MISSION VIEJO : Outgoing Trustees Vote Selves Benefits

A move by the Saddleback Community College District Board of Trustees to continue the medical benefits of three of its outgoing board members has enraged some faculty and employees.

The board voted 5 to 2 on Monday to continue the full health, dental and visual benefits worth about $6,800 per year for longtime trustees John C. Connolly, Robert L. Moore and Shirley Gellatly. All three were defeated in their reelection bids earlier this month. Trustees Harriett S. Walther, the only board incumbent to win reelection Nov. 3, and Marcia Milchiker cast the dissenting votes.

The vote to extend the health benefits came toward the end of Monday’s board meeting, during which farewell ceremonies were held for the three trustees.

“People are just outraged,” said Mike Runyan, president of the Saddleback Community College Faculty Assn. “They gave themselves a gift of public money. The way they did it smells.”

But district officials say the outgoing trustees will receive only what any other retiring administrator or manager would receive in return for their long years of service.

Under a 1980 state law, local agencies can provide health and welfare benefits to elected board members. The code also allows agencies to continue such benefits for outgoing or retiring board members, their spouses and dependent children, provided the elected officials have served at least 12 years or are enrolled in a retirement system, officials said.

Chancellor Richard Sneed said he realizes the trustees were placed in an “awkward” position by having to approve continuation of their own benefits but that the board is the only body by law allowed to do such a thing.

“They are simply receiving what is allowed by code,” Sneed said. “It’s not unusual.”

In the case of the three outgoing trustees, Connolly, 50, served 14 years, Moore, 51, served 13 years and Gellatly, 50, served nine years. All three are paying members of the state Public Employees Retirement System.

“I think there is the misunderstanding that the district is doing something special for us,” Moore said. “The district isn’t doing anything special at all.”

With the vote Monday, all eligible outgoing or retiring trustees in the future will automatically receive continuation of the same health insurance package received by retiring administrators, managers and supervisors in the district, said J. Anthony Carcamo, vice chancellor of fiscal services and operations. The coverage continues until a retired employee reaches age 65.