Macon fire and police pension plan increase headed toward final vote

A group of retirees under a Macon pension plan is closer to receiving $100 in additional monthly benefits after a vote at Tuesday’s Macon-Bibb County Commission meeting.

About two dozen members of the Macon Fire and Police Employees Retirement System attended the meeting where the first vote on bumping supplemental benefits from $100 to $200 a month was approved. The 6-3 vote means the ordinance will have a final vote Oct. 6 before retirees could begin receiving the increase in November.

Mayor Robert Reichert was among those urging commissioners last week to delay a vote until a revised fiscal year 2016 county budget could be presented this month. Reichert and others cited concern about the financial impact it could have on the plan and the county’s liabilities.

Several of those in favor of the increase have said it was time to stop delaying the measure and to help the retirees who funded the plan.

Commissioners Elaine Lucas, Virgil Watkins, Larry Schlesinger, Ed Defore, Al Tillman and the ordinance’s sponsor Mallory Jones approved the ordinance Tuesday. Commissioners Gary Bechtel, Scotty Shepherd and Bert Bivins voted against it.

Joe Allen, former Bibb County commissioner and retired Macon firefighter, said he was proud of the retirees that showed up Tuesday but disappointed in the commissioners that voted against the measure. There wasn’t much problem with commissioners offering early retirements to Macon-Bibb employees, but this was an issue, Allen said.

“They know this fund was funded by the police and fire departments, and it’s overfunded,” he said.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 3 President Danny Thigpin said there are some retirees drawing only $200-$300 a month from the plan.

“It’s a happy feeling knowing we have six friends that will help retirees as they get older and older,” he said.

The additional benefits would go to employees hired prior to July 1, 1985, and who have at least 25 years of service. County officials have said the increase would cost about $458,000 in its first year.

“We can’t do enough for those people,” Defore said at Tuesday’s pre-commission meeting. The rest of our (Macon-Bibb) employees are just as important.”

Shepherd said he voted no because it would be October before there was more understanding of the effect.

Bechtel serves on the board of trustees that oversees the fire and police pension plan.

“This adds future liability, not only to the police and fire pension board, but it also puts pressure on this commissioner’s balance sheet,” Bechtel said.

There are 70 new retirees who will begin drawing from the pension fund after accepting early retirement packages this summer.

The commission’s Operations and Finance Committee sent the ordinance to full commission last week with a 3-2 vote. Two weeks earlier, it failed to get out of committee because of a tie vote.

“I can’t think of a better way for the fund to contribute to the men and woman based on what they have done for us,” Jones said.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The County Commission passed two resolutions Tuesday focusing on economic development in industrial parks.

County officials plans to spend $1.5 million on improvements at industrial parks. Another resolution sent to the full commission would allow negotiations to begin on purchasing land in the Sardis Church Road area off Interstate 75 for possible development.

The tri-party contract would involve the Macon Water Authority, Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority and Macon-Bibb government.

The $1.5 million would come from the water authority, which since 1999 has placed $704,000 a year into a fund to be used for economic development. The money would be designated for upgrades to the various industrial parks and airports in Macon-Bibb.

Reichert said 100-plus acres in the Sardis Church area could be purchased as Macon-Bibb leaders attempt to woo new industries. The resolution provides some flexibility on how much land can be purchased.

In other business Tuesday, the commission:

passed resolutions covering costs for meals and health services for detainees and inmates at the Bibb County jail.

The contract with CorrectHealth Bibb will see health services costs rise from $3.37 million to $3.47 million. The other resolution will save the sheriff’s office a penny per meal, dropping the cost to 87.5 cents.

Sheriff David Davis has said the jail serves 900,000 to 1 million meals annually. If 1 million meals are served this fiscal year, then Macon-Bibb would save $10,000.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 11:14 PM with the headline "Macon fire and police pension plan increase headed toward final vote ."