The Town of Bethlehem hereby establishes a pension and retirement
system under the provisions of Public Act 642 of the 1967 session
of the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut for the full-time employees of the Town and their beneficiaries.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
EMPLOYEES
Persons hired and employed by the Town of Bethlehem on a
full-time basis, excluding all elected officials and persons appointed
by the Town to serve without compensation.
Employees, for the purposes of the Town of Bethlehem employees'
pension plan, shall not include any employee hired on or after the
effective date of this ordinance. Employees already participating in said plan shall continue
to participate in the plan, as it may be amended from time to time
by the Retirement Board.
[Amended 2-5-2015]
The pension and retirement system of the Town of Bethlehem shall
be administered by a Retirement Board of five members, composed of
the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Bethlehem and two members elected
annually by and from the membership of the Board of Finance of the
Town of Bethlehem.
The Retirement Board of the Town is hereby authorized to establish,
maintain and administer a retirement system for employees of the Town
and their beneficiaries. Said Board is further authorized to adopt
regulations as to eligibility, retirement age, benefits and life insurance.
Said Board is further authorized to appoint such committees, agencies
and trustees as it shall deem proper for the establishment, maintenance
and administration of said system.
Said Retirement Board is hereby authorized to enter into an
agreement with such financially sound corporation or corporations
for the establishment, maintenance and administration of said retirement
system.
[Amended 12-20-1999; 2-5-2015]
A. Said system
shall be financed by appropriations by the Town, said money to be
obtained from tax anticipation notes. Any regulations or agreements
made hereunder shall be based upon an annual appropriation in said
amount to be increased only as may be required by future increases
in salary and wages and in numbers of employees.
B. The Trustees
of the Town of Bethlehem Pension Trust are authorized to make contributions
to the 457(b) Plan for eligible employees in an amount approved by
the Board of Finance each year, which amount does not exceed 10% of
an eligible employee's compensation. Each eligible employee shall
receive the same percentage of compensation as other Eligible Employees
receive during a year.
C. Eligible
employees.
(1) Eligible
employee, for the purposes of eligibility for a Town contribution
to the 457(b) Plan, shall include all employees except for:
(a) Participants
in the Municipal Employees Retirement System plan;
(b) Participants
in the Town of Bethlehem Employees Pension Plan; and
(c) Employees
who average less than 25 hours a week.
(2) The
Trustees of the Town of Bethlehem Pension Trust shall determine the
class of employees permitted to make employee contributions, which
class may include employees excluded from the Town contribution.
Any regulation adopted and any agreement entered into shall
be effective retroactive to July 1, 1969.
The Retirement Board and its successors are hereby authorized
and empowered to make such changes in the agreement and regulations
as they may deem proper, provided that any increase in the amount
to be paid by the Town shall not involve any expenditure exceeding
that appropriated for such purpose.