| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
The former head of the Genesee County Human Resources Department, Steve Stratton, has sent an e-mail to M-Live reporter Ron Fonger that stated the decision to enroll Pickell was a decision made by his department, Corporation Counsel and the County Commission Leadership Committee. Then Chair of the Leadership group at that time in 999, Tim Herman, denies any recollection of the decision.
The Leadership group was long criticized because it lacked transparency and took county decision making out of the public eye. Some criticized the group for secretly making these decisions on behalf of the majority of the Commission. They kept the group small so as to avoid the Open meetings Act. Some who criticized the Leadership were later ok with it when they attained leadership status.
Stratton told Fonger that to the best of his recollection, the group interpreted that Pickell was eligible.
Read the full story here:
Former Genesee County department head: Officials agreed on ...
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2013/04/former_genesee_county_human_re.html?utm_...
20 hours ago ... The sheriff's "employment and pension situation was discussed between ... Stratton's email says the decision that Pickell qualified for the 401 ... |
|
|
Mon Apr 15, 2013 7:08 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Stratton is no stranger to controversy. During the first Flint Emergency Manager takeover of Flint, Stratton and an associate were allowed to oversee the City of Flint's arbitration duties as well as maintaining the county Human Resources Department. Both the county and the city EM agreed to this arrangement.Some disputed the number of hours spent on each task and the additional alary payments made.
This additional salary earned by Stratton while working for both the city and the county was the center of controversy when Stratton retired in 2005 with a pension higher than his salary and boosted by his work for the city. There was also a dispute about the use of 14 years Stratton worked for AFSME when he was on leave from the city before his employment with the county.
Also, in 1997 a large number of county employees participated in the transfer of their traditional pensions into 401 type retirements. There were allegations that the actuarial estimates used to make these transfers actually gave extra money to the men who converted these type funds. Former Sheriff Joe Wilson took much of the heat for these inflated payouts, but numerous other county officials also benefitted. |
|
|
|
Mon Apr 15, 2013 7:23 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
The publicity for much of this pension issue is related to the investigation of Career Alliance completed by Sheriff Pickell. There were widespread allegation of financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest and other improprieties that led Pickell to begin his investigation. Genesee County, as well as the agency, could have been on the hook for these irregularities. Some of the allegations revolved around a new and unnecessary phone system allegedly purchased by Pam Loving that was sold by her son and claims that a document from the state that criticized the agency was falsified to show success before it was given to the board. Board members also represented agencies receiving funding.
Martini was said to have been negligent in the transactions with Career Alliance. Martini went to the County Commission in December,2012 and announced that he was under a federal investigation. In the memorandum to the commissioners Martini stated the federal prosecutors would not prosecute if he retired from his county position. The commissioners fired him on January 16th and he filed a lawsuit on January 30th, Glenn Lenhoff is his attorney in the case in which Martini alleges he was fired for reporting alleged "double dipping" of Sheriff Pickell on the pension issue.
Pickell stated he believed Martini had retaliated against him and his office for the investigation by making unfair budget cuts to the Sheriff Department in Martini's recommendations to the County Commission.
Pickell is upset that Martini and then Corporation Counsel Ward Chapman knew about this matter since 2008 and the issue was not brought to his attention until 2011. Stratton stated Chapman was a party to the original determination on the acceptable procedure to proceed with the retirement issue. It has been said that this retirement issue only arises with county elected officials and not with municipal or township officials. |
|
|
|
Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:04 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
There appears to be multiple issues arising fro the 1999 decision by the county officials that this was the proper method in which to address the retirement issue. Pickell has served 26 years with the county and qualified for a county retirement. County health care would have been a part of that retirement package. Instead Pickell was required to pay the predetermined amount for his health care since 1999, a cost he did not need to incur.
County officials now state they are to blame because they did not follow the rules.
Since other county elected and other officials receive 10% of their gross salary as a contribution to their non pension retirement accounts, then an arrangement should have been as a fair compensation to Pickell. The county once suspended Pickells county pension, which I believe was a questionable option as that was a contractual right.
Does this rule apply to other county officials who have retired from governmental entities other than the county? What about commissioner with GM pensions? What about Treasurer Deb Cherry? Does Cherry have pensions from the state or the county from when she served as a commissioner? |
|
|
|
Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:17 am |
|
|
00SL2
F L I N T O I D
|
This crap goes in one ear and out the other. Rules change, laws change. Many government employees retire and go back to work for the same employer. It's happened for many years. How are all those situations handled? Seems no one notices until there's a political interest.
I've seen it (changing of rules and laws) happen personally. Happens with filing income taxes, too, not the same from one year to the next. |
|
|
|
Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:38 pm |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Yes-laws change. However this matter sat on the desk of the Corporation Counsel since 2008. You would have thought there would have been some movement on the matter in three years.
Then when the scandal breaks Pickell is made to look like the bad guy. No one has said the laws changed in this matter. Stratton said the interpretation of the law changed.
The county has as many scandals as the city, they manage the media better usually.
Curtis noted it would not be an issue if the governmental unit involved were not a county. |
|
|
|
Tue Apr 16, 2013 1:00 am |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
