Jeff BensonThe Coast Community College District will...

Jeff Benson

The Coast Community College District will not interfere with trustee

Armando Ruiz’s retirement options, it was decided at a board meeting

Wednesday night.

Board of Trustees President George Brown said the board cannot

legally bar the 21-year school board veteran from retiring from his

trustee duties on Oct. 31, the same day he’s scheduled to retire as a

counselor from the South Orange County Community College District.

“Anybody can quit their job whenever they want without prior

approval,” Brown said

Members of the teachers’ union fear that although Ruiz hasn’t

submitted a retirement request with Coast Community College District

and has filed to run for another four-year term, he plans to retire

and resume his bid for election two days later. Brown, though, said

he felt the issue was dead and not open to debate, because the board

had no legal right to demand that kind of information from Ruiz,

despite its inclusion on the agenda.

“I told everyone that we can’t act on it, so there’s no use

discussing it,” he said. “We’ve covered this about as thoroughly as

we can.”

According to state law, elected officials working part-time, who

took office before 1995, are permitted to draw pensions from two jobs

based on the higher salary if they retire from the positions on the

same day.

Ruiz qualifies for this benefit but has thus far only announced

plans to retire from one post.

Ruiz attended the meeting but did not comment on the issue. He did

not return calls Wednesday but reportedly told teachers’ union

president and Golden West College professor Dean Mancina at the last

board meeting, on Aug. 18, that his retirement plans were none of

Mancina’s business.

“I think it’s totally unethical,” said Diana Sharp, president of

the Coast Federation of Classified Employees. “I was surprised it was

legal. He’s running as an incumbent. How can you legitimately run as

an incumbent when you’re planning on running again, days before the

election?”

If Ruiz does decide to retire from his trustee post on Oct. 31, he

will be able to collect a combined annual pension of about $120,000

-- nearly double the amount he would have received if he retired on

separate days.

Based on his annual salary of $10,000 at Coast Community College

District, Ruiz will receive about $5,000 per year in retirement. But

if he retires on Oct. 31, that amount will reach more than $54,000

based on his approximately $107,000 salary at Irvine Valley College.

“The way I got the idea he might retire was that he’s a unique

individual who fits in a small category of individuals who are school

board trustees in one district and faculty in the other,” Mancina

said. “Since he was seated prior to 1995, he’s eligible for a big

boost in retirement.”

The Coast Federation of Teachers drafted a resolution so board

members could voice their opposition to the possibility of his

retirement before his term ends in December, Mancina said.

Coast Trustee Jerry Patterson, who didn’t agree with Brown’s

decision, recited the union statement and read his own two-page

statement of opposition during the meeting.

“Why should the district voters and taxpayers pay Armando Ruiz

$67,000 [from his South Orange County Community College District

pension] per year to be their part-time trustee?” he said. “Or at

least tell the voters and let them decide if he’s worth it. Maybe

that’s why he is keeping this such a secret. Just be honest and tell

the voters. This is not personal. It’s about fair play and ethics and

honesty.”

Patterson said that since Ruiz signed California’s Code of Fair

Campaign Practices in August, when he decided to run for re-election,

he should clearly inform the public of his decision in advance.

“There’s nothing we can do to stop it,” Patterson said. “I don’t

want to be tainted, as a trustee, with what another trustee does. I’m

hoping the board at the next meeting will adopt the [Coast Federation

of Teachers’] resolution.”

The next board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Coast

Community College District board room, 1370 Adams Ave.

* JEFF BENSON is the news assistant and may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at jeff.benson@latimes.com.