CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTGS) — The Chatham County Board of Commissioners voted in favor of amending the retirement plan for county employees on Friday.
The County’s existing policy gives employees defined retirement benefits after ten years of employment. This change will apply to all county employees, and the Commissioners said that they hope to fill vacancies across all departments.
Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley requested that the county start providing those benefits at five years to help fill the nearly 25% officer vacancy in the Department.
“We’ve got to be on an even playing field with our competitors if you will," Hadley said. "I mean we’re all fishing from the same pond. The pond is very shallow. We’ve all got to have the same lure.”
Some commissioners expressed concerns about the change.
Commissioner Patrick Farrell said the county’s retirement plan is already generous in comparison to private organizations, and he was not convinced that the incentive will lead to long-term employment.
“Generally, I find that counterintuitive," Farrell said. "That if you lower the goal, which is to stay here for a career or a long period of time, then you make it easier to achieve some significant portion of a check when you retire.”
Commissioner Dean Kicklighter said the shift to a five-year vesting period is worth the $100,000 it will cost the county each year. Kicklighter believes the new plan could be helpful for Chief Hadley and the Police Department.
“I know this is not going to be a magic bullet and, boom, he’s at 100 percent," Kicklighter said, "but it will be an additional tool to sell the Police Department.”
Hadley said he also hopes the new policy prevents a drop-off in department staff at the ten-year mark. Just a few years ago, Chatham County police pulled a large group of officers out of retirement, and Hadley said that most of them plan on staying for ten years.
“At year ten and one day, you’re going to have probably anywhere between fifteen and seventeen people instantly retire," Hadley said.