Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 1, 1994                   TAG: 9402010182
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

18 PEOPLE QUALIFY FOR 2-FOR-1

A: Eighteen people qualify for these controversial benefits, which gave 10 council members and eight employees who worked directly for the council two years of pension credit for each year they worked.

The double credit was halted in 1992. Some of the 18 won't get the full 2-for-1 bonus because of pension rules.

Four people already receive benefits under the double-credit plan, and three of them are not exactly raiding the city treasury.

The big winner has been William Brogan, a city auditor who retired after working 16 years for the city and received pension credit for 30 years, the city's maximum for retirement.

Former mayor Noel Taylor receives the 2-for-1 benefit, but he was mayor or a councilman for 22 years, so his net gain is eight years as a part-time employee.

Robert Garland, a councilman for 24 years, gets an extra credit of six years.

James Trout, who served 16 years in two hitches on council and is campaigning for the job again, is the fourth recipient. Should he win election, he couldn't add any years to his pension credits, because he already has 30.

Fourteen people stand to gain from the 2-for-1 when they retire. Some of these, though, could work more than 15 years for the city and wind up with credits closer to 1-for-1 than 2-for-1.

All council members, plus employees in six council-appointed positions, who were with the city on June 29, 1989, or in May 1992 received the 2-for-1.

Two appointed employees have left the city with vested status in the retirement plan but aren't eligible to collect the benefits yet. They are former Finance Director Joel Schlanger, who will get almost the full 2-for-1, and Buck Moody, former real estate appraiser.

Five appointees continue to work for the city. After 15 years, their longevity credits cease to increase, because 2-for-1 puts them at the city's 30-year maximum. Future salary raises could boost their retirement checks, though.

They are City Manager Bob Herbert, City Attorney Wilburn Dibling, Auditor Robert Bird, Clerk Mary Parker and Assessor Will Claytor - who, with about eight years of service, is the only appointed employee still accruing much benefit from the 2-for-1.

Four council members are eligible for the 2-for-1 plan when they retire: Mayor David Bowers, Elizabeth Bowles, James Harvey and Howard Musser.

Former Councilmen Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr. and Councilmen William White and Delvis "Mac" McCadden were not vested in the pension plan before 2-for-1 was repealed, but if they should accumulate 10 years' credit they could benefit slightly. Fitzpatrick resigned from council, and McCadden's gain was only two months.

The 2-for-1 plan was ended by City Council in September 1992. Those who had qualified for the benefits could not give them up, and they could not be revoked.

Some council appointees may - like Parker - stay with the city long enough to gain the 30-year benefits the old-fashioned way.

Got a question about something that might affect other people too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.