Charles Jones is resigning next week as a Douglas County commissioner. But he won’t be gone for long.

The incumbent commissioner is forfeiting the final month of his four-year term to correct a mistake he made during his first day in office in 1994 when he neglected to enroll in the state’s employee pension plan.

By sitting out a month — Jones will be sworn back in Jan. 13 for the four-year term he won in November — the 50-year-old former state employee will be able to rejoin the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.

The move will cost Jones about $5,000 up front in commission salary and penalties, but it will add another $9,000 a year to his pension once he formally retires at age 67.

“These are benefits I’m entitled to,” said Jones, who will leave office after Wednesday’s commission meeting. “You make a lot of sacrifices when you run for office. It wouldn’t be responsible for me or my wife to leave those benefits on the table.”

While Jones will be unable to vote during his month off, he intends to attend meetings and participate in deliberations regarding budget cuts and other pressing concerns.

Jere McElhaney, commission chairman, and Commissioner Bob Johnson have agreed to put off any potentially controversial debates of votes until after Jan. 13, so that Jones can participate.

“For all intents and purposes he will be a county commissioner, except we won’t pay him and he won’t vote,” said Craig Weinaug, county administrator.

Douglas County Commissioner Charles Jones looks through his retirement benefits notebook at the commission chambers. Jones will resign for one month from the county commission so that he can re-enroll for retirement benefits. Until Jan. 13, he will continue to attend county meetings and keep track of county business, but he will not be able to vote.

Randy Allen, executive director of the Kansas Association of Counties, said he couldn’t recall a past instance of a commissioner resigning so soon before returning to office. But he did see a bright side.

With Douglas County facing a $1.8 million budget cut next year from the state, at least the county will save about $1,500 by withholding Jones’ monthly salary.

“Right now,” Allen said, “that’s probably important for the county.”

The circumstances behind Jones’ move are complicated — a mixture of IRS regulations, state laws and pension-fund forms — but, as Jones sees it, his own “stupidity” left him little choice.

When Jones took office in 1999, he was vested in KPERS from his 10 years at the Kansas Corporation Commission and Kansas Department of Health and Environment, where he served as director of environment for Gov. Joan Finney.

At that time, Jones figured that he’d receive about $12,000 a year at retirement age.

¢ 6News video: County commissioner Jones resigns temporarily

At the courthouse as a new county commissioner, Jones said he didn’t read the fine print on his new enrollment form and mistakenly declined to rejoin KPERS.

With 18 years of public service in the bank, Jones said, his annual KPERS benefits would jump from $12,000 to $21,000.

“I’m sure there will be people who will criticize me, but it’s the only responsible action I can take,” Jones said. “I wish I didn’t have to do it this way, but it’s my mistake and I accept all responsibility. And if this is what I have to do to resolve that mistake, then so be it.”