City Council adopted the Second Amendment to the Firefighters and Police Officers Plan on May 10, 2011. This amendment allows eligible members to purchase service credit for up to four years of Eligible Non-Covered Service at full actuarial cost. Eligible members are those Plan participants who were actively employed as a Firefighter or Police Officer on October 14, 2010, who have Eligible Non-Covered Service. Eligible Non-Covered Service includes periods of employment with the City prior to October 14, 2010, as a Deputy Sheriff, Emergency Rescue/Medical Technician or Medic, or Fire Marshal. Purchased service will be used in the final calculation of the monthly retirement benefit from this Plan.

Information is being mailed to the home address of any member that the City believes has Eligible Non-Covered Service. If you believe you have such service and do not receive a packet by June 30, 2011, you should email Steven.Bland@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3887.

Pension staff has scheduled the following times to meet with members interested in purchasing service. You are welcome to attend any meeting even if you have not received a letter in the mail prior to the meeting date. On each day, staff will give a short presentation and then meet individually with members to provide adjusted costs and to answer questions. Staff will have all forms needed to apply, including the ICMA-RC Purchase of Service Credit Packet for those employees planning to use some or all of the balance in their City 457 Deferred Compensation Plan to purchase service.

During the individual meetings, Pension staff will discuss the service purchase rules and process, pros and cons of purchasing service, application forms, and adjusted cost estimates based on your method of payment.