Former Vernon City Administrator Bruce Malkenhorst Sr.—once the highest pension earner in all of California—is finally getting his comeuppance. Last week, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) approved the decision of an Administrative Law Judge, greenlighting the recovery of $3.5 million from the 84-year-old ex-official.
The latest move follows a decision by CalPERS last year to reduce Malkenhorst’s annual pension from a jaw-dropping $551,688 to $115,848 a year. Malkenhorst was able to draw such a large sum because he was also being compensated as Vernon's treasurer, chief executive of the municipal power plant and numerous other positions that were not listed on city pay schedules.
"CalPERS will not tolerate these kinds of abuse," said the retirement system's general counsel, Matthew Jacobs. "We remain on the lookout for all forms of pension spiking and encourage the public to help us root it out."
Malkenhorst retired from the corruption-addled industrial city in 2005. Six years later, he pleaded guilty to using city money for a host of personal items such as golf and massages.
The city has spent $150,000 in legal fees to fight lawsuits he has filed demanding compensation for his reduced benefits. Those fights inspired 2013 legislation preventing city officials convicted of felonies from bringing such lawsuits against municipalities.
Read more about the CalPERS decision here.
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