Retirement board approves ordinary disability for Chicopee firefighter, denies heart-presumption claim for police officer

The Chicopee Retirement Board, meeting March 25, 2026, entered executive session to consider medical and disability retirement requests and approved an ordinary disability retirement for firefighter Jason Furr, sending the decision to the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) for final review.

During the same executive session the board considered an accidental disability claim filed by Police Department officer Christopher Malooly under the heart presumption (statute cited in the minutes as “94”). After reviewing reports and statutory provisions, the board voted first to deny the accidental disability claim under the heart presumption and then voted to approve an ordinary disability retirement for Malooly, forwarding that approval to PERAC as well. Both roll-call motions were recorded as unanimous.

The board entered and returned from executive session under M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 21, which permits closed deliberations on medical matters. The motions to approve the ordinary disabilities were made and seconded during executive session and recorded by roll call; each of the five board members cast a recorded “Yes” vote.

The minutes do not state medical findings in detail; they record only the board’s procedural review of reports, the denial of the heart-presumption accidental-disability claim for Malooly, and the subsequent approvals of ordinary disability for both individuals. By board practice, ordinary disability approvals are forwarded to PERAC for administrative review and formal allowance.

The board reconvened in open session at 8:59 a.m. and moved on to other agenda items.