[SchoolFinance] Meeting 4/9 Private MSMA PFMLA

Fri Apr 11 11:41:33 EDT 2025

In the slides it said that we would begin paying for ALL employees on May
1, 2026 but up until that point we do NOT have to send in payments to Maine
PFMLA? (Excluding this 1st quarter that I have already sent to them).

Thank you for letting me bounce these questions as there is quite a bit of
information and I do not want to misinterpret anything.

*Heather A. Reale, MBA, Finance*
Director of Finance
Wells-Ogunquit Community School District
hreale at wocsd.org
207-641-6909

On Fri, Apr 11, 2025 at 10:32 AM Jennifer Pooler <jpooler at msad58.org> wrote:

> Yes, that was my understanding. We pay for EVERYONE, starting May 1, 2026.
> And it would be .88 or .98 depending on what your census demographics are.
>
> On Fri, Apr 11, 2025 at 10:18 AM Heather Reale <hreale at wocsd.org> wrote:
>
>> I read through all the slides from the meeting.  I want to make sure that
>> I clearly understand **  If we sign on with the private plan and we have a
>> CBA that expires *after* the 5/1/26 date we still need to pay for these
>> individuals?  In other words, the effective date for any school district
>> that enrolls with Guardian has to begin paying the .88% for all employees
>> on 5/1/2026.
>>
>>
>> *Heather A. Reale, MBA, Finance*
>> Director of Finance
>> Wells-Ogunquit Community School District
>> hreale at wocsd.org
>> 207-641-6909
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 2:37 PM Dawn Fickett <dfickett at msad37.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Heather, if you go with this private plan, it won't have anything to do
>>> with the state.  We still have to pay the first quarter of this year to the
>>> state and can't recoup that, but going forward, we will make payments to
>>> Guardian for the tax and they will administer the paid leave plan, not the
>>> state.
>>> Dawn
>>>
>>> On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 1:44 PM Heather Reale <hreale at wocsd.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> This is great, thank you. What did they say are the advantages of going
>>>> with them dealing directly The State of Maine? Do we send the payments
>>>> directly to them and they pay the State?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Heather A. Reale, MBA, Finance*
>>>> Director of Finance
>>>> Wells-Ogunquit Community School District
>>>> hreale at wocsd.org
>>>> 207-641-6909
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 12:07 PM Sherry Moody <smoody at mcst8.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> The Guardian is the selected company. May 31 is the deadline to submit
>>>>> to DOL for a private plan if you want to switch with an effective date of
>>>>> 4/1/25.
>>>>>
>>>>> Employees are not required to participate until collective bargaining
>>>>> agreements expire.
>>>>>
>>>>> We must stay with a private plan for 3 years per statute. Rates
>>>>> offered are .88% and .98% (depending upon individual schools.
>>>>>
>>>>> 82 districts did submit census data. If we participate, you will be
>>>>> the policy holder, not MSMA. The Guardian will need census information
>>>>> annually as part of our reporting.
>>>>>
>>>>> A school board vote is required to participate. Wendy Douglas is the
>>>>> contact and a letter of intent will be necessary after the board vote.
>>>>>
>>>>> Wendy will be the contact person at MSMA for this process and
>>>>> afterwards.
>>>>>
>>>>> Once the private plan application goes to the DOL, the Guardian will
>>>>> need an application by November as well.
>>>>>
>>>>> There is a 13 month exemption period once the process is in place.
>>>>>
>>>>> These are my own notes so hopefully I got most of it correct.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sherry
>>>>> ----
>>>>> Sherry Moody, Business Mgr
>>>>> Mid-Coast School of Technology
>>>>> 1 Main Street
>>>>> Rockland, ME 04841
>>>>> (207) 594-2161
>>>>> www.mcst8.org
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 11:04 AM Heather Reale <hreale at wocsd.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>> Any feedback from the MSMA meeting yesterday on the Private PFMLA
>>>>>> options?  I was not able to attend.
>>>>>> Thank you
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> *Heather A. Reale, MBA, Finance*
>>>>>> Director of Finance
>>>>>> Wells-Ogunquit Community School District
>>>>>> hreale at wocsd.org
>>>>>> 207-641-6909
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Dawn L. FickettAssistant SuperintendentRSU/SAD #37*
>>> *1020 Sacarap Road*
>>>
>>>
>>> *Harrington ME 04643Telephone: 207-483-2734Fax: 207-483-6051*
>>>
>>>  *“Education is one thing no one can take away from you.” —Elin
>>> Nordegren*
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>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Jennifer Pooler
> Business Manager
> MSAD 58/RSU 58
> 1401 Rangeley Road
> Phillips, ME 04966
> Phone: 207-639-3082    | Fax: 207-639-5120
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