County engineer 'retires'

TIFFIN — Seneca County Engineer Mark Zimmerman has "retired" and been appointed as acting county engineer, taking office for his new term in the position on Jan. 6. According to a letter dated Nov. 14, Zimmerman wrote to Seneca County Commissioners and the Seneca County Republican Central Committee, informing them he would be retiring Dec. 31, 2024. "I am hopeful to be appointed to complete my term and rehire at the beginning of my new term," he wrote. Zimmerman's appointment was approved by commissioners Dec. 19. The A-T reached out to Zimmerman to better understand his decision. "Retiring from OPERS (Ohio Public Employees Retirement System) is strictly a financial decision, I am not retiring in its traditional sense from the office I so proudly hold," Zimmerman explained. "I would encourage everyone in a career to evaluate their financial position and rely on recommendations from financial planners. I am 100% committed as your county engineer for the foreseeable future. Our retirement basically maxes out at 34 years of service." He also explained that his retirement from OPERS "does not cost the taxpayers a single dollar at the federal, state, or local level" and that "OPERS recommended retiring at the end of the year. I think that taking their advice is prudent." Zimmerman will receive his retirement benefits as of Dec. 31 this year. In 2025, he will receive a salary of $113,151, according to the County Commissioners Association of Ohio. Past legislation HB 708, which was introduced during the 2017 – 2018 regular session of the state legislature aimed to end the practice of public employees retiring, collecting a pension and then returning to work in the public sector, according to legislature.ohio.gov. The bill aimed to suspend the payout of a pension during re-employment to "ensure fair use of public retirement funds," according to the bill. HB 708 made it to the House Aging and Long-Term Care Committee but did not get any further. The more recent bill was not the first time the House attempted to pass legislation that would outlaw the "double-dipping" practice. According to reporting by Dayton Daily News in 2012, then-representative Rex Damschroder sought to change the practice in 2011 with HB 388. The earlier iteration of the bill would "suspend retirement benefits of a public retirement system retiree who returns to public employment" and "future benefits for the employee would continue to grow while working post-retirement," according to Dayton Daily News.