North Adams Council Starts Clerk Search, Raises Retiree COLA
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday accepted the resignation of City Clerk Joshua Vallieres, the third clerk to leave the post in barely a year.
Council President Lisa Blackmer said the job has been posted and that six resumes have already been received.
"The position is posted as review of applications will begin on, I think, the 19th of April so if qualified applicants come in after that they're not cut off, and it'll give us an opportunity to get a handle on hopefully finding someone with similar work experience," she said.
The search committee will Blackmer, Councilor Ashley Shade and Community Development Director Michael Nuvallie, who is also a member of the Board of Registrars.
"I also may seek input other city clerks either in the area or retired from our city," Blackmer said, adding that she would keep the council updated. "I'm just tired didn't have to do this again."
Councilor Bryan Sapienza thanked for Vallieres for his service.
"I wish him well in his new endeavors, I wish you weren't going but you have to do what you have to do. And again, thank you very much for your service," he said. "It was greatly appreciated."
The council adopted a state resolution that would raise the cost of living adjustment for retirees from 3 to 5 percent for fiscal 2023, retroactive to July 1, 2022. This will mean an extra 2 percent on the first $13,000 in retirement funds for a maximum of $260.
Mayor Jennifer Macksey said she was recommending this at the behest of the North Adams Retirement Board, which legally can only raise the rate to 3 percent.
"Recently a special act of the Legislature was passed, allowing the COLA for retirees to go up to 5 percent," explained Sean Flynn, administrator of the Retirement Board. "Normally speaking, it's been capped by law at 3 percent but, given the absolutely rampant inflation over the last year, special legislation went through."
There are about 35 or so retirees who have not currently elected to take the full $13,000.
"It would go a long way to helping out our most vulnerable retirees," Flynn said. "The financial cost to the system is not massive. It's expected to cost about $625,000 over the life of the program."
It sounds like a lot, he said, but it's about a month's pension payment over the course of 20 years.
He noted that this is an unfunded liability for which the city partly responsible. The mayor, in response to questions, said the anticipated impact is $91,000 to the city in fiscal 2025 and then an acturial study will be done on how to spread the payments out.
"I think this is the right thing to do for our retirees," she said.
The council agreed, voting unanimously with Councilors Jennifer Barbeau, Marie T. Harpin and Michael Obasohan absent.
"We have a lot of retirees in the city who retired a long time ago or are surviving spouses who are getting pretty minimal pension payments," said Blackmer.
In other business, the council confirmed the appointments of Robert Grandchamp, a licensed pilot, to the Airport Commission for a term to expire on April 11, 2026, and Dean Bullett to the Planning Board to fill the unexpired term of Lynette Bond, for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2028, and the reappointment of Barbara Murray to the Hoosac Water Quality District for a term to expire April 8, 2026.
Tags: city clerk, pensions,
