Former police chief Al Schettino is being considered as the fifth trustee for the Marco Island Police Pension Board. Schettino’s retirement came shortly after several officers were involved in scandals, some while on duty, according to reports at the time.
Marco Island City Council delayed a vote on the trustee matter until the October 21 council meeting. “I’m extremely hesitant to move forward with this nomination,” said Council Chairman Jared Grifoni, citing the “alarming headlines” of 2017 and 2018 involving the police force led by Schettino at the time.
Some staff and residents rallied to keep Schettino as chief in summer 2019 which further included a lawsuit naming Schettino for discrimination against the police clerk for allegedly leaking information about a legal case against the former city manager.
Despite these former challenges, Schettino, a 10-year veteran of MIPD, was recommended for the fifth trustee seat on the Marco Island Police Pension Board during the pension board’s most recent meeting, Friday, September 13. Mark Haueter, is currently chairman of the Police Pension Board.
Members of the board currently include Haueter, Vice Chairman Ryan Montgomery, City Clerk Joan Taylor, and Carleton Ealy. Former Marco Island police officer Glenn Zirgibel, 74, resigned from the fifth seat in June 2024.
City Council may have approved the pension board’s nomination of Schettino to fill the vacancy as part of the council consent agenda without discussion Monday, September 23rd, but Council Vice Chair Erik Brechnitz pulled the item out for further comment and review.
Brechnitz noted a need on the police pension board for a person with financial experience. He said the police pension board has not put out a request for a proposal for an investment advisor for approximately 23 years. A large part of the pension board’s responsibility is to oversee approximately $30 million in pension funds, city officials said.
City attorney Alan Gabriel advised council that generally city council would perform an administrative duty of approving whoever the pension board nominates for this fifth seat.
The five-member pension board is made up of two police officer members of the plan, two trustees appointed by council and a fifth member appointed by the other four on the pension board, Gabriel said.
The police pension board is a governing body with their own legal counsel, he added.
“They could appoint someone else or choose to sue you and force you to choose their appointment,” Gabriel warned.
Council has a fiduciary responsibility to get someone with experience investing money because that money comes from citizens’ taxes through city council, Brechnitz said.
“No one is ready to make a decision tonight,” said Grifoni.
The pension board could consider withdrawing the nomination and consider another person, Grifoni added.
The Police Pension Board had their next meeting scheduled December 9, but that meeting has been canceled, according to the online city calendar. City staff said it is scheduled December 13.
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