Memorandum  #30: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 4th Quarter 2017

Date:	09/28/2017
Referenced Sources:	PERAC Website

PERAC Memo #30, 2017

To All Retirement Boards:

TO: All Retirement Boards

FROM: Joseph E. Connarton, Executive Director

RE: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 4th Quarter 2017

DATE: September 28, 2017

As you know, Chapter 32 mandates that retirement board members complete training during each year of service on the retirement board.  Failure to meet this mandatory requirement will prohibit the member from serving beyond the conclusion of the term for which the training requirement was not met.

Retirement board members are reminded of the requirement to meet the statutory education mandate.  As we enter the sixth year of this program it must be noted that, unfortunately, several retirement board members have become ineligible for service on retirement boards due to failure to fulfill the education mandate.

Participation Confirmation

All certificates (if provided) and / or affidavits must now be submitted through PROSPER.

Upcoming events and locations include:

Date	Topic	Location	Registration Info
October 2, 2017	Legal Panel	MACRS Springfield	MACRS
October 4, 2017	RFP’s; Veterans Buy Back; 5th Member Selection	MACRS Springfield	MACRS
October 17, 2017	Administrators Training	DoubleTree by Hilton, Hyannis	Rose Morrison [e-mail]
October 23, 2017	Roberts Rules of Order and Massachusetts Public Records Law	Normandin Middle School New Bedford	Lisa Presby [e-mail]
October 30, 2017	Open Meeting Law	Normandin Middle School New Bedford	Lisa Presby [e-mail]
November 6, 2017	Conflict of Interest Law	Normandin Middle School New Bedford	Lisa Presby [e-mail]
November 14, 2017	Administrators Training	Danvers Retirement Board, Danvers	Rose Morrison [e-mail]
November 16, 2017	Investment Fees	PERAC	PROSPER
December 28, 2017	Investment Fees	PERAC	PROSPER

(Additional details available on the following pages)

Webinars and On-Line Training

Topic	Registration Info
State Ethics Conflict of Interest Law	www.mass.gov/ethics/ [e-mail] or 617-371-9517
Open Meeting Law	[e-mail] or 617-963-2925
National Crime Prevention Webinar	www.ncpc.org
Ethical Decision Making for Pension Plan Trustees	https://www.cfainstitute.org/learning/products/multimedia/Pages/130211.aspx?WPID=BrowseProducts

(Additional details available on the following pages)

Pre - Approval

The Commission is willing to approve educational credits for a variety of events sponsored by “…local, state, regional and national organizations recognized by the Commission as having expertise in retirement issues of importance to retirement board members or other entities…”  This provision of the statute has been interpreted to encompass particular programs offered by such entities.  For example, an ethics class or open meeting law class offered as part of a broader conference may be eligible for education credit.  However, approval for such credit must take place well in advance of the date of the event.  This will enable the Commission to analyze the program and to provide a general notice to retirement board members to maximize participation

The Commission will grant credits for the following:

1. NCPERS (TEDS) – 3 Credits;
2. NCPERS (PATS) – 3 Credits;
3. NCTR Trustee Workshop – 3 Credits;
4. NCTR Annual Conference – 3 Credits;
5. International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFB) New Trustee
Institute/Advanced Trustees Institute - 3 Credits;
6. PRIM Investors’ Conference – 3 Credits;
7. Ethics Training MA Town Clerks Association – 3 Credits;
8. Open Meeting Law – MA Association of School Committees – 3 Credits;
9. City/Town Sponsored Conflict of Interest Training – 3 Credits;
10. City/Town Sponsored Open Meeting Law Training – 3 Credits;
11. National Pension Education Association – 3 Credits;
12. NCPERS Legislative Conference (DC)  – 3 Credits;
13. NASRO – 3 Credits;
14. GFOA – 3 Credits;
15. NCPRS 2017 Public Pension Funding Program – 3 Credits; and,
16. American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) Annual Conference – 3 Credits

Non-PERAC; Non-MACRS Events

PERAC will award credit for attendance at the following educational events sponsored by entities other than the Commission and MACRS:

2017 PRIM Investors’ Conference (Three Credits)

PRIM will hold an Investors’ Conference on Thursday, November 9, 2017 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.  The conference will be held in the Hogan Center Ballroom.  Registration begins at 8:15 AM - the formal program will convene at 9:00 AM.

Anyone planning to attend can register using the following link. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/prim-board-investor-client-conference-tickets-37387952372  or email [e-mail] for registration by Wednesday, November 1st at 11:30 AM.

PERAC has arranged for admission for any retirement board member to three educational sessions being offered by the New Bedford Office of the City Solicitor:

1. Roberts Rules of Order and Massachusetts Public Records Law (Three Credits)
Monday, October 23, 2017 at 6:00 PM at the Normandin Middle School, 81 Felton Street, New Bedford MA (Please e-mail [e-mail] or at (508) 979 – 1460.

2. Open Meeting Law (Three Credits)
Monday, October 30, 2017 at 6:00 PM at the Normandin Middle School, 81 Felton Street, New Bedford MA (Please e-mail [e-mail] or at (508) 979 – 1460 – see below.

3. Conflict of Interest Law (Three Credits)
Monday, November 6, 2017 at 6:00 PM at the Normandin Middle School, 81 Felton Street, New Bedford MA (Please e-mail [e-mail] or at (508) 979 – 1460.

State Ethics Commission Seminars (Three Credits):

The Commission will grant three (3) credits to retirement board members who complete a Public Education Seminar on the Conflict of Interest Law conducted by the State Ethics Commission.  As noted above, these sessions are sometimes held in conjunction with meetings of certain organizations.  

The State Ethics Commission will be conducting educational seminars throughout 2017 at its offices in Boston at One Ashburton Place, Room 619.  Present offerings include:
Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 10:00 AM

Space is limited.  To attend a seminar at the Commission office, please call 617-371-9500 or email [e-mail] . You may also register to participate remotely in a webinar.

Open Meeting Law Trainings (Three Credits)

The Open Meeting Law trainings will be conducted by attorneys from AG Healey’s Division of Open Government, are open to the public, and are being offered free of charge.

To attend please register in advance by calling 617-963-2925 or by emailing [e-mail], and providing: 1) first and last names; 2) town of residence; 3) the public body/organization you represent, if appropriate; and 4) the location of the educational forum you will attend.

Mashpee, Monday, October 2, 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Town Hall, Large Conference Room16 Great Neck Road North, Mashpee

Great Barrington, Tuesday, October 17, 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Town Hall, Selectboard Meeting Room, 334 Main Street, Great Barrington

New Bedford, Monday, October 30, 6:00 PM-8:00 PM
Normandin Middle School, 81 Felton Street, New Bedford

Norwell, Monday, November 6, 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Norwell Town Hall, Osborne Room, 345 Main Street, Norwell

Greenfield, Wednesday, November 15, 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
John W. Olver Regional Transit Center, 12 Olive Street, Greenfield

October, November and December Educational Events

The list below contains the educational offerings to be presented in the fourth quarter of 2017.  It is suggested that retirement board members pre-register, however, “walk-ins” are always welcome.

MACRS October Conference (Six Credits)

As has been the case in the past, PERAC, in conjunction with MACRS, will be making educational opportunities available at the October MACRS Conference (October 1 – 4) in Springfield. The breakout will be as follows:

1. Monday, October 2, 2017 – Board members attending the Legal Panel Session during the main MACRS Conference will be awarded three credits – (Three Credits)

2. Wednesday October 4, 2017 – PERAC will conduct sessions (“RFP’s”; “Veterans Buy Back”, and “5th Member Selection”) – (Three Credits)

Investment Fees (Three Credits)

1. Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 11:00 AM at the PERAC Offices, 5 Middlesex Avenue, 3rd Floor, Somerville,  MA (Please register through PROSPER)

2. Thursday, December 28, 2017 at 11:00 AM at the PERAC Offices, 5 Middlesex Avenue, 3rd Floor, Somerville,  MA (Please register through PROSPER) Snow Date December 29, 2017

Board Administrator’s Training (Three Credits for Board Members)

1. Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 8:00 AM at the DoubleTree by Hilton Cape Cod, 287 Iyannough Road, Hyannis, MA (Please e-mail Rose Morrison at [e-mail] to make reservations)

2. Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at 8:00 AM at the Danvers Retirement Board, Town Hall, 1 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA (Please e-mail Rose Morrison at [e-mail] to make reservations) Snow Date November 15, 2017

Although the Administrator Training sessions are geared towards the administrators, board members are certainly invited to attend.  We will of course provide three credits to those board members who attend.

ON-LINE TRAINING - Webinars

State Ethics Commission On-Line Conflict of Interest Law Training (Three Credits)

In order to access the program retirement board members should go to the Ethics Commission Web Page at www.mass.gov/ethics/ and then click on the link “Conflict of Interest Online Training Programs”.  Following transfer to that page scroll down and click the link to “Municipal Employee Online Training Program”.

Office of the Attorney General – On-Line Open Meeting Law (Three Credits)

The AG’s Office is conducting webinars on the Open Meeting Law on the following dates:

Thursday, October 12 from 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Wednesday, November 8 from 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Thursday, December 14 from 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Attendees can participate entirely online and will be able to submit written questions during the training and receive real-time responses from Division attorneys. Those interested in registering or receiving additional information about the webinar may do so by emailing [e-mail].

National Crime Prevention Council – “Taking Action: An Advocate’s Guide to Assisting Victims of Financial Fraud; “Investment Fraud Prevention Strategies”; “The Psychology of a Scam”; “Targeting Investment Fraud”; “Understanding Financial Fraud Victimology, Risk Factors, and Psychological Impact” (Three Credits)

The National Crime Prevention Council has initiated a Webinar Series focused on Investment Fraud Prevention.  Retirement Board members may access the site by going to www.ncpc.org/  and clicking on “Programs”.  On that page click on “Investment Fraud Prevention Program” in the green box on the left.  This will bring you to the page entitled Investment Fraud Prevention Program.  On that page click on “Webinar Series” in the green box.

This will bring you to the presentations listed above.  In order to complete the program and receive credits the retirement board member download the presentation “Taking Action: An Advocate’s Guide to Assisting Victims of Financial Fraud” and download and review the presentations pertaining to “Investment Fraud Prevention Strategies”, “The Psychology of a Scam”, “Targeting Investment Fraud” and “Understanding Financial Fraud Victimology, Risk Factors, and Psychological Impact”.

CFA Institute – An Overview of Compliance with the CFA Institute Asset Ethical Decision Making for Pension Plan Trustees (Three Credits)

In order to access this Webcast retirement board members should go to the www.cfainstitute.org and click on “Insights & Learning”.  Click on “Publications & Multimedia” then type the course in the search box in the upper right hand part of the screen.  This will bring you to a series of webcasts, choose the appropriate audio webcast recorded on June 7, 2016.

Other Webinars

The Commission has approved education credit for participating in Webinars.  In 2018, we will entertain requests for credit in relation to relevant Webinars, again, provided that such a request is made well in advance of the session.

Thank You

The Commission would be remiss if we did not thank all the rank and file members of the retirement boards who, in spite of other pressing duties, are making a good faith effort to fulfill their duties and responsibilities.

Commission Members

Philip Y Brown, Esq., Chairman
Auditor Suzanne M. Bump
Kathleen M. Fallon
Kate Fitzpatrick
James M. Machado
Robert B. McCarthy
Jennifer F. Sullivan