By Marianne Sullivan, Source Senior Staff
Writer:
The Board of Police
Commissioners met in an executive session this week to consider Police Chief
Paul Jakubson’s retirement proposal. First Selectman Al Goldberg was expected
to attend the meeting.
Jakubson’s proposal
reached the Police Department last Thursday and was sent on to the town
attorney. As of Monday, Goldberg said he had not seen the chief’s letter, nor
did he know the details of the proposal. Jakubson, a 34-year veteran of the
Madison Police Department, can retire at any time. Madison officers hired before 2006 can retire
after 20 years of service and begin receiving pension payments immediately.
Jakubson, however, has asked for “additional considerations,” according to
sources.
Sitting in his Town
Campus office Monday afternoon, Goldberg said, “If you were to ask me this
minute if I could consider paying the chief more than what he is entitled to as
his baseline pension, my answer would be no. However, I may have a lot to learn
over the next few days.”
What the first
selectman and the Police Commission will learn over the next few days is the
cost of Jakubson’s retirement, both his “baseline” retirement, as Goldberg
calls it, and the cost of any enhancements. Human Resources Manager Rita Umile
and the actuaries hired to monitor the town’s retirement plans have been
spending most of three days reviewing Jakubson’s proposal and computing its
costs.
Other selectmen have
attempted to negotiate retirement packages with the police chief. None were
successful, largely because Jakubson reportedly sought enhancements with
long-term costs, including full health insurance coverage for both himself and
his wife.
This fiscal year the
chief’s salary is $98,680. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the chief’s
salary was $95,574. Jakubson has been on paid administrative leave from his
position since April 29.
Jakubson received a
heart and hypertension payment of $84,227 several months ago. He qualifies
under a former state statute. He had asked that the total payment be considered
as part of his salary. The town, however, chose to consider it a one-time
payment not associated with salary. Pensions are based on formulas that include
both years of service and salaries. A spike in the chief’s salary of more than
$84,000 in one year would significantly increase his pension, and pensions are
considered long-term liabilities.
Simply by virtue of
his long service with the town, Goldberg predicted, Jakubson’s pension
“numbers” were likely to be large.
“Payments in
addition to that will be difficult to justify,” he said. “Right now, I don’t
believe the Police Commission, the selectmen, or the Board of Finance would be
prepared to agree to anything beyond the baseline pension.”
The Police
Commission will be asked to consider Jakubson’s proposal first. If it chooses,
it will make a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen and then any agreement
will need to be considered by the Board of Finance as well, Goldberg said.