Columbus, Georgia

Memorandum



To: Mayor & Council



From: Tom Barron, Director of Human Resources



Date: April 21, 2005



Subject: Ridenour Referral





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Mr. James W. "Ike" Ridenour appeared before Columbus Council on Tuesday, April

19, 2005 to complain about not being paid for his work investigating the death

of Ann Starnes, not receiving a retirement benefit from the City and potential

employers being told he never worked for the City.



According to a single old record in the City archives, Mr. Ridenour was hired

on 8/18/1954. Although it is not noted on the record, he apparently worked for

the Muscogee County Police Department with a final position of detective. The

next identifiable position held by Mr. Ridenour was that of Deputy Sheriff

Lieutenant with an effective (promotion) date of 8/1/1972. The final entry is

a termination date of 3/17/1975. Because his employment terminated long before

the installation of the first computer personnel records, a routine inquiry

would have resulted in the report of never being an employee.



It appears that Mr. Ridenour's chief concern is not receiving retirement pay

after almost 21 years of service. At the time of his employment and subsequent

termination, the Public Safety Pension Plan did not have a vesting provision

(10-year vesting began in 1992), so unless the employee worked until retirement

age he was only entitled to a return of their contributions. According to our

records, $4074.74 was returned to Mr. Ridenour on 4/9/1975.





According to information received Chief Deputy Sheriff Jimmy Griffin and

Superior Court Judge Bobby Peters the City attempted to work out a deal several

years back for Mr. Ridenour to return to the City for 1 day and then resign so

that his service could be reconnected and he could receive his pension. Mr.

Ridenour reportedly rejected the offer.



I was unable to develop any information regarding time spent working the

Starnes case for which Mr. Ridenour was not paid. Mr. Ridenour asserts that he

spent 4 months of 16-hour days working the case. Chief Griffin said he doubts

that it was more than one month and does not recall Mr. Ridenour not being

paid.