I receive and Anonymous comment about my post advising Kentucky Retirement System employees to tell the truth to the state Auditor and Securities and Exchange Commission.
Here is the comment:
What is your infatuation with KRS? Are you not drawing a big enough retirement check to suit you? You are pretty far off on your assumption regarding the Governor’s ability to fire KRS employees if he were to gain a 5-4 advantage on the board as you say. While KRS employees are not under Chapter 18A they are considered a quasi-agency of state government and have been afforded the same type of “merit” securities as any other state employee. The Governor – or anyone for that matter – cannot simply walk in the door and say you’re fired. He’s not Donald Trump running a television show. All jobs at KRS below the level of Division Director are protected the same as a merit employee. You must have ”cause” to fire someone or they can take the same steps afforded to all state employees and even go as far as the personnel board for reinstatement. You are entitled to your opinion the same as any other person but showing up to a few KRS board meetings and reading through board minutes and statutes does not make you an expert. You should always get your facts straight before posting things such as this. You really don’t understand that there are hard working people at KRS just like all over state government. Stop being a jackass and be fair when posting…
So let me address Anonymous’ points:
What is your infatuation with KRS?
A fair size chunk of my income comes from the KRS, so I think I have the right to comment on how the place is run. I don’t think it’s too much to ask the Board and the Management to be open and honest about how they do business.
Are you not drawing a big enough retirement check to suit you?
I love this question because it tells me that the Anonymous has looked at my retirement account. That account information is supposed to be confidential. But to answer the question; my retirement check is big enough. I put my time in, mostly as a merit employee, and my retirement is pretty much what I expected it to be.
Now as my assumptions as to how board appointments and the Kentucky Retirement Systems personnel system works; here are the basics.
Kentucky Revised Statue 61.645 (9) (d) (3) states:
(d) The board shall adopt by administrative regulation a fair, equitable, and comprehensive personnel policy with a minimum of the following provisions for the personnel system:
3. A classification plan including provisions describing class specifications, position actions, and employee actions;
Now I’m not a lawyer but it seems pretty clear that the board (Kentucky Retirement Systems Board) can rewrite the Retirement Systems personnel system any way they want, any time they want. If they want to eliminate classified status they can.
Nowhere in KRS 61.645 is there a guarantee of a merit system for Kentucky Retirement Systems employees. There is however enough language that permits the Retirement System Board to do just about anything they want to do, without the need seek legislative approval.
Granted, “The Governor – or anyone for that matter – cannot simply walk in the door and say you’re fired”.
But in a five to four vote, the Kentucky Retirement System Board could make all Kentucky Retirement System Employees serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority just like everyone that now has a top job now.
Anonymous also said, “You are entitled to your opinion the same as any other person but showing up to a few KRS board meetings and reading through board minutes and statutes does not make you an expert.”
I’ve never claimed to be an expert, but this comment does tell me that Anonymous is probably a lawyer. Lawyers, particularly those employed by the state seem to hate it when a citizen reads the law, reviews the actions of public employees and has an opinion.
I think my facts are straight, and I do think that there are several good hard working people at Kentucky Retirement Systems. Several of them email or phone me on a regular basis and a lot of them are deeply troubled by how the place is run.
I just happen to think that very few of those hard working people are on the Board of Trustees or in top management positions.
Finally, Anonymous writes "Stop being a jackass and be fair when posting… "
While Anonymous thinks I’m an unfair jackass he or she is entitled to there opinion, I try to be fair, like posting his or her comment.
