HomeMy WebLinkAbout08. CCCERA response related to anonymous letter8.
July 14, 2016
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
TO: ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
VIA: ANN SASAKI, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER
t�
FROM: TEJI O'MALLEY, HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEp
SUBJECT: CONTRA COSTA COUNTY EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT ASSOCATION
(CCCERA) RESPONSE RELATED TO ANONYMOUS LETTER
On February 23, 2016, the District received an anonymous letter (attached) that made
several allegations related to misconduct by CCCERA management, including claims
that CCCERA was mishandling the pension fund and was not operating in a manner
consistent with its policies and procedures.
This memo was discussed during the Administration Committee meeting on March 10,
2016 and staff had stated that CCCERA was in the process of investigating the
allegations in the letter and would provide a response to all plan participants at the
conclusion of the investigation.
On June 21, 2016, the District received a letter (attached) stating that the CCCERA
Board commissioned an independent review of the allegations set forth in the letter, and
the review concluded that the allegations were unfounded.
Staff will be present at the Committee meeting to answer any questions or provide
additional clarification.
Attachments
Dear Employers,
We are the staff of CCCERA and you need to be aware that CCCERA is falling apart. The
retirement board has hired an incompetent CEO, Gail Stahl, who has run the organizatiob into
the ground. Christina Dunn, HR Manager, has violated the employees' rights, lied to the
unions/employees, destroyed morale and falsely changed job descriptions to ensure raises fbr
some and pay decreases for others. She is a monster. Both Gail and Christina are corrupt.
Gail has fired or chased away all of the managers and employees who held the necessary
experience to ensure that CCCERA was following all IRS rules and the law. You should he
concerned about your monies. You should be concerned about the pension plan. You need to
make sure that the retirement board is auditing CCCERA operations and that all policies are
being followed and that CCCERA is keeping an accurate account of the monies owed by the
employer.
Rodeo -Hercules Fire is the latest victim of Gail Strohl. Gail lied to the board and said that she
was not aware that the district was not able to pay all employer contributions. She knew but she
did not know what to do about it so she placed the blame on others. CCCERA does not have a
sound accounting department where CCCERA can accurately track monies owed and paid by the
employers. The accounting department is a mess and is being run by an outside temporary
manager.
CCCERA has not paid the employer contributions that itself owes for the last couple of months.
Why isn't CCCERA being held to the same standards as the other employers are? Why isn't
CCCERA being charged interest and penalties just like Rodeo -Hercules Fire is being charged?
Rodeo -Hercules Fire asked CCCERA for help but CCCERA dropped the ball just like it did with
the Panel Management Pay, On Call Pay, Call Back Pay and Nowicki. CCCERA is now
blaming the employer. Don't be the next employer who gets screwed by Gail Strohl.
Throughout CCCERA policies are not being followed. The compliance officer hides the truth.
He is morally obligated to report corruption to the board but he feels it is not his job. Gail has
replaced long-standing, experienced employees and managers with idiots who have no retirement
and no managerial experience. It is the blind leading the blind. The employers and the members
of CCCERA are the ones who will suffer the greatest.
Gail lies to the retirement board and tells them that everything is fine. That CCCERA is
operating as it should. Gail is an absent CEO who is unaware of how to run a pension plan.
We have approached the board regarding the misconduct and incompetence of Gail Stroh/ and
Christina Dunn. We have asked for the board to fire Gail and Christina. We have asked the
board to investigate our claims. The board refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem.
We are inviting you to the 2/25/2016 board meeting to inquire with the board as to what is
happening here at CCCERA. The board needs to be held accountable. Ask the board to prove
that employer contributions are being correctly tracked and that the plan is strong and safe. Ask
for the board to prove that the pension benefits paid to the members are correct. Ask the board to
prove that Gail is not corrupt. Staff will be addressing the retirement board at this meeting. You
will be able to hear staffs concerns in person.
Take this seriously. Everything we have written here is true. CCCERA is about to have its
doors closed forever. Ask the board to investigate Gail and the corruption at CCCERA.
CONTRA
COSTA
COUNTY
Employees' Retirement Association
June 21, 2016
To All CCCERA Participating Employers,
On behalf of the CCCERA Board of Retirement, I am writing to provide an update to you
regarding the Board's review of allegations made in an anonymous letter sent to some of
CCCERA's participating employers in February 2016. Your agency may have received the
anonymous letter. The author of the letter made derogatory statements about some of
CCCERA's managers and alleged that improper conduct occurred in managing the fund.
The Board takes allegations of impropriety at CCCERA seriously, and has therefore
commissioned an independent review of these allegations. The independent review concluded
that none of the allegations contained in the anonymous letter have any merit. The Board will
continue to oversee the administration of the CCCERA trust fund system in a prudent manner,
assuring prompt delivery of benefits and related services to CCCERA members and their
beneficiaries. The Board will further continue to monitor and strengthen internal controls within
CCCERA, to ensure all required contributions are collected timely. The accuracy and
competency of the fund's finances have been and will continue to be audited annually by an
independent external auditor, with any exceptions addressed immediately.
Your trust is important to us. Be assured that this trust fund remains safe and secure.
As always, if you have any concerns about the administration of the pension fund, please do not
hesitate to contact CCCERA Chief Executive Officer Gail Strohl or myself.
Sincerely,
hn Phillips
oard Chairperson
Copy: Gail Strohl, Chief Executive Officer
1355 Willow Way Suite 221 Concord CA 94520 925.521.3960 FAX: 925.5213969 www.cccera.org