Aug 1, 2010 | Notes & Messages
Hialeah City Council is considering a new law for how its pension programs are changed while city unions oppose the measure.
The Miami Herald
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Author: LAURA ISENSEE, lisensee@MiamiHerald.com
Hialeah has taken the first step to change how its pension programs are altered, but not without opposition from the city’s unions.
Two proposed ordinances would eliminate language in the city code that requires approval from all three bargaining units for amendments to pension plans for general employees, firefighters and police.
Instead, according to the proposed ordinances, any amendments would be subject to collective bargaining.
The measures received preliminary approval from the Hialeah City Council at its meeting Tuesday and are expected to go before the council at its next meeting on Aug. 10 for a second and final reading.
Hialeah City Council is considering the changes amid strained contract negotiations with the city’s three unions and ahead of a difficult budget season.
According to William Grodnick, Hialeah ‘s city attorney, the current provision for altering pension programs is unlawful, even though it has been part of the city code since 1992.
”We can’t violate state law and that trumps city law,” Grodnick told Hialeah City Council.
Grodnick said the current law could be improperly applied if a member of one union blocked changes to the pension program of another union.
”The firefighters could control your destiny,” Grodnick added.
”I respectfully disagree,” said Hialeah Police Lt. Ricardo Fernandez, a representative for the Police Benevolent Association.
Fernandez and leaders from the unions urged the council to put aside the proposed ordinances and deal with any changes to the process at the bargaining table.
”This is an avenue for changes to be automatically made to our retirement system without our voice in it,” Fernandez said.
Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina told the council members the unions can bargain pension and retirement benefits through the collective bargaining process.
”We have an obligation and a duty to move this forward,” Robaina said before the City Council cast a unanimous preliminary vote of approval.
Apr 10, 2010 | Attorney Updates
Today (4/12/2010) I received info from the Miami FOP VP Javier Ortiz that Senate Bill 1902 and House Bill 1025 are dead and neither can be heard on the floor. SB 1902 would affect our pension and put a cap of 80% on how much you could retire with, regardless if you were in FRS or in our plan.
House Bill 1025 would have segregated our retirees from our active members when it comes to health insurance. In plain English: RETIREE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COULD HAVE BEEN DOUBLE THE CURRENT RATE!
I would like to commend the efforts of our lobbyists and especially the support of FOP President Armando Aguilar. Armando spent all last week walking the halls of Tallahassee in order to get commitments from public officials to go against these bills. I would also like to thank Tony Fontana (May he rest in peace) for giving us the tools and experience on how to beat those that try to maliciously attack our much earned benefits. Keep in mind that there are three more weeks of session and anything can happen. We will remain vigilant to assure that an amendment or amendments are not offered which would resurrect and give these bills or issues life.
I’m sure Miami IAFF587 reps were there also, but I didn’t get an update from them.
There is still a battle going on that could affect our benefits, in Tallahassee, Washington, DC and the City of Miami during this year.
Mark the date for the next Retired Fire and Police Association General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, June 23rd at 6:30PM at Piccadilly’s Cafeteria on Flagler St.
Joseph T. Longueira
President
City of Miami Retired Fire and Police Association, Inc.
2300 N W 14 Street
Miami, Fl 33125
firepoliceret@BellSouth.net
FIPO Office Tel: 305 638-5959
Cel: 305 778-5400
Oct 24, 2007 | Notes & Messages
A trusted accountant with the city of Hialeah was accused of stealing more than $250,000 from a retirement fund to buy himself a second home in North Carolina.
Posted on MiamiHerald.com on Tue, Oct. 23, 2007
by LUISA YANEZ
lyanez@MiamiHerald.com
Alejandro ‘Alex’ Torrecillas was taken into custody Oct. 15 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as he returned from vacation. He suffered a medical emergency and was treated before his arrest. His police mug shot shows him in a hospital gown.
For years, no one suspected Alejandro “Alex” Torrecillas of being anything more than a super accountant — assigned to manage both retirement accounts of city of Hialeah employees and also money matters for their union.
Then, earlier this month, Torrecillas went on a Peruvian vacation. Within a day, his replacement detected funny business in the books. A probe was launched by Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina and the city’s police department.
By the time Torrecillas was on his way home, his career as a numbers cruncher appeared over.
CARS AND A HOME
The investigation revealed Torrecillas had allegedly embezzled more than $250,000 from employees’ annuity accounts dating to 2004, Robaina said. He apparently used the money to enrich himself and to buy a second home in North Carolina, along with several cars.
Torrecillas, 50, was taken into custody Oct. 15 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as he returned from his vacation. He suffered a medical emergency and was treated before his arrest. His police mug shot shows him in a hospital gown.
Torrecillas now faces felony charges of official misconduct, organized fraud and grand theft, and six counts of forging checks.
He is free on a $100,000 bond posted Thursday. His next court appearance is Nov. 2.
A telephone call to his Hialeah home was not returned.
Hialeah police did not comment, referring all questions to the mayor.
“I have zero tolerance of this type of crime,” Robaina said Monday. “He was a trusted employee in a very sensitive position.”
The city immediately fired Torrecillas, who had worked there since the late 1990s.
“He bought himself a second home in North Carolina, and we’ll try to take that away from him,” Robaina said.
Prosecutors will search for bank accounts and safety boxes linked to Torrecillas.
Torrecillas was a bonded employee — meaning the city has insurance against such internal thefts. The employees whose retirement annuity accounts were ripped off will be refunded.
“We will recapture all the money stolen,” Robaina said.
CHECKS TO HIMSELF
The scheme was simple: employee accounts with low monthly activity or annual annuity payments on retirement investment accounts were targeted.
For the official office record, Torrecillas would make out the check stubs to the designated retirement account. But he would make out the actual checks to himself, Robaina said.
The amounts varied, “from a hundred to thousands of dollars.”
New security measures have been put in place to protect against such thefts in the future, Robaina said.
And troubles may not be over for Torrecillas and the city’s 1,800 employees. The local branch of the union that represents Hialeah employees — the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — also used Torrecillas as an accountant.
“We have alerted them and they’re doing their own investigation,” Robaina said.
