Former Logansport firefighter says city has not paid owed pension; city declines public discussion

At the start of public comment on Feb. 26, a man identifying himself as Scott Jones of 3121 Summit Avenue told the Lewis Court Board of Public Works and Safety that Logansport City has not paid a pension the board had previously volunteered to cover after his termination from the Logansport Fire Department on June 7, 2023.

Jones said he had been placed on administrative leave and that, despite an appeal, he remains unable to file paperwork to draw his pension. He said he is “in limbo” and that the city had also promised to handle his insurance and other exit pay but had not done so. Jones said he is providing discovery materials requested by the city and asked the board for clarification and direction.

A board participant (identified in the transcript as Kelly) told Jones the board could not discuss matters that are part of his legal case in open session and advised him to speak with his attorney. The presiding officer likewise directed Jones to consult his lawyer for case-specific questions. Jones said he had, and that his immediate concern was that his pension paperwork was being refused for submission.

The exchange was part of the public-comment portion of the meeting; no formal board action was taken on Jones’s statements during the session. Board members repeatedly stated, on the record, that they would not address case-specific legal issues in public session and that the city’s legal representative and Jones’s counsel should handle questions about appeals, payroll, pension processing and insurance.

Because Jones raised legal proceedings and appeal-related claims, the board did not discuss specific personnel or pension processing details in open session.

The board proceeded to the meeting’s business agenda after the exchange.