Martin County School Board narrows retiree health benefits for future hires, grandfathering current retirees

The Martin County School Board voted Feb. 18 to preserve the district’s existing retiree health benefits for employees who are already retired or who retire by June 30, 2025, while narrowing or ending subsidies for some employees who retire after that date.

The board’s action combined staff recommendations, a detailed cost review and extensive public comment from current employees and retirees. Don Calderon, director of risk management and employee benefits for Martin County School District, presented the options and cost estimates the district used to frame the board’s decisions.

Calderon told the board the policy under discussion, Board Policy 6560, will continue “for anyone that has already retired, retired, or will retire by 06/30/2025” and that the existing structure would remain in place for that group. He said the district converted the historical percentage contribution into a dollar cap of $6,500 for active-employee equivalence in one part of the proposal and preserved a $5-per-year-of-service monthly subsidy (up to 30 years) for some retirees who reach Medicare age.

The issue mattered to dozens of employees who spoke during public comment. Julie Roberts, identifying herself as a long‑time employee, said the promised supplement “is a promise that should not be broken,” and warned that removing the benefit would create “a hardship on our incomes.” Several other speakers said the subsidy was a retention tool and urged the board to retain benefits for…