Volunteer (Non-Paid) Position - Fire and Police Disability and Retirement (FPDR) Board of Trustees
Oregon, USA
The Position
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APPLY HERE: 2026 Fire and Police Disability and Retirement (FPDR) Board of Trustees Application
The City of Portland is seeking applications for a citizen trustee to serve a three-year term on the Fire and Police Disability and Retirement (FPDR) Board of Trustees.
The FPDR Fund and FPDR Plan are administered by a Board of Trustees which acts as an independent public body. The board has the authority to make administrative decisions regarding the FPDR Plan. The purpose of the Board is to ensure that the provisions of Chapter 5 of the Charter of the City of Portland are followed so that Fire and Police sworn employees and their survivors receive the benefits due to them and that the funds provided by the taxpayers of the City of Portland are expended prudently.
The FPDR Board of Trustees has five members:
- One active member serving in Portland Fire and Rescue (PF&R) elected by the active members of PF&R
- One active member serving in the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) elected by the active members of PPB
- Two citizen members
- The Mayor or designee
All Trustees are volunteers and serve without compensation.
Per Chapter 5 of the City Charter, Section 5.201, Citizen Trustees are nominated by the Mayor and approved by City Council. The interview team’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Mayor for their consideration.
To Qualify
Citizen trustees cannot be an active or past member or a beneficiary of the FPDR Plan or have been employed by Portland Fire and Rescue or the Portland Police Bureau.
Citizen trustees must be a citizen of the City of Portland and have relevant experience in pension and disability matters. The new citizen trustee will serve a term from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2030.
About FPDR
The Bureau of Fire and Police Disability and Retirement provide operational administration for the FPDR Fund. The FPDR Bureau processes and administers all claims for disability, retirement, and death benefits. It also provides the Board of Trustees with the information they need to administer the FPDR Fund. In addition, the FPDR Bureau is overseen by a Fund Administrator (Bureau Director) who has the authority to determine eligibility for benefits.
The FPDR Plan is funded through a dedicated property tax levy on all taxable property within the City of Portland. Each year, the Board prepares an estimate of the amount of money required to pay and discharge all requirements of the FPDR Plan for only the next fiscal year. The estimate is sent to the Portland City Council, which levies a tax sufficient to raise the required funds. The FPDR Fund does not retain any monies to pay for future benefits. This is called “pay as you go” funding. The FPDR Plan differs from most public defined benefit retirement plans that hold portions of employee and employer contributions in a managed fund in order to have sufficient funds to pay future benefits.
To Qualify
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Competencies
Balanced evaluation of all policy issues and concerns in front of the Board.
- Identifies key issues and critical concerns
- Sees the big picture
- Weighs both sides of the issues and concerns
- Anticipates new issues and events
- Speaks out and listens on issues
Financial comprehension
- Understands actuarial projections, activity reports, budgets, etc.
- Promotes active monitoring and managing of financial issues
- Understands the forces impacting the system
- Analyzes both short and long term goals
Personal Integrity
- Understands fiduciary responsibilities and acts accordingly
- Acts in an open, honest, trustworthy, and mutually respectful manner
- Takes responsibility for Board actions
- Maintains confidentiality
Required
- Availability to attend meetings and events. Able and willing to keep regular communications through email and phone in a reasonable and timely fashion.
- Ability to prepare for meetings on your own time. The amount of preparation time may vary depending on the issues the board is considering. Applicants should expect to spend extra time outside of meetings reviewing materials the board is considering.
- Possess leadership and collaborative skills and the ability to work in a team setting with a willingness to learn about the FPDR mission and tasks taken to continue serving that mission.
Time Commitment
- The Board meets bimonthly on the 4th Thursday of every other month. The meeting format is hybrid, which provides virtual and limited in-person attendance and typically lasts approximately two to three hours. On occasion the board will meet virtually without in-person attendance.
- Trustees are expected to prepare for meetings on their own time. Materials to be discussed at meetings will be made available approximately 2 weeks prior to each meeting.
The Recruitment Process
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Online submission is the preferred, fastest method to get the application into the hands of the selection committee. We suggest you pre-write and save your answers in a separate document to keep your own copy and to prevent loss of your work from internet disruptions. You may request to submit a Word version of the application.
Email AdvisoryBodies@portlandoregon.gov to request a Word version.
To receive assistance completing the application, please email AdvisoryBodies@Portlandoregon.gov.
Voluntary & Confidential Demographic Information
We encourage you to provide voluntary demographic information on the application. The City uses this information to ensure that advisory body appointments represent a broad cross section of community. Your individual information will not be used during the recruitment nor the selection process. State and federal law prohibit the use of this information to discriminate against you. Questions about this may be sent to AdvisoryBodies@portlandoregon.gov.
General Questions
For general questions about the Advisory Bodies program, the volunteer recruitment process, or other upcoming advisory body opportunities please email AdvisoryBodies@Portlandoregon.gov.
We Encourage You to Apply
You can find more information about FPDR at https://www.portland.gov/fpdr
Do you have questions or need more information? Email julie.hall@portlandoregon.gov
Additional Information
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Meeting location
The Board of Trustees meets at the 1900 Building, 1900 SW 4th Ave, Portland, OR, 97201. Virtual attendance is through Zoom.
Orientation
The initial orientation will consist of a one-hour orientation session in the FPDR office. The information will be presented by FPDR staff and a City Attorney.
