Pyramid Hill lights up
Women of Excellence Awards
16th Annual Music Festival
Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > March > 09 > Entry
Fox’s farewell
Below is a copy of Children Services Director Michael Fox’s notice of retirement he sent Butler County commissioners Friday (read the full story here).
Before I post that, I have gotten numerous questions about how, at 60, Fox has 44 years in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System. Here are Fox’s words on that:
“Because of the way OPERS works I am able to purchase so many years of credit…transfer the time when I was a teacher…purchase additional credit for a percentage of years served as an elected official…”
“I actually have around 35 years in actual work…and around nine years of purchased credit which is quite expensive…I purchased 6 years when I left the legislature and I’ll purchase almost four years now.”
Now here is Fox’s letter to commissioners:
All
Attached you will find my confirmation from the Ohio Public Retirement System, acknowledging my application to retire effective March 31 of this year.
I am grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to serve children and families of Butler County as Director of Children Services. To everything there is a season, so says the Bible, and my season for retirement has come. I will continue my interest and involvement in matters of public policy and particularly matters that affect the well-being of children.
I am always available to assist you in helping to improve child welfare on a volunteer basis. As you know this cause is close to my heart. Child Welfare across America remains “broke.” I can report to you that during my tenure I did my best to fix the child welfare system in our county and I know that we were able to make many important improvements. Yet, much work remains to be done.
As I leave I know with certainty that I made a positive difference for our children and families. I will forward to you a summary of the many changes we made that are important to children. I hope that you will resist efforts to go back to the “old” way of doing business. The pressure to do so will begin immediately. I encourage you to continue to move down the path we have traveled—- having an agency that is more open, accountable, and effective in meeting the needs of children.
One of the most important things I have been able to accomplish in my short tenure has been to reconnect our agency to the public. They are our partners and that fact should never be forgotten as it has often been in the past. Our policies, practices, and actions during my tenure have reflected their values and priorities.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to serve.
Sincerely,
mike
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Children Services
Comments
By Fed-Up
March 9, 2009 12:53 PM | Link to this
There’s something very wrong with a system the acutally provides individuals with an opportunity like this. And, given Fox’s money woes how is it that he can afford four more years? Is the price that low or did stop paying his mortgage so he could do it? You know, the more info that is shared, the more question that info raises. Regardless, will he lose it all if he’s convicted of a crime committed while in office.
By null
March 10, 2009 10:15 AM | Link to this
…but he will not be convicted of a crime while in office… Is he getting out of public service in order to save hiimself that retirement investment? No one has ever accused him of not being a “smart” man — he is very smart; and by getting out of public service prior to any conviction which may be coming down the pike, he is also demonstrating that he is a “conniving” man, too
By Fed-Up
March 10, 2009 12:23 PM | Link to this
Whether or not he is still in office is irrelevant…bank robbers still pay a penalty if they’re caught outside the vault. And, so should Fox if he’s found culpable of doing anything wrong, starting with his government pension.
By JMB
March 16, 2009 12:09 AM | Link to this
How can Mike Fox take or be given any credit for fixing Children Services when it was he that tore it down over the past several years? Anyone could have taken the mess he made and fixed it. Also, by the Journals own account of his accomplishments, he was just a road builder as a legislator and may have personally benefited from that project. Restitution will hopefully be soon!!!