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Meeting Minutes Public Safety Police Personnel Retirement Board Regular Meeting September 3, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. Council Chambers Conference Room 88 E Chicago St., Chandler, AZ Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Turner at 9:05 a.m. Roll Call Board Attendance Staff Attendance Chairperson Steven Turner Kristin Maier, Human Resources Acting Director Citizen Member Bill Crawford Nichole Bombard, Medical Leave Coord. Police Member Elect Ariel Werther Destinee Martinez Peru, Medical Leave Coord. Police Member Elect Cassandra Ynclan Others Present Andrew Apodaca, Board Attorney Absent Citizen Member Valerie Remington Scheduled and Unscheduled Public Appearances Consent Agenda and Discussion 1. Special Meeting Minutes of Wednesday, July 23, 2025 2. Regular Meeting Minutes of Wednesday, August 6, 2025 Consent Agenda Motion and Vote Police Member Elect Werther moved to approve the meeting minutes of the Chandler Local Police Public Safety Personnel Retirement Board Special Meeting on July 23, 2025; Seconded by Police Member Elect Ynclan. Motion carried unanimously (4-0) Police Member Elect Werther moved to approve the meeting minutes of the Chandler Local Police Public Safety Personnel Retirement Board Regular Meeting on August 6, 2025; Seconded by Police Member Elect Ynclan. Page of 2 5 Motion carried unanimously (4-0) Executive Session - Pursuant to A.R.S. Section 38-431.03 (A), the Chandler Local Police Public Safety Personnel Retirement Board may vote to convene in executive session to discuss or consider confidential records exempt by law from public inspection, and/or to consult with the Board’s attorney for legal advice and to consider the Board’s position and to instruct the Board’s attorney regarding its position on the following items. The Board will take action on those items in open session. Action Agenda Item No. 3 and Discussion 3. Application for Accidental Disability Wiley Consideration, Discussion, and Appropriate Action regarding the Application for an Accidental Disability for Paul Wiley. Mr. Paul Wiley and Ms. Kathryn Baillie are present for the proceedings. Ms. Baillie addressed the board regarding the independent medical exam report and noted their frustration with what they feel was a lack of analysis completed by the provider and the report was very similar to the report provided by Dr. Chang. Executive Session – Police Member Elect Werther made the motion to end the Open Session and to move into Executive Session; Police Member Elect Ynclan seconded the motion, and the vote was unanimous to end the Open Session and move into Executive Session at 9:19 a.m. Open Session – Police Member Elect Werther made the motion to end the Executive Session and move into Open Session; Police Member Elect Ynclan seconded the motion, and the vote was unanimous to end the Modified Executive Session and move into Open Session at 10:00 a.m. The Board took a recess from 10:00 a.m. to 10:03 a.m. Chairperson Turner asked the Board for their comments. Police Member Elect Werther stated that the board has been thorough and cautious in this matter, in particular reinstating member benefits while additional evidence was sought. The multiple IMEs in this case did come to the same conclusion effectively confirming and validating Dr. Chang’s IME that the board wanted clarification. The new IME report indicates Dr. Maxwell reviewed and was aware of the 2025 imaging as it is referenced on page 5 of the report. There is also documentation that testing physical capacity and abilities were done which was important for the Board being completed by a doctor with expertise and training that the Board does not have. The most recent IME report indicates no work restrictions, and it makes the comment on page 9 immediately after the doctor expressing awareness that Mr. Wiley had returned to police work. Police Member Elect Werther sees that as evidence that the doctor is aware he’s evaluating Mr. Wiley for a police job. The Board did previously determine that Mr. Wiley was previously provided with the means and guidance to apply for a position with the Chandler Police Department and Mr. Wiley did not complete the steps Page of 3 5 necessary to initiate the process, which was constructively a refusal of employment, which has been acknowledged in comments and materials during this process. Citizen Member Crawford has similar feelings that have already been expressed by his fellow Board Member. Citizen Member Crawford has read the doctor’s report, and the IME was very clear in that the doctor doesn’t see any work restrictions that are needed here, which is consistent with the previous doctor’s reports the Board has received. Citizen Member Crawford believes it is important for the board to be consistent and looking at the previous cases it is important that the decisions rendered are consistent. Chairperson Turner stated that since the five plus years he’s been the chair of the board it has always been important to have all the medical data from the member and the board has taken a pause in a decision to ensure the Board has everything. The Board has gone back to an additional IME on several cases during Chairperson Turner’s tenure because it is very important that he takes this responsibility very seriously as someone who is a cog in the PSPRS system. The Board has had cases recently that have followed a similar cadence, and the results may have been different than expected; however, the statute states the Board must rely on the IME and we cannot deviate from that path. Police Member Elect Ynclan acknowledges Mr. Wiley’s frustration with the doctor’s reports. She would hope that the Board would have had a perfect report that would answer all the questions, and any issues presented. Police Member Elect Ynclan and the Board have been vocal about the consistency of if that the first IME doesn’t answer clearly that the Board has asked for another one and wanting to make sure that the Board has all the information to make a good decision. The Board doesn’t take decisions lightly and would prefer having the information in the beginning to not have to go back to get another report. Action Agenda Item No. 3 Motion and Vote Police Member Elect Werther moved to terminate the benefits of the accidental disability for Paul Wiley effective September 3, 2025, based on the medical opinions of Dr. Michael Chang and Dr. James Maxwell as set forth in the reports and the PSPS questionnaires dated July 28, 2023, and August 26, 2025, respectively. The applicant based on medical evidence has sufficiently recovered to be able to engage in a reasonable range of duties within the member’s department and there is no conflict in the medical evidence based on the review of the records and the evaluation performed by doctors Chang and Maxwell. The applicant was previously provided the means and guidance to apply for a position as police officer and that the applicant did not complete the steps necessary to apply which is constructively a refusal. The motion was seconded by Police Member Elect Ynclan. Members of the Board clarified that it is their intention that Mr. Wiley’s benefits be terminated effective the date of this meeting, and that its action in July was intended to reinstate benefits for Mr. Wiley from January up to today’s meeting. Motion carried unanimously (4-0). Action Agenda Item No. 4 and Discussion 4. Membership Termination Waight-Fernandez, Eckwood, and Boykin Consideration, Discussion, and appropriate Action regarding the termination of Page of 4 5 PSPRS membership for George Waight-Fernandez, Cornathan Eckwood and James Boykin. Action Agenda Item No. 4 Motion and Vote Police Member Elect Werther moved move to terminate the PSPRS membership for George Waight- Fernandez, Police Officer, effective August 1, 2025, the day of his probationary termination, Cornathan Eckwood, Police Lieutenant, effective August 15, 2025, the day of his voluntary resignation and James Boykin, Police Officer, effective August 22, 2025, the day of his probationary termination. The motion was seconded by Police Member Elect Ynclan. Motion carried unanimously (4-0). Member Comments/Announcements Rae Lynn Nielsen, Human Resources Director, has tendered her resignation and Kristin Maier, Human Resources Assistant Director/ Acting Director, will become the Board Secretary. Chairperson Turner indicated he may not be present at the October meeting. Calendar 5. Next Meeting The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at City Hall, Council Chambers Conference Room, 88 E. Chicago St., Chandler, AZ at 9:00 a.m. Informational Items 6. Board Reports a. Police Board DROP Report b. Police Board Billing Report c. PSPRS Police Board Action Reports Normal Retirements DROP Disability Retirements Military Leave Service Purchase 7. Member Updates Preston Pierce, Police Commander, Enter DROP August 31, 2025 Shawn Fitch, Police Officer, Enter DROP November 7, 2025 Adjourn Police Member Elect Werther moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Police Member Elect Ynclan. The motion carried unanimously (4-0). The meeting was adjourned at 10:17 a.m. Page of 5 5 ______________________________ ______________________________ Nichole Bombard, Secretary Steve Turner, Chairperson