The Oberlin Council went into executive session Monday evening, August 8, to discuss employee retirement. The council had to vote to put the item on the agenda, and they had to vote to enter executive session.
After executive session, Police Chief Grady Haynes said he recently learned several months of his police retirement contributions were taken from his check but not paid into the retirement system.
Haynes is trying to secure drop status in the retirement system. He approached the representative for retirement at the police convention last year and learned he need 12 years to qualify to be in the system. He began the process of gathering documents, so he could enter the system this year when he reached the 12-year mark.
Haynes also needed paperwork to indicate that he has worked as an officer since 2003. At the time he asked the mayor if that documentation could be given to him from the town’s files. The mayor refused to assist him, according to Haynes, and he would not allow workers to assist him.
This year when Haynes approached the retirement representative to enter the drop program, he was informed the town had stopped paying his contributions for several periods in the years of 2014, 2018 and 2020.
Haynes said he went back to city hall to gather the documentation that he was working actively as police chief and being paid. His portion of his retirement contribution had been deducted but were not paid into the system according to the information he had received.
Haynes complained in 2019 when the town had to pay six-months of retirement benefits that had gone unpaid by the previous financial officer. That portion was paid back into the retirement system.
Haynes said he discussed entering the drop program buying-back the years he did not participate in the retirement system. He said he learned his portion would be approximately $9,000. The town’s portion should be approximately $110,000. The retirement representative used Hayne’s estimated $7.25 per hour salary in 2003, since he could not provide paperwork, to determine the amounts needed.
“We only deserve what we have worked for,” Haynes said. “I worked for it.”
From disputed employees, the town also hasn’t paid employee portions for employee retirement either. Last July, the town voted to begin contributing to employees’ retirement. One employee recalled the same was true for health benefits. The benefits were being taken from their pay checks but not put into the system. The employee didn’t realize it until that employee attempted to use the health benefits at the doctor’s office last year.
Acting Mayor Wayne Smith said the town was working on ways to correct these situations. He said this was discussed during executive session. He believed it would be discussed in a future meeting.
Haynes said the figures he received for the buy-back program for the drop program are only good until August 31. After that, sums will go up due to interest incurred.
At this time, the town is struggling to pay monthly bills as the present council finds ways to stretch dollars and keep services intact for its residents.
