[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors (now Board of Commissioners) of the Township of Pocono as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Police Department — See Ch. 41.
Salaries and compensation — See Ch. 60.
[Adopted 1-3-2005 by Ord. No. 115]
The Pocono Township Police Pension Plan, as enacted by Ordinance No. 33, as amended, and codified in Section 1.51 et seq. of the Pocono Township Official Ordinance Book, is hereby substantially and comprehensibly amended, revised and replaced by the form of Pocono Township Police Pension Plan attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said plan is on file in the Township offices.
[Added 4-1-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-02]
A. 
Ordained and Enacted via Ordinance No. 125 on June 5, 2006:
(1) 
The portion of the definition of "COMPENSATION" as set forth in the first paragraph of Section 1.4 of the Plan was revised as follows: "COMPENSATION" means compensation reportable as wages, tips, and other compensation on Federal Form W-2 as required by Sections 6041, 6051, and 6052 of the Code, including overtime, comp. time, and longevity payments but excluding severance payments, accrued vacation payment, accrued sick days payment and similar non-recurring compensation. Compensation shall include only that compensation which is actually paid to the Participant during the applicable period.
(2) 
The definition of "EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE PLAN" set forth in Section 1. 6 of the Plan was revised as follows: "EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE PLAN means May 1, 1979."
(3) 
Section 4.1(a) of the Plan was revised as follows: "Normal Retirement Date. A full-time regular police officer may retire at age 55, provided the officer has completed 25 years of service as a police officer with the township. A police officer who reaches the age of 55 and has not completed 25 years of service may retire at that age (in excess of age 55) when he has completed 25 years of service."
(4) 
The following sentence was added to the end of Section 4.1(b) of the Plan as follows: "Refer to Section 4.5 of this Plan for Death Benefits."
(5) 
Section 4.7(b) of the Plan was revised as follows: "In no case shall the total police pension benefits exceed 75% of the Compensation used for computing basic retirement benefits."
(6) 
Section 6. 2( b) of the Plan was revised as follows: "Police Pension Committee Members. The Police Pension Committee shall consist of two of the Township Supervisors and the Pocono Township chief of Police."
B. 
Ordained and enacted via Ordinance No. 145 on September 10, 2010:
(1) 
The last paragraph of Section 4.5(a) of the Plan was revised as follows: However, a Death Benefit under this section shall not be paid if the police officer's Beneficiaries are entitled to receive a death benefit pursuant to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Act 51 of 2009, as the same may be amended.
(2) 
Section 4.5(c) of the Plan was deleted in its entirety.
(3) 
The first sentence of the first paragraph of Section 4.5(d) of the Plan was revised as follows: "For purposes of the Death Benefit, the "Beneficiary" of a police officer shall be his/her spouse."
(4) 
The last sentence of the first paragraph of Section 4.5(d) was revised as follows: "The Death Benefit shall be payable to eligible children in equal shares."
(5) 
Section 4.5(e)(1)(a) of the plan was revised as follows: "dies at a time when his/her Beneficiaries are not eligible to receive a Death Benefit or has no Beneficiaries, and."
C. 
Ordained and enacted via Ordinance No. 2018-11 on August 6, 2018:
(1) 
The portion of the definition of "COMPENSATION" as set forth in the first paragraph of Section 1.4 of the Plan was amended as follows: "COMPENSATION" means compensation reportable as wages, tips, and other compensation on Federal Form W-2 as required by Sections 6041, 6051, and 6052 of the Code, including overtime, comp. time and longevity, but excluding severance payments, unused vacation buyouts, unused sick days buyouts, holiday buyouts, comp. time buyouts, Group Term Insurance, reimbursement for uniform allowances, and similar non-recurring compensation. Compensation shall include only that compensation which is actually paid to the Participant during the applicable period."
(2) 
Section 6.2 of the Plan was amended as follows: "Police Pension Committee Members. The Police Pension committee shall consist of the Board of Commissioners.
(3) 
Section 6.4 of the Plan was amended as follows: "Chief Administrative Officer. The Township Manager shall be the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Plan and shall have primary responsibility for the administration of the pension plan. The duties of the CAO shall be as follows:
(a) 
Supervise and direct the preparation of actuarial reports;
(b) 
Certify and file actuarial reports with the Municipal Pension Reporting Program;
(c) 
Make actuarial report information available to the plan members;
(d) 
Annually, determine and submit to the Township Commissioners the financial requirements of the pension plan and minimum municipal obligation; and
(e) 
Provide the Township Commissioners with a cost estimate of the effect of any proposed benefit plan modification."
D. 
Ordained and enacted via Ordinance No. 2020- 04 on July 20, 2020:
(1) 
Section 4.1(a) of the Plan was amended as follows: "Normal Retirement Date. The Normal Retirement Date for a participant shall be the first day of the month following the later of his or her 53rd birthday, and the completion of 25 years of service."