Bellevue (Ne) police sue city

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20090925/NEWS01/709259916/0/ENTERTAINMENT05

By John Ferak
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
« Metro/Region


The Bellevue Police Officers Association has filed a lawsuit to force the city to pay the retirement benefits in its collective bargaining agreement, regardless of the city's post-negotiation interpretation of state law.

Omaha lawyer John E. Corrigan filed the union's suit against the city Wednesday in Sarpy County District Court. The Bellevue union represents about 100 sworn officers and civilian employees, Corrigan said.

The lawsuit alleges Bellevue City Administrator Gary Troutman has told union representatives that some of the contract's police retirement provisions conflict with state laws governing first-class cities like Bellevue.

The agreement gives Bellevue police retirees better retirement compensation options than allowed under the law, Troutman said. He said the city was unaware when it negotiated the contract that the package it approved was more generous than the state allowed, he said.

The legal dispute is coming to a head now because a handful of employees eligible for retirement want assurances that the city will honor the terms of the July 2006 agreement.

The suit asks the judge to uphold the current union contract and reject the city's argument.

FULL story at link.

[DebbieCDC]

1. Uhuh, the city negotiated a contract it didn't know was illegal?

Where was the friggin city attorney when these illegal provisions were begin approved?