State faces new pension requests

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2001 | 11:01 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- More requests to allow employees to receive pensions while on the state payroll go before the state Board of Examiners on Thursday.

State Treasurer Brian Krolicki wants the board to allow his chief deputy, John Adkins, to draw his $82,839-a-year salary and at the same time collect about $25,000 in retirement.

State Budget Director Perry Comeaux is proposing that his chief deputy, Don Hataway, continue in his job being paid $88,463 a year and be allowed to draw $44,000 in retirement.

Both Adkins and Hataway qualify with time of service and age for state pensions. But their bosses say they fill critical positions and want the two men to stay on for awhile.

Comeaux said Hataway is an expert in public school finance and other areas of the budget and he wants him to remain through the 2003 session of the Legislature.

Hataway also took over Comeaux's job during the 2001 Legislature when the budget director was hit with a heart attack.

Krolicki says he has been recruiting for a future chief deputy for more than a year but most applicants are being hired by private consulting firms and nonprofit organizations. And other places are paying higher salaries.

Atkins, 67, said he would remain on the job until a replacement is found.

The 2001 Legislature enacted a law allowing governments to designate a position as a "critical labor shortage" post because of high turnover, recruitment difficulties or the length the job has been vacant. The individual selected would then be able to draw both a pension and government pay.

The first group of employees approved by the examiners board drew sharp criticism.

Public Safety Director Dick Kirkland, his deputy Dave Kieckbush and Administrative Services Officer Jan Capaldi were all approved as critical positions, although there were no vacancies.

In the case of Kirkland, he is able to draw his $103,000-a-year salary plus about $70,000 in pension benefits earned as a police officer in Reno and as Washoe County sheriff.

Kirkland got the enhanced benefit while he was director of the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety, the third largest agency in state government.

But the department was split and now Kirkland heads the public safety section with fewer employees.

Krolicki also wants to have the vacant post of deputy treasurer for cash management declared a critical job. Atkins is filling both positions now. Krolicki said he has offered the cash management job to several people but they have accepted other jobs with higher pay.

The Commission on Peace Officers Standard Training is also asking the examiners board to declare the post of training officer as critical. Recruitment has been going on since last October without success.

State legislators said the law was intended to draw retired teachers back to the classroom without losing their pensions.