Commission approves first-reading pension and right-of-way changes; items return for public hearings

The St. Augustine City Commission on March 26 advanced three ordinance items on first reading and directed staff follow-up ahead of public hearings and second readings.

Meredith Bridenstine, assistant city manager, presented Ordinance 2026-01 to amend the 1977 General Employees Retirement System. The changes clean up obsolete references, make terminology gender neutral, clarify participant definitions, and adjust a chief’s benefit to ensure the chief is a plan participant before receiving it. Bridenstine said the revisions were reviewed by the pension board. The ordinance passed first reading by roll call vote.

Bridenstine also presented Ordinance 2026-12 to amend the St. Augustine Police Officers Retirement System. Notable changes include correcting the name of the Police Benevolent Organization, gender-neutral language, and new language requested by the police board addressing forfeiture of pension and pausing payments if criminal charges are filed until resolution. The commission approved first reading.

Public Works Director Steven Slaughter introduced Ordinance 2026-09 to vacate a portion of an unnamed/unimproved alleyway at or near 81 Magnolia Drive (portions of Lots 4–9). Staff noted a scrivener’s error in the section describing the lots and said it will be corrected before second reading; the item passed first reading and will return as a public hearing.

All three first-reading actions were moved and passed by roll call; each will return for a second reading and public hearing with staff technical edits as indicated.

What’s next: staff will circulate redline corrections and additional documentation requested by commissioners; the pension and police-retirement amendments will return to the commission and to their respective pension boards as appropriate.