Parker Law Suit 13thhh check IP: 162.40.213.186 Posted on February 26, 2016 at 11:11:05 PM by Fred Urbuteit
Received the following from John Parker. John asked me to forward to all Retirees I have in my address book.The Trustee John quoted as to " 7000 years before they get the money owed to them " is now a Retired Fire Fighter. Can be found in the copys of Executive sessions that the Tampa Retired Fire Fighters Association purchased after they became available.
Fred Urbuteit.
Subj: John Parker Lawsuit 13th Check
The Lawsuit on the 2004 13th check is finally over. It was filed in June of 2007, and now 8 1/2 years later it is over. With the exception of approximately 350 retirees and widow who have died, we have received all of our benefits due from this check. The cost and fees due to Attorney Wayne Thomas and the Ackerman Law firm who represented us have been paid and reported accurately to the 2 retirees groups by Dennis Ribaya and Fred Urbuteit. To dispel the long standing opinion of some retirees that the amount paid to our Attorneys was brought about by greed on their part. The following facts are public record, and any one can read them if they choose to. The lawsuit was filed in June of 2007, and a Case Management hearing was held to set the hearing schedule. At that Hearing it was reported that both Mr. Thomas and the Boards Attorneys indicated that their cost and fees at that time were approximately $30,000.00. In December 2007 The Pension Board Attorney determined that the benefit should have been paid and the following February 2008 the principle of $5,700.00 was paid to the retirees and $2,800.00 to the widows. Around February 2009, a Arbitration Hearing was held regarding the interest owed to the retirees and a settlement of 9% interest or $1,500.00 per retiree and $750.00 per widow was agreed to. The cost and fees for Attorney Thomas at that time was discussed, and an offer of $310,000.00 was discussed but not accepted by the Pension Board. During the following 6 years the Pension Board took the position that the retirees should pay the Attorneys fees. The local Court ruled establishing the fees that were due to Mr. Thomas and that the Pension Board was to pay his fees. The pension Board appealed this decision to the District Court of Appeals and they ruled that the retirees should pay their attorneys fees. At this point, Mr. Thomas could have simply agreed with the Appeals Court decision and been paid his cost and fees out of the retirees interest money that was being held by the Pension Board pending the Appeals Court decision. This would have reduced the interest due to the retirees and widows by approximately half. But it was the wishes of Mr. Thomas, that the retirees and widows not have to pay his fees. He and his associates at Ackerman and Associates chose to gamble possible losses by going to the Supreme Court, however they did not want the retirees paying for the Pension Boards mistake. Luckily they prevailed at the Supreme Court and These costs and fees were paid by the Pension Boards Insurance carrier, but the Insurance Company has refused to reimburse the Pension Board the $800,000.00 that they paid out to their attorneys that could have been settled for $30,000.00 or $310,000.00 after it was determined that they should have paid the 13th check to begin with. It's my opinion and that of some others, that the Trustees on the Board at that time took this lawsuit personally. Comments made by many of them during the Executive Sessions held regarding this lawsuit indicated their desire to make the retirees pay for filing this lawsuit rather than going to them and begging for what was rightfully ours. One Trustee commented and I quote " I hope it takes the Retirees 7,000 years to get the money owed to them". Mind you, THE MONEY OWED TO THEM. The Active Employees have advocates in the Union and the PBA, however the Retirees advocates are the Trustees, and they let all of us down.
Retired Firefighter,
John Parker
Replies: There have been no replies.
You must register before you can post on this board. You can register here.