WAYNE ALLEN

PDT Staff Writer

On Tuesday the Scioto County Commissioners approved an amended letter from Scioto County Auditor David Green announcing his retirement effective Sept. 30 at midnight. In the same meeting the commissioners appointed Green to serve interim Scioto County Auditor effective Oct. 1.

Green will remain interim Scioto County Auditor until the Scioto County Democratic Central Committee meets in Oct. 25.

According to Randy Basham, Chairman of the Scioto County Democratic Party at the central committee meeting Green will be reappointed to fill the unexpired term.

Last week Green submitted a similar letter that was accepted by the commissioners announcing his intentions to retire on Sept. 14 with anticipation of being reappointed as interim auditor on Sept. 15.

According to the commissioners, that letter became void because Green was unable to retire per Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) policy.

According to OPERS, Green cannot retire and be rehired to the same position within the same month.

OPERS spokeswoman Julie Graham-Price told the Daily Times that the timeline for retirement allowance in this situation is no longer a one day to the next transition.

According to information provided by OPERS, “a retiree who has received a retirement allowance for less than two months when re-employment begins will forfeit the retirement allowance for any month of re-employment during that two-month period. This forfeiture applies even if the retiree waives salary for the two-month period. This is known as the two-month re-employment forfeiture.”

Further information provided by OPERS said a public notice is required for elected officials who retire from OPERS during a term of office and are appointed to the same position for the remainder of the same term or are elected to the same office for the next consecutive term.

Green said he is making this move in order to lock in future retirement benefits under current law.

“In light of the recent changes the state legislature has made in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System. I’m retiring to lock in my future retirement benefits, under the current law,” Green said.

According to Green, he will have 32 years of service with the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System.

The current term of the Scioto County Auditor expires in 2015.

“I plan to be a candidate for reelection in 2014,” Green said.

Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 208, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.