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07-24-2005, 10:31 AM
Publication:Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Date:Saturday, July 23, 2005 ; Section:Arkansas; Page:22
State official set to take a month off, keep benefits
BY CHARLIE FRAGO ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Department of Community Correction Director David Guntharp will take a month off from his duties to preserve part of his retirement benefits under a plan endorsed by the Board of Corrections on Friday.
After meeting in an executive session, the board announced that Guntharp will retire and be rehired to his post Sept. 1 so that he will not lose his deferred retirement benefits.
"I think we got some great things going, and I want to stay in order to finish them up," Guntharp told the board after its decision.
In the month that Guntharp is not working, Deputy Director Veter Howard will be acting director.
Guntharp, 63, has worked for the state for 31 years. He has spent the past 51 /2 years in his current post. Before then, he worked at various jobs for the Department of Correction, including deputy director. His current salary is $90,186.
He has participated in the deferred retirement option plan for seven years. The plan allows state employees to accumulate retirement benefits in a separate account while they continue to work. After seven years, those benefits can be paid out in a lump sum or monthly payment. Guntharp’s plan requires him to retire after participating for seven years.
His plan could have been canceled had he not retired, Guntharp said Friday.
Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System spokesman Michele Williams said she had "no way of knowing" how each individual agency decides to handle cases of employees who reach their maximum level of employment.
Guntharp said he checked with state benefits officials and the governor’s office before making his decision.
"I touched all the bases," he said. "The last thing I would want to do is anything unethical or illegal."
Jim Harris, spokesman for Gov. Mike Huckabee, confirmed that the governor’s office approved Guntharp’s decision.
Guntharp said he entered the deferred retirement plan when he still worked at the Correction Department and had "every intention of retiring," but when he was moved to lead the Community Correction Department, he reconsidered because he wanted to make sure new programs started under his watch were successful.
State official set to take a month off, keep benefits
BY CHARLIE FRAGO ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Department of Community Correction Director David Guntharp will take a month off from his duties to preserve part of his retirement benefits under a plan endorsed by the Board of Corrections on Friday.
After meeting in an executive session, the board announced that Guntharp will retire and be rehired to his post Sept. 1 so that he will not lose his deferred retirement benefits.
"I think we got some great things going, and I want to stay in order to finish them up," Guntharp told the board after its decision.
In the month that Guntharp is not working, Deputy Director Veter Howard will be acting director.
Guntharp, 63, has worked for the state for 31 years. He has spent the past 51 /2 years in his current post. Before then, he worked at various jobs for the Department of Correction, including deputy director. His current salary is $90,186.
He has participated in the deferred retirement option plan for seven years. The plan allows state employees to accumulate retirement benefits in a separate account while they continue to work. After seven years, those benefits can be paid out in a lump sum or monthly payment. Guntharp’s plan requires him to retire after participating for seven years.
His plan could have been canceled had he not retired, Guntharp said Friday.
Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System spokesman Michele Williams said she had "no way of knowing" how each individual agency decides to handle cases of employees who reach their maximum level of employment.
Guntharp said he checked with state benefits officials and the governor’s office before making his decision.
"I touched all the bases," he said. "The last thing I would want to do is anything unethical or illegal."
Jim Harris, spokesman for Gov. Mike Huckabee, confirmed that the governor’s office approved Guntharp’s decision.
Guntharp said he entered the deferred retirement plan when he still worked at the Correction Department and had "every intention of retiring," but when he was moved to lead the Community Correction Department, he reconsidered because he wanted to make sure new programs started under his watch were successful.