§ 46-54. Deferred retirement option plan.

(a)

Definitions. As used in this section 46-55, the following definitions apply:

(1)

"DROP" - The City of Deltona Firefighters' Pension Plan Deferred Retirement Option Plan.

(2)

"DROP account" - The account established for each DROP participant under subsection (c).

(3)

"Total return of the assets" - For purposes of calculating earnings on a participant's DROP account pursuant to subsection (c)(2)b.2., for each fiscal year quarter, the percentage increase (or decrease) in the interest and dividends earned on investments, including realized and unrealized gains (or losses), of the total plan assets.

(b)

Participation .

(1)

Eligibility to participate. In lieu of terminating his or her employment as a firefighter, any participant who is eligible for normal retirement under the system may elect to defer receipt of such service retirement pension and to participate in the DROP.

(2)

Election to participate. A participant's election to participate in the DROP must be made in writing in a time and manner determined by the board and shall be effective on the first day of the first calendar month which is at least 15 business days after it is received by the board.

(3)

Period of participation. A participant who elects to participate in the DROP under subsection (b)(2), shall participate in the DROP for a period terminating not later than the earlier of:

a.

Ninety-six months from the date his or her election to participate in the DROP first becomes effective; or

b.

The completion of 35 total years of service (including service while in the DROP and including any years purchased for prior military service or prior fire service); or

c.

The attainment of age 60 years of age.

An election to participate in the DROP shall constitute an irrevocable election to resign from the service of the city not later than the date provided for above. A participant may participate only once.

(4)

Termination of participation.

a.

A participant's participation in the DROP shall cease at the earlier of:

1.

The end of his or her permissible period of participation in the DROP as determined under subsection (b)(3); or

2.

Termination of his or her employment as a firefighter.

b.

Upon the participant's termination of participation in the DROP, pursuant to subsection 1. above, all amounts provided for in subsection (c)(2), including monthly benefits and investment earnings and losses or interest, shall cease to be transferred from the system to his or her DROP account. Any amounts remaining in his or her DROP account shall be paid to him in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) when he terminates his or her employment as a Firefighter.

c.

A participant who terminates his or her participation in the DROP under this subsection (b)(4) shall not be permitted to again become a participant in the DROP.

(5)

Effect of DROP participation on the system.

a.

A participant's credited service and his or her accrued benefit under the system shall be determined on the date his or her election to participate in the DROP first becomes effective. The participant shall not accrue any additional credited service or any additional benefits under the system (except for any supplemental benefit payable to DROP participants or any additional benefits provided under any cost-of-living adjustment for retirees in the system) while he is a participant in the DROP. After a participant commences participation, he shall not be permitted to again contribute to the system nor shall he be eligible for disability or pre-retirement death benefits, except as provided for in section 46-56.

b.

No amounts shall be paid to a participant from the system while the participant is a participant in the DROP. Unless otherwise specified in the system, if a participant's participation in the DROP is terminated other than by terminating his or her employment as a firefighter, no amounts shall be paid to him from the system until he terminates his or her employment as a firefighter. Unless otherwise specified in the system, amounts transferred from the system to the participant's DROP account shall be paid directly to the participant only on the termination of his or her employment as a firefighter.

(c)

Funding.

(1)

Establishment of DROP account. A DROP account shall be established for each participant participating in the DROP. A participant's DROP account shall consist of amounts transferred to the DROP under subsection (c)(2), and earnings or interest on those amounts.

(2)

Transfers from retirement system.

a.

As of the first day of each month of a participant's period of participation in the DROP, the monthly retirement benefit he would have received under the system had he terminated his or her employment as a Firefighter and elected to receive monthly benefit payments thereunder shall be transferred to his or her DROP account, except as otherwise provided for in subsection (b)(4)b. A participant's period of participation in the DROP shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of subsections (b)(3) and (b)(4), but in no event shall it continue past the date he terminates his or her employment as a firefighter.

b.

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b)(4)b., a participant's DROP account under this subsection (c)(2) shall be debited or credited with either:

1.

Interest at an effective rate of six percent per annum compounded quarterly, determined on the last business day of the prior quarter's ending balance and credited to the participant's DROP account as of such date (to be applicable to all current and future DROP participants); or

2.

Earnings, to be credited or debited to the participant's DROP account, determined as of the last business day of each fiscal year quarter and debited or credited as of such date, determined as follows:

The average daily balance in a participant's DROP Account shall be credited or debited at a rate equal to the net investment return realized by the retirement system for that quarter. "Net investment return" for the purpose of this paragraph is the total return of the assets in which the participant's DROP account is invested by the board net of brokerage commissions, transactions costs, account fees and management fees.

For purposes of calculating earnings on a participant's DROP account pursuant to this subsection (c)(2)b.2., brokerage commissions, transaction costs, and management fees shall be determined for each quarter by the investment consultant pursuant to contracts with fund managers as reported in the custodial statement. The investment consultant shall report these quarterly contractual fees to the board. The investment consultant shall also report the net investment return for each manager and the net investment return for the total plan assets.

Upon electing to participate in the DROP, the participant shall select either:

Option 1—Fixed interest rate, or

Option 2—Net investment interest.

Only once during his or her DROP participation may the participant elect to change his or her selection. Such request to change the investment option shall be in writing. An election to change the investment option shall be effective beginning the following quarter after the election is received by the board.

c.

A participant's DROP account shall only be credited or debited with interest and monthly benefits while the participant is a participant in the DROP. A participant's final DROP account value for distribution to the participant upon termination of participation in the DROP shall be the value of the account at the end of the quarter immediately preceding termination of participation plus any monthly periodic additions made to the DROP account subsequent to the end of the previous quarter and prior to distribution. If a participant fails to terminate employment after participating in the DROP for the permissible period of DROP participation, then beginning with the participant's first month of employment following the last month of the permissible period of DROP participation, the participant's DROP account will no longer be credited with interest, nor will monthly benefits be transferred to the DROP account. All such non-transferred amounts shall be forfeited and continue to be forfeited while the participant is employed by the fire department. A participant employed by the fire department after the permissible period of DROP participation will be eligible for pre-retirement death or disability benefits and will accrue additional credited service only as provided for in section 46-56.

(d)

Distribution of DROP accounts on termination of employment.

(1)

Eligibility for benefits. A participant shall receive the balance in his or her DROP account in accordance with the provisions of this subsection (d) upon his or her termination of employment as a firefighter. Except as provided in subsection (d)(5), no amounts shall be paid to a participant from the DROP prior to his or her termination of employment as a firefighter.

(2)

Form of distribution.

a.

Unless the participant elects otherwise, distribution of his or her DROP account shall be made in a lump sum, subject to the direct rollover provisions set forth in subsection (d)(6). Elections under this paragraph shall be in writing and shall be made in such time or manner as the board shall determine.

b.

If a participant dies before his or her benefit is paid, his or her DROP account shall be paid to his or her beneficiary in such optional form as his or her beneficiary may select. If no beneficiary designation is made, the DROP account shall be distributed to the participant's estate.

(3)

Date of payment of distribution. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (d), distribution of a participant's DROP account shall be made as soon as administratively practicable following the participant's termination of employment.

(4)

Proof of death and right of beneficiary or other person. The board may require and rely upon such proof of death and such evidence of the right of any beneficiary or other person to receive the value of a deceased participant's DROP account as the board may deem proper and its determination of the right of that beneficiary or other person to receive payment shall be conclusive.

(5)

Distribution limitation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection (d), all distributions from the DROP shall conform to the "minimum distribution of benefits" provisions as provided for herein.

(6)

Direct rollover of certain distributions. This subsection applies to distributions made on or after January 1, 2002. Notwithstanding any provision of the DROP to the contrary, a distributee may elect to have any portion of an eligible rollover distribution paid in a direct rollover as otherwise provided under the system in section 46-51.

(e)

Administration of DROP.

(1)

Board administers the DROP. The general administration of the DROP, the responsibility for carrying out the provisions of the DROP and the responsibility of overseeing the investment of the DROP's assets shall be placed in the board. The participants of the board may appoint from their number such subcommittees with such powers as they shall determine; may adopt such administrative procedures and regulations as they deem desirable for the conduct of their affairs; may authorize one or more of their number or any agent to execute or deliver any instrument or make any payment on their behalf; may retain counsel, employ agents and provide for such clerical, accounting, actuarial and consulting services as they may require in carrying out the provisions of the DROP; and may allocate among themselves or delegate to other persons all or such portion of their duties under the DROP, other than those granted to them as trustee under any trust agreement adopted for use in implementing the DROP, as they, in their sole discretion, shall decide. A trustee shall not vote on any question relating exclusively to himself.

(2)

Individual accounts, records and reports. The board shall maintain records showing the operation and condition of the DROP, including records showing the individual balances in each participant's DROP account, and the board shall keep in convenient form such data as may be necessary for the valuation of the assets and liabilities of the DROP. The board shall prepare and distribute to participants participating in the DROP and other individuals or file with the appropriate governmental agencies, as the case may be, all necessary descriptions, reports, information returns, and data required to be distributed or filed for the DROP pursuant to the Code and any other applicable laws.

(3)

Establishment of rules. Subject to the limitations of the DROP, the board from time to time shall establish rules for the administration of the DROP and the transaction of its business. The board shall have discretionary authority to construe and interpret the DROP (including but not limited to determination of an individual's eligibility for DROP participation, the right and amount of any benefit payable under the DROP and the date on which any individual ceases to be a participant in the DROP). The determination of the board as to the interpretation of the DROP or its determination of any disputed questions shall be conclusive and final to the extent permitted by applicable law.

(4)

Limitation of liability.

a.

The trustees shall not incur any liability individually or on behalf of any other individuals for any act or failure to act, made in good faith in relation to the DROP or the funds of the DROP.

b.

Neither the board nor any trustee of the board shall be responsible for any reports furnished by any expert retained or employed by the board, but they shall be entitled to rely thereon as well as on certificates furnished by an accountant or an actuary, and on all opinions of counsel. The board shall be fully protected with respect to any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in reliance upon such expert, accountant, actuary or counsel, and all actions taken or suffered in such reliance shall be conclusive upon any person with any interest in the DROP.

(f)

General provisions.

(1)

The drop is not a separate retirement plan. Instead, it is a program under which a participant who is eligible for normal retirement under the system may elect to accrue future retirement benefits in the manner provided in this section 46-54 for the remainder of his employment, rather than in the normal manner provided under the plan. Upon termination of employment, a participant is entitled to a lump sum distribution of his or her DROP account balance or may elect a rollover. The DROP account distribution is in addition to the participant's monthly benefit.

(2)

Notional account. The DROP account established for such a participant is a notional account, used only for the purpose of calculation of the DROP distribution amount. It is not a separate account in the system. There is no change in the system's assets, and there is no distribution available to the participant until the participant's termination from the DROP. The participant has no control over the investment of the DROP account.

(3)

No employer discretion. The DROP benefit is determined pursuant to a specific formula which does not involve employer discretion.

(4)

IRC limit. The DROP account distribution, along with other benefits payable from the system, is subject to limitation under Internal Revenue Code Section 415(b).

(5)

Amendment of drop. The DROP may be amended by an ordinance of the city at any time and from time to time, and retroactively if deemed necessary or appropriate, to amend in whole or in part any or all of the provisions of the DROP. However, except as otherwise provided by law, no amendment shall make it possible for any part of the DROP's funds to be used for, or diverted to, purposes other than for the exclusive benefit of persons entitled to benefits under the DROP. No amendment shall be made which has the effect of decreasing the balance of the DROP account of any participant.

(6)

Facility of payment. If a participant or other person entitled to a benefit under the DROP is unable to care for his or her affairs because of illness or accident or is a minor, the board shall direct that any benefit due him shall be made only to a duly appointed legal representative. Any payment so made shall be a complete discharge of the liabilities of the DROP for that benefit.

(7)

Information. Each participant, beneficiary or other person entitled to a benefit, before any benefit shall be payable to him or on his or her account under the DROP, shall file with the board the information that it shall require to establish his or her rights and benefits under the DROP.

(8)

Prevention of escheat. If the board cannot ascertain the whereabouts of any person to whom a payment is due under the DROP, the board may, no earlier than three years from the date such payment is due, mail a notice of such due and owing payment to the last known address of such person, as shown on the records of the board or the city. If such person has not made written claim therefor within three months of the date of the mailing, the board may, if it so elects and upon receiving advice from counsel to the system, direct that such payment and all remaining payments otherwise due such person be canceled on the records of the system. Upon such cancellation, the system shall have no further liability therefor except that, in the event such person or his or her beneficiary later notifies the board of his or her whereabouts and requests the payment or payments due to him under the DROP, the amount so applied shall be paid to him in accordance with the provisions of the DROP.

(9)

Written elections, notification.

a.

Any elections, notifications or designations made by a participant pursuant to the provisions of the DROP shall be made in writing and filed with the board in a time and manner determined by the board under rules uniformly applicable to all employees similarly situated. The board reserves the right to change from time to time the manner for making notifications, elections or designations by participants under the DROP if it determines after due deliberation that such action is justified in that it improves the administration of the DROP. In the event of a conflict between the provisions for making an election, notification or designation set forth in the DROP and such new administrative procedures, those new administrative procedures shall prevail.

b.

Each participant or retiree who has a DROP account shall be responsible for furnishing the board with his or her current address and any subsequent changes in his or her address. Any notice required to be given to a participant or retiree hereunder shall be deemed given if directed to him at the last such address given to the board and mailed by registered or certified United States mail. If any check mailed by registered or certified United States mail to such address is returned, mailing of checks will be suspended until such time as the participant or retiree notifies the board of his or her address.

(10)

Benefits not guaranteed . All benefits payable to a participant from the DROP shall be paid only from the assets of the participant's DROP account and neither the city nor the board shall have any duty or liability to furnish the DROP with any funds, securities or other assets except to the extent required by any applicable law.

(11)

Construction .

a.

The DROP shall be construed, regulated and administered under the laws of Florida, except where other applicable law controls.

b.

The titles and headings of the subsections in this section [46-54] are for convenience only. In the case of ambiguity or inconsistency, the text rather than the titles or headings shall control.

(12)

Forfeiture of retirement benefits . Nothing in this section shall be construed to remove DROP participants from the application of any forfeiture provisions applicable to the system. DROP participants shall be subject to forfeiture of all retirement benefits, including DROP benefits.

(13)

Effect of DROP participation on employment . Participation in the DROP is not a guarantee of employment and DROP participants shall be subject to the same employment standards and policies that are applicable to employees who are not DROP participants.

(Ord. No. 02-2005, § 1, 2-7-2005; Ord. No. 03-2006, § 1, 6-5-2006; Ord. No. 16-2006, § 1, 8-21-2006; Ord. No. 34-2007, § 5, 1-22-2008; Ord. No. 20-2010, § 21, 10-18-2010; Ord. No. 34-2014, § 4, 1-20-2015; Ord. No. 17-2016, § 8, 5-16-2016)