Court Opinion

ID: 9680568
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:34:09.623766+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:29.369996
License: Public Domain

SPINDEN, Chief Judge,
concurring.
I concur with the majority, but I write separately to clarify that, for me, the determining point in resolving this case is the provision of § 174.140, RSMo 2000, that the Missouri Western State College’s board of regents shall have the power to “fix the ... compensation” and “enter into agreements for and make contributions to both voluntary and statutory retirement plans for ... teachers!.]” While § 36.350, RSMo 2000, makes provisions for state employees1 and Missouri Western conceded at oral argument that it deems its teachers to be state employees, § 174.140 makes provisions for a specific group of state employees, teachers at state colleges and universities. Hence, under the doctrine recognized by the majority that a specific statute will prevail over a more general statute, § 174.140 governs in this case, and the respondents prevail.

. The statute is worded to apply to employees of state agencies.