By FireRescue1 Staff
DENVER — The widow of a firefighter is fighting to recover nearly $70,000 in pension benefits that were lost due to a bureaucratic error made 15 years ago.
Charles Drennan Jr., a former Denver division fire chief, was shot and killed Sept. 13, 2001 by another firefighter while attempting to counsel him, reported CBS Denver.
His death was considered a line of duty death, which entitled his wife, Julie, and their son to his monthly pension benefits — tax-free. However, due to a gap in communication between the city’s fire pension board and the state Fire and Police Pension Association, Drennan’s pension remained taxed.
“They should have advised us it was to be paid as a tax-free benefit,” FPPA Executive Director Dan Slack said. “They did not give us any notification of that.”
CBS Denver reported the FPPA was never notified by the city that Drennan died in the line of duty and that his pension should no longer be taxed. Drennan said the bureaucratic error cost her around $120,000; she was able to recover part of the funds by amending her tax returns. She now estimates she and her son lost around $70,000.
Drennan filed a claim against the city in 2015 seeking to be reimbursed for the taxed pension. The city responded by stating it was immune from her claims and denied responsibility under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act.
“I think it is unconscionable that the city is hiding behind the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act when denying this claim … it would seem that the laws protecting widows and orphans do not matter in this instance,” Drennan said.