County judge testifies before APERS board

LITTLE ROCK – Garland County Judge Larry Williams testified Wednesday before the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System Board of Directors that, in hindsight, he should have required three county officials to officially resign before drawing state retirement benefits.

The board determined Wednesday that Treasurer Jo West-Taylor improperly drew retirement benefits while still on the job. Because testimony from both sides in the issue lasted until late in the day, the board delayed action on a remedy until Monday. APERS Executive Director Gail Stone said in an e-mail Thursday afternoon that the board will reconvene at 8 a.m. Monday in the Capital Hotel’s Quapaw Room “to consider the remainder of the appeal of Jo West-Taylor.”

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Williams testified that he told Jones he “was also eligible to do the same thing.” He said he did not seek to draw APERS benefits while still on the job because he planned to run for the Arkansas House and did not want to be accused of being a “double-dipper.”

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