LOXLEY, Alabama — The Loxley Town Council approved a change in its benefits which will allow all its employees to retire with 25 years of service, or at age 60 with 10 or more years of service.
Currently, only employees hired prior to 2013 under the state benefits package with Retirement Systems of Alabama are considered Tier 1 employees. All employees hired after Jan. 1, 2013 are considered Tier II, which means that they are only eligible to retire at age 62.
At its meeting on July 13, the town council voted to authorize Tier I benefits for Tier II employees. The city of Robertsdale took similar action at a meeting in March. All employees hired after Jan. 1, 2013 would still be considered Tier II employees, but under the new plan, they would be eligible for Tier I benefits.
Employees who are considered Tier I employees are required to contribute 5 percent of their income to the RSA program. Under the regulations, police department and corrections employees considered Tier I employees are required to contributed 6 percent of their income. If the town had a paid fire department, those employees would also be required to contribute 6 percent, but since Loxley does not have a paid fire department, that does not apply.
Tier II employees are required to contribute 6 percent of their income to the program, 7 percent for police department and corrections employees. In order to receive Tier I benefits, Tier II employees will be required to increase their contribution to 7.5 percent, or 8.5 percent for police and corrections employees.
In other business July 13, the council:
•Adopted an ordinance to amend the town’s zoning ordinance to rezone three parcels of land located between County Road 55 and Alabama 59 from R-1-A (residential – single family) to B-1 (general business district). No one spoke during a public hearing held before the council meeting July 13.
•Adopted an ordinance to amend the building codes, amending the Loxley Supplemental Code and adopting the 2018 international building codes.
•Adopted a resolution appointing town clerk Melissa Lawrence as the person to prepare a list of qualified voters for the 2020 municipal election.
•Approved a proclamation proclaiming Nov. 13 as Kindness Day in the town of Loxley.
•Purchased a half-page color ad in the 2020-21 Central Baldwin Chamber Magazine at a cost of $1,200.
•Approved the final audit billing with Municipal Workers Compensation Fund Inc. at a cost of $16,818.
•Provided funding in the amount of $10,000 to the Public Works Department for Christmas decorations.
•Approved cost in the amount of $49,208.20 to extend 2,200 feet of 10-inch water main on U.S. 31 with an interconnect to Spanish Fort Water to serve the Catholic Church.
•Approved the purchase of two vacuum samplers from Aqua Products Inc for the wastewater treatment plant at a cost of $6,530 each.
•Approved a contract with Expressway Concrete to replace and extend sidewalks on Holley and Cypress streets at a cost of $14,701.
•Purchased a full-page ad in the Gulf Coast Media Back to School magazine at a cost of $415.
