Vel Torlo, Vice President Robert Birdsall , Secretary Alan Feldman, Trustee
Edward Caspers, Trustee Hitesh Patel (attended via teleconference)
ABSENT: None
IN ATTENDANCE: Trustee -Elect Ben Kadolph, Todd Schroeder and Sheri Lauterbach of Lauterbach &
Amen, LLP, Bob Thomson and Jim Hrabak of MB Financial, Phil Kosmala and Jeff Grenchik of Lowery
Asset Consulting, LLC, Pension Clerk Rose Kane
3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
President Torlo informed the Board that the election of officers' agenda item had been discussed with
Pension Clerk Kane and that also a legal opinion had been given which advised tabling this agenda item to
a future meeting due to the statute which states that the newly elected trustees' terms begin on May 8th.
Motion by Vice President Birdsall, seconded by Secretary Feldman, to table the election of officers
to a future meeting. VOICE VOTE: Motion carried.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
a. Approval of Board of Trustees Regular Meeting Minutes of October 16, 2011
Motion by Trustee Caspers, seconded by Vice President Birdsall, to approve the Minutes of the
February 8, 2012 Special Board Meeting as amended. VOICE VOTE: Motion carried.
5 CONSENTAGENDA:
All items on the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted in one motion.
Motion by Secretary Feldman, seconded by Trustee Caspers, to approve the Consent Agenda.
ROLL CALL:
Ayes: 5 — Secretary Feldman, Trustee Caspers, Trustee Patel (via teleconference) Vice President
Birdsall, President Torlo
Nays: 0 — None
Absent: 0 — None. Motion carried.
a. Approval of January 1 -31, 2012 checks in the total amount of $160,112.41
b. Approval of February 1 -29, 2012 checks in the total amount of $162,716.41
c. Approval of March 1 -31, 2012 checks in the total amount of $160,137.41
d. Approval of Contravisory Investment Management, Inc. invoice in the amount of $2,604.00
e. Approval of Lauterbach & Amen, LLP's invoices for December, 2011 and January, 2012 in the total
amount of $1,875.00
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND
Minutes Page 1 of 4 April 18, 2012
6. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA —None presented.
7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Discussion of 2012 Actuarial Assumptions
Finance Director Sharon Dangles joined the meeting via teleconference at approximately 7:07 p.m.
Todd Schroeder of Lauterbach & Amen, LLP discussed the past actuarial assumptions and referred to the
chart and summary report handed out in regard to the expected return on assets. Regarding the first
assumption, he explained how the Fund takes what the assets are going to do in regard to expenses and
volatility and turns that into a long -term assumption. Phil Kosmala of Lowery Asset Consulting, LLC stated
that they are looking at a myriad of assumptions for the data input for the future assumptions. Mr.
Schroeder stated that the gross annual return is just over 8% and that volatility is the largest factor. He
stated that he figured in an average reduction factor of 50 basis points and the planned expenses would be
about 14 basis points on average. He stated that the Fund pays out about $2 million in benefits and owes
4% to 5% of the money held in cash, so the bond allocation was reduced and put that into a cash return
calculating an offset of 25 basis points. He stated that Lowery Assets Consulting did their capital market
projections on a three to five year horizon, ultimately determining what will happen over a 20 to 30 year
horizon, an offset of 35 basis points. Mr. Schroeder stated that the net effect was that the Fund moved to a
6.75% long -term expected rate of return last year. Mr. Kosmala explained the difference in the short-term
and long -term impacts of fixed income.
The second assumption which Mr. Schroeder discussed was long -term expected pay increases with three
primary components: 1) cost of living (range) increases using 2.5% as a long -term prediction; 2)
performance increases, 0% to 4 %, predicting an average 2% increase; and 3) longevity increases which he
stated that he rolled into the performance increases. He stated that they were recommending a 4.5%
expected pay increase per year.
The third assumption which Mr. Schroeder discussed was the mortality table and that the Fund has been
using the 1984 mortality table. He discussed using the 2000 mortality table, which has a blue collar
adjustment, and the purpose for doing that is looking at how long the Fund's retirees will be living and the
impact on pension funding. Secretary Feldman inquired as to the changes between the 1984 and 2000
mortality tables. Mr. Schroeder stated that the $300,000 increase is mostly due to the change in the
mortality assumption, not the salary scale changes. He stated the projected unit credit method could be
used to calculate the assumptions and discussed same. Ms. Lauterbach affirmed that most pension funds
are still using either the 1971 or 1984 mortality tables. Mr. Schroeder affirmed that the projected unit credit
method was used last year. Finance Director Dangles affirmed that the Police Pension Board
recommended 100% contribution and the Village Board voted to use 90% contribution last year in
accordance with the new law for pension relief passed last year. Ms. Dangles and Trustee Patel also
discussed the disadvantages of the 2000 mortality table. Mr. Schroeder illustrated the past method of
calculation wherein the working lifetime of the participant's contributions are put aside and start out higher.
The State change now focuses on the costs /budgeting starting out lower in the participant's working
lifetime, so the contributions in the first year are much lower and escalate rapidly toward the end of the
participant's working career. He stated that this new method does not allocate the contributions as equally
over the years as the prior method and is more expensive. Finance Director Dangles stated that the
projected unit credit method is used mostly by private enterprise, and she stated that the Pension Board
does not have to use this method and can use the entry age method instead.
Ms. Lauterbach discussed at length the State's method and the disparity between the assumption
calculations of Pension and Village Boards and common misconceptions. She stated that Lauterbach is
offering an actuarial discussion and analysis with members of both pension boards and the Village Board to
come up with accurate assumptions. She stated that this is really a three - meeting process where
Lauterbach & Amen will provide options, show the impact of those options and come up with assumptions.
Finance Director Dangles mentioned that the actuarial assumptions for 2012 will need to be presented at
the Village Board meeting on April 24th with a deadline for receiving them by April 20th.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND
Minutes Page 2 of 4 April 18, 2012
Secretary Feldman recommended the following: 6.75% for rate of return, 4% to 4.5% salary increase,
going back to the entry age method of calculation, contribution at 100 %, and holding off on changing to the
2000 mortality table. Discussion ensued regarding recommendations to the Village Board, including the
impact of moving to the 2000 mortality table. Finance Director Dangles stated that the Fire Pension Board
recommended the following: 6.5% interest rate of return, keeping the salary range at 3.75 %, using the entry
age method, 100% contribution, and staying with the 1984 mortality table.
Ms. Lauterbach affirmed that with the recommended assumptions the Fund would be in a range of 68 to
85% funded, approximately 72 %, and that last year was 75% funded. She stated that State -wide the
average funding is 54 %.
Motion by Trustee Patel, seconded by Trustee Caspers, that the Fund goes with the entry age
method, 100% funding, 4% salary increase, 6.75% investment return and continue to use the 1984
mortality table.
ROLL CALL:
Ayes: 5 — Trustee Caspers, Trustee Patel (via teleconference) Vice President Birdsall, President Torlo,
Secretary Feldman
Nays: 0 — None
Absent: 0 — None. Motion carried.
Finance Director Dangles disconnected from the teleconference at approximately 8:07 p.m.
8. NEW BUSINESS
a. Lowery Asset Consulting, LLC /MB Financial Investment Management Performance Reports for First
Quarter, 2012
Phil Kosmala of Lowery Asset Consulting discussed the summary sheet provided and stated that it was
another phenomenal quarter with more stabilization in the housing market and also discussed the status of
the European and Asian equity and emerging markets.
Lowery's performance report stated the following points: that the Pension Fund trailed the blended
benchmark in the first quarter with a return of 4.7% compared to the benchmark return of 5.4 %; that the
domestic managers lagged their benchmarks in the first quarter as it was a difficult quarter for active
management; that the international managers performed very well in the quarter and overall for all trailing
periods, both ranking at the top of their peer group over 3 years; that MB Financial trailed its benchmark
slightly; and that Ivy Asset Strategy did very well in the first quarter after a difficult 2011. It was stated that
Lowery is looking for an opportunity to add to equities, but are waiting for a better entry point. The report
stated that Ridgeworth Large Cap Value replaced Eaton Vance Large Cap Value in the first quarter.
Mr. Kosmala stated that they feel comfortable with the allocation in emerging markets at this time and
discussed the growing affluence in China, Malaysia and India and that they want to find market managers
who focus on this affluence. He discussed the lag with Oppenheimer Funds in relation to this situation and
may be recommending an equity allocation change at the next meeting to get back to the target.
Jim Hrabak of MB Financial discussed the ten -year treasury market and that it was a very risk -on trade
quarter. In regard to the fixed income portfolio, he stated that the Fund had a positive 33 basis points and
that the blended benchmark was down 13 basis points. He stated that the leading segments of the bond
portfolio were corporate bonds, up about 1 % for the quarter, and Illinois Taxable Municipals, which were up
1.45 %. Mr. Hrabak discussed that another thing which benefited the bond portfolio was that it is more
defensive in nature. He discussed the impact of interest rates on the bonds and that they are continuing to
take a very defensive posture on the portfolio.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND
Minutes Page 3 of 4 April 18, 2012
b. Approval of Investment Transactions for First Quarter, 2012
Motion by Trustee Caspers, seconded by Secretary Feldman, to approve the Investment .
Transactions for the First Quarter, 2012.
ROLL CALL:
Ayes: 5 —Trustee Patel (via teleconference), Vice President Birdsall, President Torlo,
Secretary Feldman, Trustee Caspers
Nays: 0 — None
Absent: 0 — None. Motion carried
9. INFORMATION & UPDATES
a. Scheduling of third quarterly meeting in 2012
Agreement to set third quarterly meeting for 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, 2012.
Agreement to set special meeting for election of officers on 6:00 p.m. on May 9, 2012.
9. ADJOURNMENT:
Motion by Vice President Birdsall, seconded by Trustee Caspers, to adjourn the Board of Trustees
of the Police Pension Fund meeting at 8:35 p.m. VOICE VOTE: Motion carried.
ATTEST:
Edward J. Caspers /s/
Edward J. Caspers, Secretary
Board of Trustees of the Police Pension Fund
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND
Minutes Page 4 of 4 April 18, 2012