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Struggling pension fund to send 2 board members to Hawaii

Employee benefites conference will cost OPERS about $4,100 for the trip.

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By Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Bureau Updated 10:05 PM Saturday, September 4, 2010

COLUMBUS — One of the state’s largest pension funds is expected to spend roughly $4,100 to send two board members to Hawaii for a four-day conference in November.

Ohio Public Employee Retirement System Board voted 5-3 in favor of sending Chairman Ken Thomas, a city of Dayton worker, and fellow board member John Mauer to Honolulu for an employee benefits conference.

Thomas and Mauer voted in favor of the resolution. Former Montgomery County treasurer Hugh Quill, also an OPERS board member, opposed it.

“I think it’s the wrong message to send while we are trying to have difficult discussions with the Legislature about the sustainability of our funds,” said Quill, who is director of the state Department of Administrative Services.

All five public pension funds are seeking lawmaker approval for changes to help shore up the systems’ finances.

Conference registration is $2,310 for the two while the hotel rooms are expected to tally up to $1,320. OPERS pays $60 per day for meals. The men will pay airfare.

Thomas said paying tairfare was a way to be sensitive to concerns over travel during a down economy. “There is always that perception that you guys create and everyone else. It’s still responsible,” he said. “We don’t get to pick where these conferences are held.”

Thomas declined to disclose whether he would be taking family members with him but said if he did, it wouldn’t be at OPERS expense.

In 2003, State Teachers Retirement System and Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund came under fire for lavish spending on board travel. That led to legislative and policy changes aimed at curbing out-of-state trips.

OPERS represents nearly 1 million workers and retirees and has roughly $60 billion in assets.

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1624 or lbischoff@Dayton DailyNews.com.

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