Minnesota Agencies

The advisory board shall provide advice to the board of trustees of the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) about the retirement coverage needs of volunteer firefighters who are members of the plan and about the legislative and administrative changes that would assist the retirement plan in accommodating volunteer firefighters who are not members of the plan.

The Voluntary Statewide Lump-Sum Volunteer Firefighter Retirement Plan (Statewide Plan), was created in 2009 Minn. Laws Chap. 169 Art. 9 Sec. 1-25. The policy-making, management, and administrative functions related to the Statewide Plan are vested in the Board of Trustees and the executive director of PERA. The Voluntary Statewide Lump-Sum Volunteer Advisory Board was created to provide PERA with advice about the needs of volunteer firefighters who are members of the plan.

The Voluntary Statewide Lump-Sum Volunteer Firefighter Retirement Plan Advisory Board was reviewed by the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy (LCPFP) in 2013 as part of their biennial duty required by Minn. Stat. 3.885 Subd. 11. The LCPFP's 2013 Recommendations called for keeping the board.

As of 2024, the advisory board consists of ten members: 

• one representative of Minnesota townships, appointed by the Minnesota Association of Townships;
• two representatives of Minnesota cities, appointed by the League of Minnesota Cities;
• one representative of Minnesota fire chiefs, who is a fire chief, appointed by the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association;
• two representatives of Minnesota volunteer firefighters, all who are active volunteer firefighters, one of whom is covered by the lump-sum division and one of whom is covered by the monthly benefit division, appointed by the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association;
• three representatives of Minnesota volunteer firefighters who are covered by the lump-sum division, appointed by the Minnesota State Fire Departments Association; and
• one representative of the Office of the State Auditor, designated by the state auditor.