Category: Newsroom

LAFPP welcomes Rigo Arellano, the Fire Department Employee Member-elect, to the Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners! Mr. Arellano will be sworn-in during June 2022 to fulfill his fiduciary responsibilities as a Board member beginning July 1, 2022.

Commissioner Ruben Navarro’s term on the Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners (Board) as the Fire Department Employee Member will end on June 30, 2022. In accordance with Section 23.102.2(b) of the Los Angeles Administrative Code, the Board authorized the Office of the City Clerk to conduct an election on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The candidate receiving a majority of all votes cast (at least 50% plus one vote) is then declared elected as the Fire Department Employee Member of the Board.

Mr. Arellano received 54.31% of the vote, a majority, and as such is elected to serve the term of the Fire Department Employee Member of the Board beginning July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2027. Congratulations Mr. Arellano!

For a current list of Commissioners, please view the Board Directory. If you have any questions concerning the election results, please contact the Administrative Services Section of the Department of Fire and Police Pensions at (213) 279-3080.

All active, sworn Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) members of the Fire and Police Pensions System are eligible to vote in the Election for the Fire Department Employee Member of the Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners to be held on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

On March 31, 2022, eligible voters were mailed an official ballot, voting instructions, the candidates’ statements of qualifications, an identification envelope, and a paid-postage return envelope addressed to the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division. Voters may submit their ballot via U.S. Postal Service or, starting at 8:00 a.m. (PT) on Friday, April 8, 2022, may hand-deliver their ballot using the contactless mail slot located at the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division, Piper Technical Center, 555 Ramirez Street, Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Ballots received any other way will NOT be accepted.

In order to be counted, ballots must be received by the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division by 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The candidate who receives a majority (at least 50% plus one) of all votes cast shall be elected to the position of employee member. The candidate elected will serve the term that begins July 1, 2022 and ends June 30, 2027.

Voters who damage, spoil, lose, or do not receive their ballots may obtain a replacement upon filing an Affidavit of Loss/Non-Receipt (Affidavit) form. Voters may request an Affidavit form by calling (213) 978-0444 or via email at Clerk.ElectionAdmin@lacity.org.

Sworn Employee members of LAFD who become eligible within 30 days prior to the Election and wish to vote should obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (Certificate) from the Personnel Department. Newly eligible members may request an appointment with the Personnel Department to obtain the Certificate by emailing Per.PersonnelServices@lacity.org with the subject line “Request for COE 2022”. The Certificate for the newly eligible member will be provided by the Personnel Department to the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division via secure email. After securing a Certificate, beginning at 8:00 a.m. (PT) on Friday, April 8, 2022, the newly eligible voter may contact the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division at (213) 978-0444 or by email at Clerk.ElectionAdmin@lacity.org to schedule an appointment to present themselves and receive a ballot.

Candidates may designate up to two (2) individuals to observe the ballot tally. Candidates may also participate in addition to the two (2) observers. Names of observers designated by the candidates must be submitted to the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division by 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Friday, April 15, 2022 via email at Clerk.ElectionAdmin@lacity.org. Ballots will be opened and tallied on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. (PT), and will be available to designated observers via livestream.

The Office of the City Clerk – Election Division’s Notice of Election is the source of and supersedes this web posting. Questions related to the Election conduct may be addressed to the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division at (213) 978-0444.

An Election to select the Fire Department Employee Member of the Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners (Board) is scheduled on April 19, 2022. The candidate elected will serve the term beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2027.

BOARD MEMBER DUTIES – The Board exercises the prudent person standard in the discharge of its duties. It has sole and exclusive fiduciary responsibility to administer the Fire and Police Pension System (System) and its assets; has the authority to set and adopt investment policies for over $31 billion in fund assets; and has the duty to establish actuarial assumptions and adopt rules and regulations necessary to administer the System.

Preparation for regular and special meetings requires an individual to commit hours of advanced reading of Board Reports and disability cases. The Board normally meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 8:30 a.m. (PT). Most meetings are from three to four hours.

ELECTION PROCESS – Only active, sworn Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) members of the System are eligible to run and vote for this Board seat. Members who are interested in becoming a candidate are required to complete and submit the Notice of Intent form which was mailed with the Election Notification. Signature gathering by eligible members is not required to run as a candidate.

Along with the Notice of Intent, the candidate has the option to submit an Occupational Ballot Designation and a typewritten Statement of Qualifications for Office. The Occupational Ballot Designation will be printed under the candidate’s name and shall consist of three words to describe the following: (A) the current principal profession, vocation, or occupation of the candidate, or (B) the principal profession, vocation, or occupation of the candidate during the last calendar year immediately before the filing of the Notice of Intent to become a candidate. The Statement of Qualifications for Office may include information on education, work experience, years of service, and other relevant qualifications and shall not exceed 300 words in length. Any words beyond the 300 word limit will not be printed.

Starting at 8:00 a.m. (PT) on February 23, 2022, candidates who wish to qualify for the ballot are required to provide the following documents: 1) Notice of Intent to run for Office; 2) Occupational Ballot Designation (Optional); and 3) Statement of Qualifications for Office (Optional). The three (3) approved methods of submittal are detailed below. Documents received any other way will NOT be accepted.

1. Hand-Delivery (Appointment Only): Candidates may hand deliver the completed forms by scheduling an appointment with the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division by emailing Clerk.ElectionAdmin@lacity.org. Candidates will be provided with an appointment between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT). The Office of the City Clerk – Election Division is located at Piper Technical Center, 555 Ramirez Street, Space 300, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
2. Mail: Candidates may submit the completed forms via U.S. Postal Service using the paid-postage envelope provided along with this Election Notification.
3. Email: Candidates may submit the completed forms via email to Clerk.ElectionAdmin@lacity.org.

The completed Notice of Intent must be received by the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division by the deadline of 5:00 p.m. (PT) on March 4, 2022.

Eligible voters will receive a ballot in the mail. Voters may choose to return their ballot via mail or may deposit it at the drop box located at the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division. Ballots received any other way will NOT be accepted. All completed ballots must be received by the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division by 5:00 p.m. (PT) on April 19, 2022 to be counted.

Sworn Employee Members of LAFD who become eligible within 30 days prior to the Election and wish to vote in the Election should obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (Certificate) from the Personnel Department. Beginning at 8:00 a.m. (PT) on April 8, 2022, after securing a Certificate, the newly eligible voter may contact the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division at (213) 978-0444 or by email at Clerk.ElectionAdmin@lacity.org to schedule an appointment to present themselves and receive a ballot.

The ballots will be tallied on April 21, 2022, in the presence of the observers designated by each candidate via livestream. Candidates may also participate in addition to the two observers. The Office of the City Clerk – Election Division will furnish to the Board the official certified results of the election within 14 days after the date of election.

QUESTIONS – Inquiries regarding the election process may be directed to the Office of the City Clerk – Election Division at (213) 978-0444 or by email at Clerk.ElectionAdmin@lacity.org. Inquiries may also be directed to the Administrative Services Section of the Department of Fire and Police Pensions at (213) 279-3080.