How the threat began-deep dive: Part 2. The Players

 This is the Workgroup that will make recommendations to the LCPR regarding adding or not adding  911 Telecommunicators to the PERA Correctional Pension.

Here's the link https://www.lcpr.mn.gov/documents/911WorkGroup/911_Telecommunicator_Working_Group_Contact_List.pdf

Let's break it down. Before we do let's point out upfront NOT ONE member of this group with voting powers is a PERA or MSRS Correctional retiree!

We will concentrate on those who are actual Workgroup Members with the ability to vote.

The Chair is Darlene Pankonie. She is listed as the MN APCO or NENA of MN representative. These are 911 Dispatch organizations. Darlene is the 911 Communications Division Mananger Washington County Sheriff's Office for the last 13 years. Prior to that she dispatched for the City of Minneapolis for 4 years. As far as we can ascertain she has not dispatched a 911 call for 13 years. During workgroup meetings she has frequently referred to inmates or offenders as 'clients.' She does not hide her desire to add dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Pension.

Next is Matt Hilgart with the Association of Minnesota Counties, Government Relations Manager. At the September meeting he brought up equity for Probation Officers. They tried unsuccessfully to get in in 2003. 

Anne Finn, League of Minnesota Cities , Asst. Intergovernmental Relations Director, Alternate: Laura Kushner, HR Director.

Matt Massman, Minnesota Inter-County Association , Executive Director.

Dana Wahlberg, Minnesota Department of Public Safety , ECN Director.

Doug Anderson, Executive Director Public Employees Retirement Association. Doug has made some excellent presentations on PERA Pensions. He also made the estimate that it may cost as much as $79 million to add the 911 Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan. 

Erin Leonard, Executive Director, Minnesota State Retirement System. The MSRS is the State Employees retirement. Erin made some very relevant presentations and made the point the State Correctional Retirement requires 75% Offender contact.

Mark Lallak, Communications Lieutenant Itasca County Sheriff's Office, County or municipality 911 telecommunicator. 

Timothy Boyer, State 911 telecommunicator, Statewide Director of Communications, Minnesota State Patrol. At the August meeting he equated stressful Dispatch calls with dangers of Correctional Officer inmate contact! Like the chair he called inmates 'clients.'

Heidi Paumen, Correctional Officer Sherburne County, Public employees local government correctional service retirement plan member. PERA solicited PERA Correctional Plan members to be on the workgroup and the PERA Board then chose from that group. Heidi is a CO at Sherburne County, her husband is a Dispatcher there. An apparent conflict of interest.

Dan Gorman, Correctional Officer Minnesota Department of Corrections, State correctional employees retirement plan member. Dan is a CO in the Minnesota prison system.

Under, Other individuals with expertise or experience Jeremy Hanson, Emergency 911 Dispatcher Itasca County Sheriff's Office, Jeremy and Kirk Oswald, 911 Telecommunicator Rice/Steele 911 Center. All 911 Dispatchers.

The breakdown is 2 Corrections Officers (no retirees) with the PERA CO married to a dispatcher. The Directors of the PERA and State employee retirements. Representatives of Minnesota Cities and Counties. It's hard to say where they will land but if they are looking at costs to cities and counties they may be opposed. The rest are 911 Dispatchers or Dispatch Supervisors. 

There is one Advisor, who is a PERA Correctional Retiree, but he has NO VOTE.

These are the people who will make a recommendation to the Pension Commission on whether to add 911 Dispatchers to the PERA Correctional Plan.