St. Charles aldermen giving up right to public pension

St. Charles aldermen and the city clerk are giving up their ability to collect a pension from the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.

The government operations committee approved the matter unanimously Tuesday; the council will vote on it at its next meeting.

Aldermen, the mayor and the city clerk have been eligible since 1991 to participate in the plan if they spent at least 1,000 hours a year performing their duties. That time could include, among other things, attending meetings, studying materials and meeting with constituents. Joining the plan is voluntary.

But when the IMRF performed a random audit of the city last year, aldermen at the time reported they were not logging the minimum hours.

Aldermen who participated contributed 4½ percent of their pay; the city paid rates ranging from 7 to 15 percent. Aldermen who joined the IMRF before 2011 would become vested after eight years of service; now, it is 10 years of service.

Of 10 current aldermen, three are enrolled, said Denice Brogan, the city's acting human resources director. "Very few have selected to participate over the years," Brogan said.

"I didn't even know we were ever eligible," admitted Alderman Dan Stellato, who was elected in 1995.

Mayor Ray Rogina, who remains eligible, said he has no intention of joining the plan.

Aldermen are paid $175 per city council meeting. The mayor is paid $17,500 annually, and the clerk, $4,500.