Pleasant Hill, Martinez Joint Agency Set To Be Dissolved

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A 43-year-old "paper" agency that, at least at the start, included both Martinez and Pleasant Hill, will be formally dissolved on Wednesday by the Martinez City Council. The creation of the Pleasant Hill-Martinez Joint Facilities Agency in 1975, and many Martinez employees' subsequent membership in it, may have been intended to save those employees money on their retirement contributions.

But ultimately, a state agency ruled that most of the employees who technically were employees of that joint agency instead should have been classified as standard city employees — and paying into Social Security. Instead, those employees paid into the CalPERS retirement system.

The joint facilities agency was formed to operate and staff the two cities' recreational facilities. But when the California Public Employees' Retirement Systems Office of Audit Services discovered that almost 100 city workers were technically employees of the joint agency and not the city itself, it couldn't find proof that the agency ever served its intended purpose, or that Pleasant Hill ever took an active role.

The audit service agency ruled that far too many Martinez employees were part of the joint agency, and that the city was behind on its Social Security payments.

In July, the Martinez City Council took out a five-year, $4-million line of credit to cover three years of back Social Security taxes and other expenses the city must pay.

Dissolving the joint facilities agency is on the Martinez council's consent calendar, and won't be discussed unless a council member asks it be discussed.

The council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 525 Henrietta Ave. (at Alhambra Avenue).

By Bay City News Service

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