HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 02 10 Consent 300 Unapproved Minutes from the May 13, 2014 Regular MeetingThe Regular Meeting of Tuesday, May 13, 2014 of the Board of Trustees was called to
Order by Chairperson Barbara Watkins at 5:30 p.m. in the West Hall Conference Room
of the Municipal Building (City Hall, 1126 East State Road 434, Winter Springs, Florida
32708).
Roll Call:
Chairperson Barbara Watkins, present
Vice - Chairperson Frank Mundo, present
Board Member Brian Fricke, present
Assistant to the City Clerk Sean Beaudet, present
A brief moment of silence was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
AWARDS AND PRESENTATIONS
AWARDS AND PRESENTATIONS
100. Not Used
INFORMATIONAL AGENDA
INFORMATIONAL,
200. Not Used
PUBLIC INPUT
Chairperson Watkins opened "Public Input ".
No one addressed the Board of Trustees.
Chairperson Watkins closed "Public Input".
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA
MINUTES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING - MAY 13, 2014
PAGE 2 OF 6
CONSENT AGENDA
CONSENT I
300. Office Of The City Clerk
Requesting The Board Of Trustees Review And Approve The Thursday, December
5, 2013 (Rescheduled From November 12, 2013) Board Of Trustees Regular
Meeting Minutes.
"I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES."
MOTION BY CHAIRPERSON WATKINS. SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER
FRICKE. DISCUSSION.
VOTE:
VICE - CHAIRPERSON MUNDO: AYE
BOARD MEMBER FRICKE: AYE
CHAIRPERSON WATKINS: AYE
MOTION CARRIED.
CONSENT
301. Office Of The City Clerk
Requesting The Board Of Trustees Review And Approve The Thursday, February
27, 2014 Board Of Trustees Special Meeting Minutes.
"I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE FEBRUARY 27TH MINUTES."
MOTION BY VICE - CHAIRPERSON MUNDO. SECONDED BY CHAIRPERSON
WATKINS. DISCUSSION.
VOTE:
BOARD MEMBER FRICKE: AYE
CHAIRPERSON WATKINS: AYE
VICE - CHAIRPERSON MUNDO: AYE
MOTION CARRIED.
400. REPORTS
No Reports were given.
PUBLIC HEARINGS AGENDA
PUBLIC HEARINGS
500. Not Used
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA
MINUTES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING -MAY 13, 2014
PAGE 3 OF 6
❖ ❖ AGENDA NOTE: REGULAR ITEMS 11600" AND "601" WERE
ADDRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY. ❖❖
REGULAR AGENDA
REGULAR
600. Finance And Administration Services Department
Requesting The Board of Trustees Receive From The Bogdahn Group, An Interim
Investing Of Surplus Funds, And To Enter Into Discussion.
REGULAR
601. Finance And Administration Services Department
Requesting The Board of Trustees Receive From The Bogdahn Group, The Year
Endiniz ADril 2014- Investment Return Retort, And To Enter Into Discussion.
Mr. Dave West, Senior Consultant, The Bogdahn Group, 4901 Vineland Road, Suite 600,
Orlando, Florida: presented the Agenda Item and reviewed many of the returns in the
Quarter Investment Return Report.
Next, Mr. West addressed the rebalancing of funds, per the direction from the Board of
Trustees at the last meeting, to policy targets from the Vanguard Total Stock Market
Index into the Galliard Intermediate Bond Fund. Mr. West explained, "We had submitted
the trade ticket to get that executed and it was a recommendation and the direction."
Discussion followed on a Vote of the Board of Trustees Members that were in attendance
at the February 27, 2014 Special Meeting and Mr. Shawn Boyle, Director, Finance and
Administrative Services Department noted that based on the discussion and Vote at that
time, that froze the transaction.
Further, Mr. West remarked that on our "`Receipts and Disbursements' — that is why the
cash is so out of wack. That is ten percent (10 %) of Plan assets now sitting in cash."
With additional comments, Mr. West added that with the excess funds in cash, the
Pension was not currently within the Policy targets and this needed to be addressed.
Discussion.
Vice - Chairperson Frank Mundo inquired about the status of the recently chosen Crescent
Direct Lending. Mr. Boyle replied, "They sent us a very complicated contract, in our
opinion, because it has off -shore accounts in the Caymans, etc. It's a very complicated
contract from what we are used to seeing. So, I reached out to Dave (West) and he gave
me some guidance. The application, which is forty -five (45) pages, is now complete. So,
the City Manager has permission to sign it - the Commission has signed off on your
recommendation to them for that Investment.
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA
MINUTES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING — MAY 13, 2014
PAGE 4 OF 6
The City Attorney has opined that in form, the contract is complete and looks fine. But,
he also wants everyone to know that he is not a SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission) Attorney. He cannot opine to the content of it. I wanted to know what all
of your opinions were. Some of you have this exact type of experience. We did the best
we could, filling out the application based on what other cities have done that are similar
to us. The question is, do we want to pause and put this to an SEC (U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission) Attorney or someone who's qualified to review this forty -five
(45) page application."
Discussion followed on a possible capital call up date for investment with Crescent
Direct Lending; that other municipalities' Boards of Trustees are not an Advisory Board,
but the ultimate Trustees of Pensions; that many municipalities already have a Pension
Attorney on retainer; and that Pension Attorneys have different preferences and fees in
reviewing investment contracts.
Mr. Boyle inquired, "Do we slow it down? We have an Attorney, Jim Linn (Lewis,
Longman & Walker, P.A.). Do we hand it to him for review? I don't know how long it
takes for these guys to review this." Further comments.
Mr. West added, "We have to submit this documentation before the end of the month or
the approved investment is not going to happen." Mr. West added that it could be a
couple of years before a similar investment option came open.
Board Member Fricke noted that by having received an opinion from a Pension Attorney,
the City is guaranteed some resolution should the contract and investment be unfavorable
to the City. Mr. West asked if there was a procedure that addresses contract reviews; to
which Mr. Boyle responded, "We have an operational procedure, but not a pension
procedure per se."
Vice - Chairperson Mundo added that this investment was in private equity and different
than other investments within the Pension; and asked if the City needed to have a retainer
for a Pension Attorney. Mr. Boyle noted he was not sure if it was required, as these
investments were not utilized very often in the Pension.
Tape 1 /Side B
Mr. Boyle offered, "Let me find out what we can get done and how quickly we can get it
done. You don't have to Vote on it. Let me see what I can currently do and we'll try to
set something up longer term, in case these things come up again."
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA -
MINUTES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING — MAY 13, 2014
PAGE 5 OF 6
Next, discussion ensued on an interim investment option should the deal with Crescent
Direct Lending not occur, or if the investment is approved and funds are awaiting the
subsequent capital calls. Vice - Chairperson Mundo reminded everyone that he objected to
placing the funds in Bonds, per his Vote at the last meeting. Board Member Fricke noted
that he was not comfortable placing funds into equities on such a short term basis.
Mr. West suggested, "Increasing our target allocation to the Templeton Global Bond
Fund, which is a very short duration fund." Vice - Chairperson Mundo responded, "I think
that whatever we decide, since it is a short term decision — shouldn't have a capital risk
component." Discussion.
Board Member Fricke inquired, "If we stay in cash, are we violating Investment Policy ?"
Mr. West replied, "I think if the Pension Auditors — if we took a snapshot, and we had a
ten percent (10 %) position is cash, then the Pension Auditors are going to raise the flag
on that one." Board Member Fricke then asked, "If it was part of the Policy, then the
Pension Auditors would be okay with that ?" Mr. West said, "Yes. If it is written in the
Policy, no problem. However, we do not have a `Cash Allocation' written in the Policy."
Further remarks followed.
As a solution, Mr. Boyle offered, "I could buy short term Treasuries. There is no interest
rate risk ", to which Vice - Chairperson Mundo asked Mr. West if this could be done. Mr.
West replied, "We would have to direct a Manager or do our due diligence and bring in
some short term investments options." Mr. Boyle clarified, "So, the Pension cannot go
out and buy U.S. Treasuries directly? We can't go buy some bonds that have short term
maturities ?" Mr. West said, "The City wouldn't be authorized to transact on behalf of the
Pension. We obviously are only advisory." Board Member Fricke added, "How do we fix
that? Is that a mechanism that can be put in place, words on paper that would allow the
City to go and buy Treasuries ?" In response, Mr. West said, "I wouldn't recommend that.
We want well established money managers doing the transactions."
Much discussion ensued on possibly changing the Investment Policy language to allow
10% cash allocation in anticipation of capital calls from certain investments.
Summing up the discussion, Mr. West said, "I think we have two (2) options we can do
here. If we want to go before City Council again with another Investment Policy
Amendment, within the current Investment Policy we just amended, we are absolutely
operating within the confines of that Investment Policy by reviewing another Fixed
Income Investment option and diversifying away additional funds into that. The second
option is, if we want to have cash management language for transitional cash and define
what that is, absolutely. We can amend the document to that affect. I think we are
completely operating within the current Policy as it was just revised and approved."
Further discussion.
Tape 2 /Side A
CTTY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA
MINUTES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING —MAY 13, 2014
PAGE 6 OF 6
Concluding, Mr. Boyle said, "I think the direction of the Board is that I'll seek legal
opinion and if Dave (West) and I think it can be completed before the capital call, that's
the direction you guys want to go. If it can't, then we're going to stop and come back to a
regular meeting in terms of what we are going to do with these funds." Mr. West
reiterated the recommendation. No objections were noted.
CONSENUS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ACCEPT STAFF'S
RECOMMENDATION.
Mr. West also stated, "Then maybe an advisory board direction on the cash. Because we
need the Minutes to reflect that the cash balance was addressed. Given that the amount of
the capital call is not known, and rebalancing has resulted in a significant cash balance;
the board has directed the Investment Consultant to bring Alternative Fixed Income
investment options to the next meeting."
Vice - Chairperson Mundo requested, "I would like the word `short-term' to appear in
there. Mr. West agreed and said, "I would rather you put it in there." No objections were
noted.
CONSENUS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ACCEPT THE FIDUCIARY'S
RECOMMENDATION.
PUBLIC INPUT
Chairperson Watkins opened "Public Input ".
No one spoke.
Chairperson Watkins closed "Public Input ".
WI0I11901105 101 al
Chairperson Watkins adjourned the Regular Meeting at 7:06 p.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
SEAN BEAUDET
ASSISTANT TO THE CITY CLERK
NOTE: These Minutes were Approved at the , 2015 Board of Trustees Regular Meeting.