MOORPARK : Ex-Dean Sues, Says College Reneged

A former Moorpark College dean has sued the Ventura County Community College district for allegedly reneging on a promise to hire him as a part-time counselor for three years if he would retire from his full-time duties.

William I. Bendat retired as dean of student services at the college in July, 1992. He alleges in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Ventura County Superior Court that college officials did not honor an agreement to hire him as a part-time counselor.

Bendat says in the suit that college officials discriminated against him by pushing him into retirement because of a 1989 heart attack. Except for two months of not working, Bendat said his heart attack did not hurt his job performance, the lawsuit says.

Community college representatives did not return telephone calls for comment Friday. Bendat referred questions to his attorney, who could not be reached.

In addition to discrimination, Bendat is alleging fraud and breach of oral contract. According to the lawsuit, college officials urged Bendat to retire but in exchange promised him three years of part-time work at $40 an hour.

Bendat says in the suit that he was told in August of 1992 that no money was available to pay for the part-time counseling work. He claims that college officials knew the job was not a certainty when they promised it to him.

A 22-year employee of the college, Bendat is seeking unspecified damages and a return to his position as dean at his previous salary of $80,000 a year, or to be granted 400 hours of part-time work at $40 an hour, the suit says.