JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The man who lead the Police and Fire Pension Fund for the last quarter century spoke out Friday after attending his final board meeting before retiring.
"I'm entitled to the pension benefits that were granted to me, that I paid for and that's what I'm looking forward to," said John Keane.
John Keane has been under fire for being in a special retirement plan set up for him and two other pension fund employees in 2000 that will pay him $227,000 in just his first year of retirement. The Jacksonville City Council on Monday authorized the mayor and general counsel to find out if the special fund is legal and challenge it in court, if necessary.
Keane also just cashed in more than 360 days of unused vacation time and received $440,000.
The pension fund's board is considering its next move.
Some with the city say Keane should be taking home $40,000 less each year in retirement -- the amount he would earn under the city's retirement plan.
Keane said that's not what he agreed to. The pension board set up this retirement fund and it is spelled out in his contract.
"I haven't had any discussion with anyone about taking a reduced benefit. Compromise is a good thing as long as you're compromising somebody else's benefits and rights away. Very few people compromise their own," Keane said. "And now, at the end of a 25-year career, for some people to try and figure out how they cannot pay me a pension -- it's not going to work."
City attorneys and the pension board hope they can work out a settlement before the matter goes to court.
Keane's departure wasn't the only change the pension board is dealing with. Bill Scheu, who headed a pension fund task force for former Mayor Alvin Brown, was seated as a new member and Tommy Hazouri became the new City Council liaison.
The board's also facing hiring Keane's replacement as executive director. It scheduled a special meeting next week to talk about the process.
"They need an interim director away from John," Hazouri said. "I think because he unfortunately becomes the thorn anytime anybody refers to the board. It's always about John, John, John. (He) is certainly not without sin. We need to show a clean slate, and I think that's where they're heading."
Keane was asked if he understands why people believe it's excessive that he is getting paid so much as he leaves a job that paid him about $300,000 a year,
"People have a lot of concerns. This is what life is all about," Keane said.