IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
AN ORDINANCE repealing section 1512.1, Jackson County Code, 1984, relating to the Employees' Pension Plan and enacting, in lieu thereof, one new section relating to the same subject, with an effective date. (Pension Multiplier 1.95)
Intro
ORDINANCE NO. 6160, November 16, 2026
INTRODUCED BY Donna Peyton, County Legislator
Body
WHEREAS, on May 21, 2026 the County Executive sent a letter to the Jackson County Pension Plan Board of Trustees requesting that the Board consider an increase to the pension multiplier; and,
WHEREAS, a pension multiplier is a fixed percentage used in a defined benefit formula to determine how much of an employee’s salary they will earn as a retirement benefit for each year of service; and,
WHEREAS, the current multiplier is lower than surrounding municipalities and comparable public employees and an increase could be a valuable tool for recruitment and retention of County employees; and,
WHEREAS, Cheiron, the Jackson County Pension Plan Board of Trustees’ retained actuary, conducted a pay study and issued a report dated October 12, 2026, which determined that the benefits increase enacted in this Ordinance will result in an increase in the normal cost and Actuarial Liability of the Jackson County, MO Revised Pension Plan because the larger pension multiplier results in larger pension benefits; and,
WHEREAS, the Jackson County Executive reviewed the study and determined that an increase from 1.6% to 1.95% would decrease the Pension Plan’s funded status to 82.6%, which the Administration has determined is an appropriate funding status percentage; and,
WHEREAS, there would be no cost to the County for 2027 with future predicted increase to county contributions outlined in the attached Actuarial Report; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED by the Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Enacting Clause. Section 1512.1, Jackson County Code, 1984, is hereby repealed, and one new section, in lieu thereof, to be known as section 1512.1, to read as follows:
1512.1 Monthly Pension Income Formula
a. An amount equal to one and one-half percent (1.5%) for each year of Credited Service times the Member’s Average Monthly Earnings, but in no event less than fifty dollars ($50.00), for members that terminate employment or retire prior to January 1, 2024.
b. An amount equal to one and six-tenths percent (1.6%) for each year of Credited Service times the Member’s Average Monthly Earnings, but in no event less than fifty dollars ($50.00), for members that [both] terminate employment or [and] retire on or after January 1, 2024 but before November 30, 2026.
c. An amount equal to one and nine tenths percent (1.95%) for each year of Credited Service times the Member’s Average Monthly Earnings, but in no event less than fifty dollars ($50.00), for members that both terminate employment and retire on or after December 1, 2026.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its signature by the County Executive.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________
County Counselor
I hereby certify that the attached ordinance, Ordinance No. 6160 introduced on November 16, 2026, was duly passed on _____________________________, 2026 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas _________________ Nays _____________
Abstaining _____________ Absent ____________
This Ordinance is hereby transmitted to the County Executive for his signature.
______________________ _______________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature
I hereby approve the attached Ordinance No. 6160.
_______________________ _______________________________
Date Phil LeVota, County Executive