The city's firefighters will soon be able to apply for deferred retirement, and the City of Beckley will likely see a net gain of $2 million into the city's pension funds as retirement-age municipal employees opt to work an additional five years, said Beckley Mayor Rob Rappold.
The West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board on Friday approved an application by city treasurer Billie Trump that will allow Beckley Fire Department firefighters to defer retirement for five years. During those voluntary five additional years of service, the firefighter will continue making contributions into the city pension.
State lawmakers approved the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) in 2018, and Trump immediately started the complex application process to ensure that Beckley could offer the plan.