Bobby DoddUpdated to reflect that the changes to Bobby Dodd’s pension were made a year before Dodd chose to sue Chattanooga.
Former Chattanooga Police Chief Bobby Dodd claims that a change in the city’s pension fund will cost him thousands of dollars over the course of his retirement.
New policies adopted by the Fire and Police Pension Fund’s board just before Dodd’s retirement last December are at issue in a suit filed against the city Wednesday. Dodd alleges his payout was reduced because of a change in the benefit structure.
Dodd’s attorney, Jerry Tidwell, said the charges in his complaint could affect as many as 35 other officers whom he said were hired before 1992 and should be grandfathered into the system along with Dodd.
In the past, employees could elect joint survivor benefits without any extra cost if they were employed before 1992, Dodd said. That would allow Dodd’s wife to continue to receive 50 percent of his pension benefits if he passed away. It used to be automatically elected and free, Tidwell said.The pension changes are separate from the reforms approved by the city in February.