Employee Trustee Election
June 30, 2004
In November, IMRF members will elect one Employee Trustee when Max Bochmann’s term of office ends on December 31, 2004. The new Employee Trustee’s term will run from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2009.
The accompanying materials provide details on nominating procedures, qualifications and ballots. We’ve also enclosed a sample petition and biographical questionnaire for the election.
Public Act 93-615, the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, includes prohibitions against political activity during work hours. It is our opinion that these prohibitions do not apply to elections for the IMRF Board of Trustees. Gathering IMRF member signatures and other activities of running for the IMRF Board are not included in prohibited political activity regulated by the Act.
If after reading this memo you have any questions, please call an IMRF Service Representative at 1-800-ASK-IMRF (1-800-275-4673).
IMRF Employee Trustee Election
The IMRF Board of Trustees meets monthly and frequently more often. Board members serve without compensation but are reimbursed for their expenses. Their employers are reimbursed for the trustee’s wages during absences while performing IMRF board duties and attending meetings.
Terms and conditions of office
Employee Trustee Max Bochmann will complete his five-year term of office on December 31, 2004.
Therefore, this fall IMRF members will elect one employee trustee. The term of office will run from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2009.
Nominating procedures - petitions
A sample nominating petition is enclosed. Please have your members use this form of petition. Each page of the petition should contain the information listed at the top of the petition. The petition may be photocopied, and the pages may be circulated separately.
The petition must have at least 350 signatures of IMRF members who must have participated in IMRF during July 2004. This includes members on seasonal leave, but not retired members. IMRF will verify signatures on the nominating petitions. Signatures of employees who do not meet the requirements to nominate (such as teachers, police officers when there is a local police pension fund, part-time employees who do not participate in IMRF) will not be counted.
Public Act 93-615, the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, includes prohibitions against political activity during work hours. It is our opinion that these prohibitions do not apply to elections for the IMRF Board of Trustees. Gathering IMRF member signatures and other activities of running for the IMRF Board are not included in prohibited political activity regulated by the Act.
The petition explains the nominating procedures for employee trustees. Petitions for employee trustee candidates will be accepted in the IMRF Oak Brook and Springfield offices between August 1, 2004, and the close of business at 4:30 P.M., September 15, 2004. Mail, hand deliver, or FAX (630-368-5397) the completed petitions to IMRF, ATTN: Sandy Joplin, Legal Administrative Assistant.
On September 24, 2004, letters will be sent to all candidates who submitted nominating petitions informing them of whether or not they will be on the ballot.
Qualifications
Any IMRF member who has eight years of IMRF service credit as of October 1, 2004, is eligible to be nominated. If a member has accepted a refund of contributions (and has not reinstated the refund), the service is forfeited and does not count toward the eight years.
Employee trustee ballots
The Winter Fundamentals newsletter, which will contain candidates’ biographies, will be mailed with the ballots for the employee trustee election. The newsletters and ballots will be mailed to members’ homes on November 1, 2004. The voted ballots must be returned by the close of business at 4:30 P.M., December 3, 2004.