Is the Kosciusko County coroner a full-time employee or not?

Thursday, that's the question county coroner Larry Ladd asked the county council. But the council was unwilling, or unable, to give an answer, they said, until the issue could be studied. The answer will determine whether Ladd can again be covered under the Public Employees Retirement Fund.

When Ladd took office in 1997, he was covered under PERF. At his request later, however, he opted out of the program because an employee had to have 10 years to get vested into the program. Now the law has changed to allow a person who has been in office for eight years to be vested.

In May, Ladd asked the council to reinstate his PERF contributions from September 1997 to the present. At that time, Kosciusko County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell said the county's share would be less than $3,000. The council approved the reinstatement of Ladd's PERF contributions.

But the state questioned if the county coroner was a full-time employee, and that will determine whether Ladd can be vested in PERF.

Council president Jim Tranter questioned if the coroner is actually a full-time position. Ladd said he's on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, though he may not work the 37-1/2 hours per week the county handbook says is a full-time employee.

Tranter said he thought that if the council considered Ladd a full-time employee, they would probably have to amend the county employee handbook. "My own personal opinion is you elected out (of PERF) sometime." Now that the state has changed the law, Tranter said, Ladd wants back in. If the state changes the law again next year, would Ladd want to change his mind again?

Ladd said he was asking once and for all if the coroner is a full-time position and that should clear everything up.

Tranter said he didn't want to vote on it until the issue could be studied along with what kind of impact such a decision may have on other positions in the county.

Agreeing with Tranter, councilman Brad Tandy said the council needs to take "a look at the big picture" and what ramifications could result.

If they allow Ladd to be vested in PERF, Tranter said, everyone who works on a part-time basis would try to find a way to get into it.

Asked by Ladd if the council and county commissioners - who are not full-time employees - are offered PERF, Tandy said they are. Tranter said some of the councilmen and commissioners opted out of it, though.

The council tabled a decision to the Dec. 19 meeting, at which time Tranter said they would either have more answers for Ladd or reasons why they don't have answers for him. [[In-content Ad]]