Chicopee Retirement Board approves multiple retirements, pension calculations and new memberships; tables GASB 67/68 draft

CHICOPEE, Mass. — The Chicopee Retirement Board on June 24 voted to approve multiple retirement requests, admit new members into the municipal pension system and authorize pension calculations, and it tabled a draft GASB 67 & 68 actuarial report until the plan’s consultant can present it.

Board member David Ference moved to accept the previous meeting’s minutes and Board member Debra Boronski seconded; the motion carried with all members present voting in favor. The Board also approved monthly expense warrants #06012026, #06242026 and #06252026 and payroll warrant #05292026.

The Board approved superannuation retirement requests for five employees: firefighter Timothy Barry, who intends to retire June 21, 2026, with 32 years and 3 months of creditable service; Karen Clark, administration support professional in the School Department, retiring Sept. 25, 2026, with 28 years and 1 month; Darlene Labonte, senior clerk in the School Department, retiring July 6, 2026, with 32 years and 5 months; Christopher Scott, city arborist in DPW Forestry, retiring June 30, 2026, with 19 years and 2 months; and patrolman Daniel Sousa, retiring June 30, 2026, with 30 years and 3 months.

The Board approved membership applications for a batch of municipal employees across departments who met statutory requirements, including Jennifer Collins (clerks), Michael Daniels (mayor’s office), Brooke Danko (school lunch) and Reinaldo Vargas (school). It also approved refund requests for departing employees from several departments and transfers of membership to other retirement systems for employees including Craig R. Duquette and Edwin B. Garcia.

Pension calculations for three recent retirees were approved as presented: Edmund Gelinas Jr., retired May 15, 2026 (lieutenant, Fire Department), annual pension $67,120.68; Richard Maynard, retired May 18, 2026 (patrolman, Police Department), annual pension $52,924.32; and Paul McDonough, retired June 1, 2026 (IT manager), annual pension $14,871.84. The Board also approved re-calculations for several retirees, including Diane Belair and Michael Broska, as presented.

The Board granted survivor-benefit distributions for the estates/beneficiaries of Louis Cote and Leshia O’Neill-Wolcott after reviewing statutory requirements.

Stone Consulting, Inc. submitted a draft GASB 67 & 68 report for the Board’s review. The Board voted to table that draft until Colin Edgar of Stone Consulting can explain the report to members at a future meeting.

Director Ana P. Gomes reported that Board members and staff who attended the recent Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems conference in Springfield heard panels on emerging retirement issues, including discussions of section 91A excess earnings, public records and group 2 classification and proration. Gomes also reported receipt of a PERAC notice that a retiree evaluated under M.G.L. c. 32, §8 was found unable to perform the job duties at this time but may be subject to future evaluations; no Board action was required.

The Board reviewed routine financial reports (trial balance, cash receipts/disbursements, journal entries and general ledger) for April and cash reconciliations for April and May, acknowledged the PRIM quarterly update and received PERAC correspondence and memos, and set remaining 2026 meeting dates (July 22; Aug. 26; Sept. 23; Oct. 28; Nov. 18; Dec. 16). The meeting adjourned at 8:59 a.m.

Votes at a glance: motions recorded during the meeting — approval of May 27, 2026 minutes (mover: David Ference; seconder: Debra Boronski; outcome: approved unanimously), approval of listed warrants (mover: Debra Boronski; seconder: Tiana Steffenhagen; outcome: approved unanimously), approval of listed superannuation retirements (mover: David Ference; seconder: Debra Boronski; outcome: approved unanimously), approval of new memberships and refunds (mover: Debra Boronski; seconder: Tiana Steffenhagen; outcome: approved unanimously), approval of transfers to other systems (mover: David Ference; seconder: Tiana Steffenhagen; outcome: approved unanimously), approval of pension calculations and re-calculations (mover: Tiana Steffenhagen; seconder: Debra Boronski; outcome: approved unanimously), approval of survivor-benefit distributions (movers as recorded; outcome: approved unanimously), tabling of GASB 67 & 68 draft for consultant presentation (mover: Debra Boronski; seconder: David Ference; outcome: approved unanimously), adjournment (mover: Debra Boronski; seconder: David Ference; outcome: approved unanimously).