December 2021

Volume 52

Highlights

MEET THE TEAM: REBECCA VALDEZ, INVESTMENTS OFFICER

SPECIAL ELECTION FOR GENERAL MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF RETIREMENT

MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION UPDATE IN MYSBCERS

BOOK A VIRTUAL SBCERS APPOINTMENT ONLINE

Also in this edition...

Holiday Office Closures
2021 COLA Tracker
October 2021 Investments Results
November 17, 2021 Board of Retirement Meeting Highlights
December 8, 2021 Board of Retirement Meeting Agenda
CareCounsel Information
RESBC Membership Information

MEET THE TEAM: REBECCA VALDEZ, INVESTMENTS OFFICER

Rebecca Valdez joined SBCERS as Investment Officer in the end of November 2021. Prior to joining SBCERS, Rebecca worked for a locally owned Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) called PartnerVest (now ChangePath). Rebecca has a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics with a concentration in Finance from California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo, has passed Level 2 of the Chartered Financial Analyst exam process, and is a Level 3 Candidate scheduled to sit for the exam in May 2022.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Canoga Park, CA, which makes me a Valley Girl in every sense of the word. I was raised through early childhood in Danville, CA. I went to high school in San Diego, CA and completed college in San Luis Obispo.

What is your job at SBCERS? Why did you decide to work for SBCERS?

I am an Investment Officer with SBCERS. I decided to join SBCERS when my previous company's headquarters relocated to Kansas City after a merger. The merger left me feeling disconnected from my job and I was longing for a sense of community. A friend of mine recommended I apply to SBCERS because when she worked here she felt a true sense of community and connectedness that she knew I was missing from my then job.

What was your dream job as a kid?

I had a hard time choosing between being a nurse or a circus ballerina, neither of those worked out for me.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I really enjoy running outside. I also enjoy BBQing at the beach with my husband and 2 girls.

SPECIAL ELECTION FOR GENERAL MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF RETIREMENT

On October 1, 2021, a General Trustee position on the Board of Retirement of the Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System became vacant. In accordance with the Board of Retirement elections policy, a special election will be held Wednesday, December 8, 2021 – Monday, January 10, 2022 to select a General Member to fill the vacancy of the 2nd Member of the Board of Retirement.

Ballots containing the names of all qualified candidates and postage-paid return envelopes will be mailed to the home address of qualified voting members of the System on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

Completed ballots must be returned by U.S. mail before Monday, January 10, 2022. The votes will be counted on Monday, January 10, 2022.

Click Here for the SBCERS Elections Website

Please contact the clerkoftheboard@sbcers.org for questions or concerns.

MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION UPDATE IN MYSBCERS

SBCERS has implemented enhanced security settings in our Member Portal MySBCERS log in to ensure the security of your valuable pension data. These new features are an additional layer of security built in to the MySBCERS log in process beginning December 1, 2021.

If you have any questions regarding this enhancement, or any MySBCERS feature, we are happy to help! Please email us at benefits@sbcers.org, or call us at 1-877-568-2940, and we will be happy to assist you.

Click Here for More Information

BOOK A VIRTUAL SBCERS APPOINTMENT ONLINE

Due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, all SBCERS counselling appointments will be held virtually, either over the phone or on Zoom. Members may schedule their own appointment online by clicking the button below. All upcoming dates are updated at www.sbcers.org/pop-up.

Click Here to Book an Appointment

Members may choose between 20-minute or 60-minute appointments.

Example 20-Minute Topics:

Service purchase of medical leave or extra help time
Divorce
Tax withholding changes
Health reimbursement claims
Direct deposit changes
Insurance questions

Example 60-Minute Topics:

Pre-retirement or retirement counseling sessions
Death benefit claims
Continuance onboarding

Holiday Office Closures

Please note SBCERS offices will be closed on Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31.

2021 COLA Tracker

November 2021 COLA data has not yet been released. As of October 2021, the average monthly increase for 2021 is 3.34%.

View monthly inflation figures compared to last year.

Want to track the COLA on your own? On the 15th of each month, the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor statistics releases CPI data for Los Angeles.

Read the current Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

October 2021 Investment Results

The Total Fund returned 2.50% for the month of October, net of fees.

Since July 1, 2021, the portfolio has returned 4.46%, generating over $172 million for our beneficiaries.

Read the full October 2021 Investment Flash Report.

November 17, 2021 Board of Retirement Meeting Highlights

At the November 17, 2021 Board of Retirement meeting, the Board heard appeals to the Alameda Decision.

Read the draft November 17, 2021 Minutes.

December 8, 2021 Board of Retirement Meeting Agenda Available

The next Regular Board of Retirement meeting will be held virtually on December 8, 2021. You can watch the meeting via YouTube live stream at https://www.sbcers.org/board-of-retirement/watch-live/.

Members of the public who would like to make a public comment may do so via Zoom. Please email clerkoftheboard@sbcers.org for instructions.

Click HERE to access the agendas and board materials on our agenda management website.

WANT HELP WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE INQUIRIES & CONCERNS?

Looking for a stress-free solution to your healthcare inquiries and, or concerns? CareCounsel is our health advocacy partner and is a service offered as part of your benefit package. CareCounsel works independently from your insurance carrier and is a completely confidential resource.

It’s easy, call: (888-227-3334), or email staff@carecounsel.com Monday through Friday 6:30 am to 5:00 pm PST. After hours, you can leave a message and they will get back to you the next business day.

A few examples of why you should contact CareCounsel:

Education
Making Sense of Medicare
Benefits and Coverage Questions
Claims and Billing Assistance
Eligibility Status
Quality Concerns
Grievances and Appeals
Assistance with Locating Healthcare Providers

RETIRED EMPLOYEES OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY (RESBC)

RESBC is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of county retirees by providing information on critical retirement issues and offering educational/cultural social opportunities. Membership in RESBC is $2.50 monthly. Dues are deducted from the member’s Santa Barbara County pension payment. County employees may join RESBC by completing the RESBC Membership Deduction Authorization form at the time of their retirement exit conference.

Retirees may join at any time by requesting a membership form from SBCERS, 130 Robin Hill Road, Suite 100, Goleta, CA 93117, 1-877-568-2940 or, by clicking HERE and sending the completed form to benefits@sbcers.org.

RESBC Membership benefits include:

4 issues of the RESBC newsletter per year.
4 subsidized luncheon meetings per year held at various county locations.
Opportunities to participate in subsidized day trips and special events.
Attendance at special presentations on critical issues such as health insurance, pension litigation, pension-related court decisions, etc.
Opportunity to socialize and have fun with former co-workers and friends.

Have a question about an item in this newsletter?

Call a Benefit Representative at 1-877-568-2940. We are ready to help you!

Want to look at prior newsletters?

Click HERE to visit the SBCERS Newsletter Archive.