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Allers gets post on pension panel despite protests By Steven Thomms Sun wmef Directors of Minnesota's largest public pension fund Tuesday appointed controversial union executive John Allen as their new director, prompting a legal chat- lenge from dissident board members. Allers was framed to begin duties immediately as the 168,000•a•year interim director of the Public tm• Voyea Retirement Association. He replaced Mike caren, who submitted his resignation to the board at its morning meeting. Board member Morris Anderson said it was "an ab• solute disgrace" for the bard to turn over control of the $2 billion pension association without first going through a nationwide awrch. He said the quick ap- pointment was orchestrated by Allers at a closed -door meeting Monday night with his supporters on the board. "John Allers is not qualified for this job," Anderson said. "This is not the way we do business in the public sector in Minnesota. In fact, it stinks." Anderson and attorney Peter Bergstrom were pre• paring to file suit in Ramsey District Court late Tues- day charging eight board members with violating the state Open Meeflng II Aw. Allers refused to comment on the Monday night meeting in the Granada Royale Hometel in downtown Pleas* so* Allsrs/SA St. Paul Pi~ Pfau Wedneidar, Aupurf 29, IW F SA .ti ,1 Allen MCLWN Allers: Gets PERA post Continued from Page to St. Paul. He also refused to com- ment on his qualifications for the job. He said only that he is pleased and honored to be selected. Alters, president of School Serv. ire Employees International Local 284, once sat on the PERA bard and has long sought to auence its decisions, according to Anderson, fellow board dissident Richard Patterson and labor sources. He helped get several members eltet. ed to the board and enjoys their loyalty, Anderson and Patterson said. Anderson and Patterson tried to enter the Monday night meeting, where Allers and Mclaren were meeting with eight board mem- bers. Seven of those eight voted for Allers' appointment Tuesday along with another board member not present at the Granada meeting. Board Chairman Ctcil Halter, who was at the meeting, did trot vote in Tuesday's meeting. Allers said Monday night the meeting was private and did not ItF elude PERA business. He threat• ened to have police eject Patterson and Anderson. McLaren said he) was invited so the members couldi wish him well in his new position as director of the California Teach. ers Retirement Association. But Andersod and Patterson said they saw a resolution naming Allers to the director's job on the table et the closed meeting. One of the board members at that meet- ing, Delmrah Feist, introduced a resolution Tut.day narNng Allen. Anderson urged the board Tues- day to reject Allers and name Paul Hayme, the association's assis4nt executive director, as Interim di• rector until a nationwide search produces a permanent director. The motion failed in a 6•11 vote. Feist said the appointment Allers did not preclude a biroall search for a permanent director, but she did not include one In her resolution. Patterson said Allen would already "have his foot in the door" for the permanent job U ap pointed Tuesday.