After five years of work, research and study, the vote on a long-awaited early retirement plan for Hamilton County deputies was finally on the County Commission’s agenda Wednesday.
Then, like Lucy with the football, Sheriff Jim Hammond pulled it back.
Standing at a microphone and backed by a roomful of uniformed officers, Hammond asked to withdraw the item from the voting agenda and reschedule it later, when all nine commissioners were on the dais.
Only seven were present Wednesday, and it wasn’t clear that five of them would vote for the plan to allow commissioned officers to start collecting retirement checks at 55 or 60, depending on years of service.
Chairman Chester Bankston is recovering from an illness, and Commissioner Warren Mackey was out of town Wednesday.
Of the remaining seven, two are definite supporters, two say they want questions answered, two are “no comments” and one couldn’t be reached to discuss his positions Wednesday afternoon.
The so-called bridge plan would let commissioned officers begin collecting retirement benefits at 55 with 30 years’ service or 60 with at least 25 years. Retirees would get a salary bump until they reach age 62 and can begin collecting Social Security. The idea is that older officers could clear the way for younger ones in what can be a physically demanding job.
Hammond said at the commission’s agenda session last week that 150 of his 167 commissioned officers favored the plan.
Commissioners Randy Fairbanks and Sabrena Turner-Smedley are definite yes votes.
“If we can do something for the officers who have made a career out of keeping us safe, I want to do everything I can do to support it,” Smedley said.
She and Fairbanks also said Hammond was smart to want to get all nine commissioners’ votes on the record.
Commissioners Tim Boyd and Joe Graham said they still have questions.
The first-year cost of the plan is estimated at $350,000. Graham noted state officials who did an actuarial study found that some similar plans elsewhere ended up costing more than estimated. He earlier asked Hammond for alternatives, including raises for sheriff’s department employees, and also to delay the request until the upcoming budget preparation season.
“I am not willing to raise taxes to pay for it,” Graham said.
Boyd also had financial questions. He wasn’t present at a briefing for commissioners or a presentation to the sheriff’s department in January but said he had asked County Mayor Jim Coppinger’s office for details.
“I want to know that the mayor is for this 100 percent and he knows how he’s going to fund it and he’s comfortable putting it in his budget I’m going to be voting on here in about four months,” Boyd said.
“We’re making a decision that is effectively a 40-year decision. I’m not going to make those kinds of decisions hastily,” he said.
Commissioner Greg Beck couldn’t be reached for comment. Commissioners Marty Haynes and Jim Fields said they had no comment.
Also Wednesday, commissioners also agreed:
‘ To apply for a $1.25 million FastTrack Economic Development Fund grant for Yanfeng USA Automotive, a new supplier to the Volkswagen plant;
‘ To seek a $200,000 FastTrack grant to improve hangars at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport for West Star Aviation;
‘ To lease two acres at Coolidge Park for 99 years to the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center. The Chattanooga City Council’s agreement will be needed as well.
Contact staff writer Judy Walton at jwalton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416.