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Sep 17, 2007 10:23 am US/Eastern
N.J. Wants Pension Money Back From Rahway Official
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) ―
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New Jersey is trying to recover pension money paid to a retired official.
The state is trying to get pension money back from a Rahway public official who retired from his two public jobs and was collecting his pension while at the same time being paid consulting fees to do the same work.
Peter Pelissier retired from his jobs as Rahway's business administrator and redevelopment director five years ago to a log cabin in Montana.
He began collecting his taxpayer-funded pension the same month he started getting consultant fees from the Rahway Redevelopment Agency to do the same job he left for retirement, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported Monday.
He earned more than $294,000 in consulting fees through an exclusive, no-bid contract approved by the agency while collecting $331,000 in public employee retirement benefits, the newspaper reported.
The state wants the pension money back, arguing Pelissier never left the job as redevelopment director in Rahway.
"If you retire, you cannot ... go back into a position similar to what you were doing when you left government, or another position covered by the pension system," state Treasury spokesman Tom Vincz said. "We're seeking to recoup all benefits paid out."
After Treasury officials notified him his consulting contract violated pension guidelines, Pelissier returned to Rahway in January to take his two old jobs back. He is a salaried employee again, making $260,000 from the two jobs.
Pelissier said he was negotiating with the pension board and declined to discuss the details of his consulting agreements.
"Based on the fact that I'm in the process of discussing this with the board and haven't even solidified what the arrangements would be, I don't have any comment at this time," Pelissier said.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
