Council Approves Placing Fire and Police Retirement Board Charter Amendment on November Ballot

The Pasadena City Council unanimously voted Monday night to direct City staff to prepare a Charter amendment measure for the November 2024 ballot that would change how fire and police representatives are selected to serve on the Fire and Police Retirement System (FPRS) Board.

The proposed amendment to Section 1502 of the City Charter would remove language requiring that the fire and police representatives be elected by active or retired members of their respective departments. Instead, they would be chosen according to a policy approved by resolution of the Retirement Board.

Pasadena Police Lt. Keith Jones, chair of the FPRS Retirement Board, explained the reasoning behind the proposed change in his presentation to the Council. 

“As the age of FPRS members continues to advance, there has been less interest in serving on the Retirement Board,” Jones said.

The FPRS Board oversees approximately $97 million in plan assets and manages monthly pensions for about 174 retirees and beneficiaries. It also serves as the hearing body for City of Pasadena CalPERS Industrial Disability Retirement cases.

“So we are here tonight. I am here tonight asking for City council approval and to place this on the November ballot in the general election with that wording and that wording to be worked out specifically between our staff and City staff,” Jones said.

The City Clerk’s Office estimates the cost of placing the Charter amendment on the ballot at $80,000-100,000, plus an additional $5,000-10,000 for related mailings. The FPRS Retirement Board will consider reimbursing the City Clerk’s Office for 50% of the actual expenditures.

The draft ballot question reads: “Shall an amendment to Article 15, Section 1502 of the Pasadena City Charter that allows the fire and police representatives on the FPRS Retirement Board be selected by a policy that is approved by resolution of the Retirement Board, to ensure continued fire and police representation, be adopted?”

The Council will consider final approval of the ballot resolution at its July 22 meeting. 

If approved by voters, the amendment would update the Charter to address the challenge of filling the fire and police positions on the five-member Retirement Board as the FPRS membership ages.