Lake Worth Employee Writes to City officials on his Pension

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Letter to the City Officials from a Stand-Up Guy:

Nicholas M. Petrino  
11:41 AM      

Ms. Triolo,
Mr. Bornstein,
City of Lake Worth Commissioners,
City of Lake Worth Union,
Associated Parties of Interest:

I am an employee of the City of Lake Worth and have been since 2006. As an employee, I signed up for the pension plan that was in place at the time. This was a condition of my employment and it allowed me to collect for retirement after 20 years of service. I have always taken great personal and professional pride in completing any task assigned to me to the best of my abilities. As a lifeguard from 2006-2014 I protected the patrons who attended Lake Worth Beach and was proud to create a safe environment for all to enjoy. In 2014 I became a Code Compliance Officer, for which I am truly grateful to be able work further for the residents of my City in an effort to help create a pleasant community atmosphere. Overall I have devoted a decade of my life to this City, working through the trials the employees have faced with a positive attitude, hoping that the circumstances might change; that they had to change.

I have enjoyed helping this City both as an employee and volunteer for various community activities. I now have to ask, where has my devotion gotten me? I feel my future is at stake. 

This City made promises to me, as well as to others, prior to 2010 with regards to pay and retirement. Many of us have worked diligently since then without any form of incremental pay raise, for that “promise” of a long-term benefit. Now, after investing so much of my life and my family’s financial wellbeing to stay with this City, I believe that the rug is being pulled out from under me. I want what I signed up for, nothing more and nothing less.  I believe forcing me to change my contract to lose the retirement benefit I signed up for to be a violation of my rights as an employee, and quite frankly, personally offensive. We hear the City is in serious financial trouble. If so, how can they afford “for some, tens of thousands of dollars per person” yearly raises for the City Manager, Department Heads, IBEW, City Magistrate and Attorneys & etc., as well as allocating money for “special” projects? At best, the optics are terrible.

Spectacular parades, community involvement, crime walks, artisanal districts and a mixture of highly motivated citizens make this City special. Why can’t some of the same effort be used to find funds for the employees who work so hard for the City of Lake Worth? We feel that we have no importance. Aren’t our efforts worth something? Its disconcerting when the topic of employees arise it falls on deaf ears and is met with cold hearts, half-truths and blatant lies. History as has shown us over and over again that knowledge is key. Treating the employees fairly would directly result in a higher retention rating thus expanding the job knowledge within this City. Which would benefit both the City and the community. Over the years the City has proven a blatant disregard of employees from speculation into factual evidence which has not only left scars on the City but has drastically affected the morale of the workers. Traditionally, government workers have dealt with low pay, with an understanding that the benefits and pension plan are favorable. However, we are now expected to accept both low pay and a bad pension.

During discussion on 3/18/16, I hoped that the employees hired prior to 2010 would be given a onetime choice of an option to either continue in their agreed 20 year & collect contract, or perhaps a 5-5-5 pension, a yearly vesting to collect at 62 or another option.  I myself would choose what I was promised, but others might choose a different option depending on their overall goals and status in life. My fellow employees are all genuine, good hearted people and deserve a positive work environment backed by job security and faith in their employer to do the right thing. Sadly, as every year passes I am increasingly more worried about my future as the City appears to display bad faith and a growing disregard for its employees.

In conclusion: I’m pleading with the City.  Please stop holding up the only raise/cost of living increase we have seen in almost a decade so that our pensions can be stripped from us. Please stop keeping us in the dark. The Union wants to negotiate. They want a fair resolution for both sides. We hope you would want the same. But, forcing people out of their contracts is wrong. It’s just fundamentally wrong. We are not just another position to be filled. We are people who have individual lives and we should be valued, not thrown aside. Let us keep our contracts and finish our terms of employment in peace. Bring morale back to this city. You have a unique opportunity to do the right thing, both privately and publicly. There comes a time where you as must ask yourself, as I did. Would you allow your future to be negotiated away?

Nicholas Petrino
City of Lake Worth