Title 28 - Municipal Employees' Retirement Plan
New: Deferred Comp Meetings with Nationwide
What is MERP?
MERP is the City of Tulsa’s Municipal Employees’ Retirement Plan. Every full-time City of Tulsa Employee, excluding police and fire department personnel who participate in the pension plans established by the state of Oklahoma, MTTA employees eligible for their plan negotiated by the bargaining unit, and elected City officials, put money from every paycheck into the mandatory retirement plan. Read more online or in the ordinance.
Why does MERP have board members?
The Board of Trustees establish by-laws, formulate policy and implement procedures, rules and regulations to accomplish the Plan objectives. The Board appoints administrators and advisors, with approval of the Mayor. The Board establishes general investment policies and exercises discretionary authority in determining benefit eligibility and authorizes all payments and expenditures from the Plan. Additional Board powers and duties are detailed in the online link above. MERP board members choose the retirement plan’s investments. These board members directly impact you and your retirement. The pension and retirement plan has been around since 1960 and has been amended from time-to-time at the board members’ direction. Board members work in employees’ best interests regarding their money, investments, and the pension plan.
How are the board members chosen and who are they?
There are seven MERP board members, six of whom serve terms of three years expiring on Dec. 31 of the last term year. The Mayor appoints board members and the City Council approves them. Historically, City of Tulsa personnel and staff hold elections when terms are set to expire to see who the employees would like to fill the board seats. Election winners are presented to the mayor as a recommendation, to which the Mayor has historically followed employees’ recommendations.
Your current board members are as follows:
Active, Classified Employee Participant #1 – Jhoanna Murray
Term Expires: December 31, 2025
Active, Classified Employee Participant #2 – Christy Basgall
Term Expires: December 31, 2024
Division/Department Head or Elected City Official #1 – Erica Felix-Warwick
Term Expires: December 31, 2025
Division/Department Head or Elected City Official #2 – James Wagner
Term Expires: December 31, 2023
Division/Department Head or Elected City Official #3 – Jack Neely
Term Expires: December 31, 2025
Non-Plan Participant – Adam Leavitt
Term Expires: N/A
Retired Employee Participant – Pat Connelly
Term Expires: December 31, 2025
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