Aug. 08--Tensions flared at a Detroit Police and Fire Retirement System meeting today after a trustee encouraged black police officers and firefighters to monitor the pension system more closely to ensure their interests are represented.
The comment sparked discord among the trustees at a delicate time for the retirement system. Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr has proposed cutting active and retired workers' pension and health care benefits to resolve the city's long-term liabilities of about $18 billion.
Workers and retirees are counting on Detroit's two pension funds to protect their benefits throughout the city's bankruptcy proceedings.
Trustee Cheryl Johnson, who is black, questioned whether the police and fire pension board fairly represents all workers. The verbal altercation started after she welcomed a group of about five black firefighters to the meeting.
"I would like to encourage all of you and -- I'm trying to choose my words carefully -- other members who look like you to come to these meetings because I think it is imperative that you are aware of what this board does to represent you, and for you to get involved, and to run for seats on this board so that we can, as a group, make sure that your interests are represented," she said.
Two fellow trustees challenged Johnson's comment.
"Why does the race of somebody have to have anything to do with the running of this board?" trustee Matt Gnatek, who is white, said. "I'm just curious. I'm sitting here in awe that someone would say that."
"I take offense to assuming that I -- as a white firefighter -- don't have black firefighters' interests at heart," trustee Jeffrey Pegg said.
Johnson, the city's treasurer and finance director, serves on the board as an appointee of Mayor Dave Bing. About half of the board's 16 trustees, including Gnatek and Pegg, are elected.
Gnatek asked Johnson to clarify her remarks.
She replied: "I hope that the black firefighters and the black police take a more active role in the running of this board."
Johnson said she wasn't saying white pension fund trustees don't represent the interests of black pensioners, but she emphasized the need for more inclusive representation. The board currently is around 50% African American, and most of the black members are unelected.
The disagreement happened near the end of the meeting. The group of firefighters who were there to gather information about the bankruptcy and the pension fund said the tensions don't represent any underlying issues within their ranks.
The firefighters said all of their colleagues, regardless of race, should pay more attention to the pension fund. They were representing the Public Safety Workers Action Group, which stresses the importance of Detroit firefighters.
"We don't believe this is a black and white issue, because it's about half and half (black and white)," firefighter Dennis Hunter said after the meeting. "We're in this bed together."
The U.S. Trustee's office released a questionnaire Wednesday for those interested in serving on a retiree committee in Detroit's bankruptcy case. The committee is to represent the interests and act on behalf of all retirees.
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