City Council Item Report

City of Surprise — City Council (2025-10-21)

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PUBLIC SAFETY RETIREMENT SYSTEM 
CITY OF SURPRISE LOCAL BOARD – FIRE 
Minutes, Wednesday, April 21, 2021 
16000 N. Civic Center Plaza, Surprise, Arizona 85374 
 
Page 1 of 3 
 
The following are the minutes from the Public Safety Retirement Commission – Fire 
Board Meeting held at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 21, 2021. The meeting was held in 
City Hall, Council Chambers.  
A. Call To Order 
 
Chair Hall called meeting to order at 9:30 a.m.  
 
B. Roll Call:      
Skip Hall, Chairperson – Present 
                      
Chandler Brown, Citizen Board Member – Present 
                       
James Conner, Citizen Board Member – Present 
     
 
 
Christopher Preest, Fire Member – Present 
                     
Ricardo Valdez, Fire Member – Present 
  
 
In attendance: 
Paige Gearhart, Human Resources Manager 
                                 Cynthia Kelley, Board Attorney   
                                 Michelle Reardon, Sr. Specialist (HR) 
                                 Ariana Reyna, PSPRS Board Secretary  
                                  
C. Pledge of Allegiance –Completed 
 
D. Current Events Reports - None 
 
E. Staff Reports  
 
F. Call to the Public – None 
 
Consent Agenda: 
1. Considerations and possible action pertaining to the review and approval 
of the February 10, 2021 Public Safety Retirement Commission - Fire Board 
meeting minutes – APPROVED 
 
  
Motion to Approve: Chandler Brown 
  
Second: Ricardo Valdez 
     Opposed: None 
Regular Agenda: 
 
2. Review and discussion of FY 2020 – 2021 legal counsel fees – 
INFORMATION ONLY

PUBLIC SAFETY RETIREMENT SYSTEM 
CITY OF SURPRISE LOCAL BOARD – FIRE 
Minutes, Wednesday, April 21, 2021 
16000 N. Civic Center Plaza, Surprise, Arizona 85374 
 
Page 2 of 3 
 
No questions or comments from Board members.  
 
3. Consideration and discussion on Board Attorney’s summary of 
legislative update – INFORMATION ONLY 
 
Cynthia Kelley, Attorney, informed the Board that she will provide a summary 
memo to the Local Board in the coming weeks. The statute changes will not 
go into effect until 2022. Summary of changes include, but are not limited to: 
 
- 
Consolidation of local boards, designed for smaller jurisdiction. 
- 
Transition of duties from local board to PSPRS. PSPRS will be 
more involved in member’s benefit calculations. Employer 
responsibilities remain in providing PSPRS with member 
information/member eligibility; review disability applications; 
determining line of duty death; and re-employment issues. 
- 
Local Boards are required to incorporate model uniform rules 
into their procedures.  
- 
Local board training is required 180 days after being appointed 
to the Local Board. This applies to board secretaries, new 
members of the board, and board attorneys.  
- 
Each local board needs to hire independent legal counsel.  
 
 
 
4. Consideration and possible action pertaining to the review of medical 
examination and acceptance of one (1) new Firefighter; Alberto Ramirez 
into the PSPRS system pursuant to A.R.S § 38-859- APPROVED 
 
Firefighter Alberto Ramirez has been hired with the Surprise Fire Department 
effective 3/08/2021. Previous City service as EMT effective 12/2018-08/2019. 
Alberto has been notified of the Board’s review of medical records. 
 
Ricardo Valdez and Christopher Preest are recommending that the bylaws be 
reviewed as Firefighter recruits should be present at the corresponding Local 
Board meeting when discussing their specific medical examination. Board 
Secretary will review bylaws and Statute to make sure that current process of 
managing new members’ pre-membership physicals complies with the Board’s 
expectations as it pertains to the current Fire Bylaws. Board Secretary to follow 
up. 
 
Motion to Approve WITH pre-existing conditions: Ricardo Valdez 
Second: Chandler Brown 
     
Opposed: None

PUBLIC SAFETY RETIREMENT SYSTEM 
CITY OF SURPRISE LOCAL BOARD – FIRE 
Minutes, Wednesday, April 21, 2021 
16000 N. Civic Center Plaza, Surprise, Arizona 85374 
 
Page 3 of 3 
 
 
G. Other Business and Future Agenda Items – None 
a. Christopher Preest mentioned that Phoenix DROP has been moved from 
5 years to 7 years. Board Attorney stated that she has not heard anything 
related to this.  
  
H. Executive Session – None 
 
I. Adjournment  
Motion to adjourn at 9:46 a.m. – APPROVED  
  
 
      Motion: Chandler Brown 
      Second: Ricardo Valdez 
      Opposed: None 
 
Meeting Minutes Approval:  
 
 
_____________________________________ 
Skip Hall, Chair 
Public Safety Retirement Commission – Fire   
 
 
CERTIFICATION: 
 
I, Ariana Reyna, Board Secretary and HR Business Partner for the City of Surprise, 
Maricopa County, Arizona, do hereby verify that these are true and correct minutes 
of the Public Safety Retirement Commission – Fire Meeting of Wednesday, April 
21, 2021. 
 
 
_____________________________________ 
Ariana Reyna, Board Secretary 
Public Safety Retirement Commission – Fire