Hamilton County School Board Pension Stays

The Hamilton County School Board voted again Tuesday night on a controversial pension plan.

The pension plan will stay. The vote was 4-4.

Jeffery Wilson was not in attendance so only eight members voted. Since the vote was a tie, nothing changes from the last vote.

Last Thursday the board approved a pension plan that provides each departing board member with $750 in retirement for every year of service.

Three board members are leaving the board this week. Chester Bankston, Kenny Smith and Janice Boydston. Bankston and Smith have only served about three years, while Boydston has served the previous city and now county school board(s) for about 29 years.

Other board members, like Rhonda Thurman, say this is not the time to hand out pension payments.

Now this pension plan is the same plan every elected official in Tennessee can get if their respective governing body chooses to adopt it.