{"id":23089,"date":"2013-05-08T12:30:59","date_gmt":"2013-05-08T16:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/?p=23089"},"modified":"2013-05-08T17:47:44","modified_gmt":"2013-05-08T21:47:44","slug":"taxpayers-need-an-assurance-about-former-chiefs-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/2013\/05\/taxpayers-need-an-assurance-about-former-chiefs-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Taxpayers Need an Assurance
About Former Chief\u2019s Insurance"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Part of many retirement deals focus on the funding involved for post-work insurance benefits. Typically, according to whatever plan is in place when one does retire, insurance is a vital focal point. Not only so the retiree can have peace of mind that coverage remains in place, but anyone who has ever had to personally pay for insurance knows it can be quite costly.<\/p>\n

Lehigh Acres Fire District Commissioner Cathy Kruse is also well aware of \u201ccosts\u201d in her position as a guardian of the taxpayers\u2019 dollars when it comes to budgetary items for the LAFD. At an April Meeting, she posed the question wanting to know why the district was completely paying the insurance premiums for former Chief Don Adams so he could continue with medical, dental, life and vision coverage.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Former Fire Chief
Don Adams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI was looking into the past chief\u2019s salaries and contracts because the board is seeking to hire a new fire chief for the department,\u201d she said. I wanted to see what a chief should paid in the future and I found that former Chief Adams\u2019 contract had a clause about medical, life, dental and vision during retirement. I would like to make sure the former chief is entitled to this benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kruse said according to his contract, \u201cUpon the chief\u2019s retirement, as per the guidelines outlined in the Florida Retirement System (FRS), the District agrees to pay 100 percent of the premiums for the chief to continue to have health, dental and vision insurance coverage as outlined in this agreement from the time of his retirement until the earliest date he is eligible for Medicare.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued to say, \u201cthe fire district continues to spend over $600 month on benefits that he (Adams) may not deserve per his contract.<\/p>\n

Currently, according to public records, the fire department has paid out over $4.200 since his \u201cso-called\u201d retirement letter<\/a>. A question rises about the definition for \u201cretirement,\u201d and if Adams actually fulfills retirement requirements.<\/p>\n

According to Ben\u00a0Wolf, Director of Communications for the Florida Department of Management Services, FRS (Florida Retirement System) Investment plan members are not \u201cretired\u201d until they take a distribution from their account. When asked, since he (Adams) called himself retired from Lehigh Acres Fire Department in November 2012, if Adams has taken any money out of his FRS account, Wolf said, \u201cAt this time, we do not show that he (Adams) has taken a distribution from his FRS Investment Plan account.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, is Adams retired or not?<\/p>\n

Also according to John Kuczwanski, Communications Manager for the State Board of Administration of Florida, which administers the investment plan from the FRS, stated by email that Section 121.4501(1)(k) specifically provides that a member is not deemed to be a \u201cretiree\u201d until that member\u00a0both\u00a0terminates employment\u00a0and receives a requested distribution.\u00a0 Thus, according to state officials, Adams is not officially \u201cretired\u201d until he requests funds distribution.<\/p>\n

Lehigh Acres Fire Board Attorney Richard Pringle said he is currently reviewing the FRS documents and the former chief\u2019s contract. Pringle said he has dictated a letter to Adams\u2019 attorney for information about his retirement.<\/p>\n

Presently, Adams is working for Columbia Southern University. CSU is an online college in Orange Beach, Alabama. Adams is teaching organization leadership in the College of Safety and Emergency Services.<\/p>\n

It should be noted that Adams has been working at this college since February 8, 2008, while he was still working as Lehigh Acres fire chief.<\/p>\n

Other LAFD Commissioners voiced their take on the subject.<\/p>\n

Commissioner Jacqueline Danis said, \u201cCommissioner Kruse is right on. We need to get to the bottom of this and make sure Adams is retired or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chairman of the Board, Commissioner Larry Becker would only state, \u201cI haven\u2019t had the time to talk to anyone about this. We are letting our attorney handle this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commissioner David Adams (No relationship to Don Adams) followed Becker\u2019s lead saying, \u201cI\u2019m waiting to see what our attorney finds out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commissioner Linda Carter could not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n

So, is the former fire chief retired or not? Does he deserve benefits if he is not retired according to the FRS guidelines? Perhaps the taxpayers will get answers at the next fire board meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. on May 28, 2013, at station 104 on the corner of Sunshine Blvd and 16th<\/sup> Street SW.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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