June 2019
Trust Tips is a resource for members of the Trusts administered by the Florida League of Cities. Here you’ll find tips and other information from the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust,

Click the hyperlinks above to contact an insurance or financial services representative directly.
  In This Issue:

  • Dade City Employees to Save Thousands in Fees Over Careers with FMPTF
  • Florida Municipal Loan Council Issues $16.5 Million of Bonds
  • Featured Video: Tailored Training from Our Team to Yours
  • Driver Safety Training Helps Reduce Claims in Coral Springs
  • Obtain Free Access to Employment Law Attorney
  • First Responders and Risk of PTSD
  • Show the Judge Some Love! Fair Pay for Work Comp Judges
  • Tips to Prepare for Hurricane Season
  • Increase Awareness of Heat Illness
Dade City Employees to Save Thousands
In Fees Over Careers with FMPTF

by Jeremy Button

The Florida Municipal Pension Trust Fund is proud to announce that its newest member, the City of Dade City, is projected to save its employees tens of thousands of dollars this year. Dade City recently selected the FMPTF to administer its 401(a) Defined Contribution and 457(b) Deferred Compensation retirement plans. 

In finance, fractions of a percent matter, particularly with fees. For more information on Dade City’s change, click here .

Jeremy Button is a senior analyst with the Florida League of Cities. For more information about the FMPTF, contact Rodney Walton , account executive.
Loan Council Issues
$16.5 Million of Bonds

by Molly Button

On April 18, the Florida Municipal Loan Council announced the closing of its 28 th series of fixed-rate bonds, issuing $16.5 million of bonds.

Using the combined purchasing power of the FMLC’s bond pool program, the Series 2019A bonds were issued on behalf of the City of Lighthouse Point to finance the costs of constructing a new fire station and emergency operations center (illustrated above), a new public works building, renovation of another public works building, a new recreational building and renovation of the public library. The FMLC has issued more than $1 billion in bonds to 58 municipalities since 1998. For more information, click here .

Molly Button is a senior analyst with the Florida League of Cities.

Featured Video: Tailored Training from Our Team to Yours

The Florida Municipal Insurance Trust has just released a video titled “Tailored Training from Our Team to Yours.” The goal of the training is to connect professionals with industry experts about timely and upcoming topics. Access the video by clicking here . 
Driver Safety Training Helps Reduce Claims in Coral Springs

by Jonathan Jaramillo
 
Driver safety training provided by the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust to its members has placed special emphasis on reducing vehicle-related claims and losses for the City of Coral Springs.

The city’s risk management staff implemented mandatory driver safety training for new Coral Springs employees and existing employees who are involved in a vehicle accident in which they are found at-fault. For details, click here .

Jonathan Jaramillo is a risk and safety consultant with the Florida League of Cities. For more information on the driver safety training, contact Jaramillo .
Obtain Free Access to Employment Law Attorney
Florida Municipal Insurance Trust members who need legal guidance on liability issues regarding employment-related matters have access to a valuable service.

Members insured by the FMIT for employment practices liability can go through the Employment Law Advisor (ELA) program to access a Florida-based attorney with significant public-sector employment law experience. There is no cost to you or your organization.
 
The program is intended to address employment matters such as hiring, discipline, promotion/demotion, transfer, reassignment, layoff, termination and complaints of discrimination, harassment, unfair treatment and retaliation.
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To speak with an attorney, call (888) 368-FMIT (3648) Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). For more information, click here .
First Responders and Risk of PTSD

by Gwen Mahabir, MS, CHES

One of the monthly health and wellness observances for June is awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder. Although everyone is susceptible to experiencing PTSD, first responders who serve our municipalities are at much higher risk. PTSD is two to five times more prevalent among these employees.

Municipalities are encouraged to routinely communicate to staff all the services/resources that are available to them through their EAP (employee assistance program) and ensure they know what other internal program options are available to them and their coworkers. For more information, including resources and five signs of PTSD to look for, click here. For more information on the Hometown Health program and to see other health-related articles, click here.

Gwen Mahabir, MS, CHES, is Hometown Health manager at the Florida League of Cities.
Show the Judge Some Love!
Fair Pay for Work Comp Judges 

by Vernell K. Goodridge

Over the last few years, one of the big topics in workers’ compensation has been about attorney fees, primarily claimant fees. But what about pay for other players in the work comp system, specifically our judges?

There is a real problem with filling judicial positions in work comp in our state that is directly related to pay. This issue leaves vacancies unfilled for extended periods of time, which is not good for the overall system. Work comp judges’ pay has struggled to keep pace with inflation. There is a huge, unexplained discrepancy between what a circuit court judge makes and what a judge of compensation claim makes. It’s causing significant problems, namely attracting qualified candidates and filling vacancies.
 
Click here to read an article from the Workers’ Compensation Institute on what legislative remedies are being presented to help correct this persistent problem in our system.

Vernell K. Goodridge, CWC, ACA, CWCL, is the workers’ compensation claims manager for the Florida League of Cities.
Tips to Prepare for Hurricane Season

by Tony Scott

Another hurricane season is here. Four hurricanes in the past three years have affected many of our members. In the case of Irma and Michael, the effects have been significant.

Whether Florida is in beginning, middle or toward the end of an active cycle of landfalling hurricanes, all it takes is one storm to cause catastrophic damages to critical infrastructure. For a list of basic preparations that every organization should consider implementing on a yearly basis, click here .

Tony Scott is principal/chief technology officer at Synergy NDS, Inc. – FMIT Turnkey Recovery Program Managers.
Increase Awareness of Heat Illness

by Jonathan Jaramillo

Many local government employees are exposed to hot environments while on the job. As a result, there is special emphasis placed on employees exposed to outdoor workplaces in hot weather. However, it’s not only outdoor workplaces that expose employees to heat. Should you find yourself working indoors without fans or air conditioning during the summer, you, too, would be at serious risk of experiencing a heat-related illness.

Summer weather in Florida can last between April and November. However, the hottest months are usually from June to August with temperatures reaching an average of 90 degrees in many places.
Any of us may be exposed to heat illnesses throughout the workday during the summer. Heat illnesses such as heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke, a life-threatening condition that occurs when a person’s core body temperature reaches 104 Fahrenheit.

As a preventive measure, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration has published information on the subject via its website . An OSHA “Quick Card’ to assist employers with preventing heat illnesses is available in English , Spanish and Vietnamese .

Jonathan Jaramillo is a risk and safety consultant with the Florida League of Cities.