The Linn County Commission has opted to pass on retroactively upgrading benefits to law enforcement and full-time fire personnel. (Journal file photo)
By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com
MOUND CITY – Linn County Clerk David Lamb presented information to the Linn County Commissioners about the Kansas Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (KP&F) on Monday, Dec. 30.
Lamb told the commissioners that he had received the study that the commissioners had paid for outlining what the cost would be for the county to go back and pay law enforcement and firefighters who will be receiving KP&F retirement the funds that they had not received when they were on the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS).
According to Lamb, the report showed that, to buy prior years’ service for the qualified employees the difference between KP&F funds and the amount paid into KPERS over the past years, Linn County would have to pay more than $112,400 per year for 15 years or well over $1 million.
Commissioner Jason Hightower said that he thought it would be best for the county to just start fresh with these retirement funds rather than going back. He pointed out that those employees would still have their KPERS retirement from prior years.
The commissioners made a motion to not purchase the employees’ prior service for KP&F.
In February 2024 the commission made the decision to pay into the KP&F system, which is administered by KPERS, in order to compete with other counties in recruiting personnel and also to better serve law enforcement and firefighters who, because of the nature of their work, were at higher risk and often had to retire earlier. The change for those employees will become effective Wednesday, Jan. 1.
On Nov. 25, the commissioners approved a resolution to transfer the KPERS funds to KP&F fund for the 23 qualified employees. At that time, Lamb told the commissioners that more than $197,400 would be the total additional annual cost over what the cost of KPERS would be per year for the 23 people. Lamb said that was roughly an $8,500 difference per person for a year.
At that meeting, Lamb explained that the KPERS rate for the county to pay for employees is 10.71% of each employee’s salary while the KP&F rate is 24.6%
.