City Council Approves Special Legislation on Firefighters’ Retirement Benefits

The City Council unanimously approved special legislation: An Act Relative to the Reserve Time of Public Safety Personnel in the City of Revere at its meeting Monday night.

Revere Firefighters Local 926 President Kevin O’Hara appeared at the Council Ways and Means Subcommittee meeting to answer questions from Council members prior to the vote about the measure that affected the future retirement benefits for firefighters. Several members of the Revere Fire Department were in attendance.

Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino sought a clarification from President O’Hara that the Council’s $1.7 million appropriation for the legislation “was already appropriated but it was taken away from you guys.”

“The number of $1.7 million that’s being accounted for, from the Retirement Office – we had an evaluation done and when this ruling took place in February, 2020, there was a misinterpretation of the PERAC [Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission]. They took away time from the reserve time for firefighters. I want the citizens, the councillors, and the mayor of Revere that this isn’t extra money they’re putting towards it. This is already money appropriated for. There are 65 firefighters that are affected by this.”

Before voting on the matter, councillors universally praised the firefighters for the work they do in protecting the safety and well-being of Revere’s residents every day. The department, led by Fire Chief Christopher Bright, has been commended particularly for its exceptional efforts during the unprecedented COVID-19 health crisis that hit the city hard. The department also battled major fires in Revere in 2020 and 2021 in adverse weather conditions.

“This is an easy lift, the answer is yes,” said Councillor-at-Large George Rotondo before casting his vote. “You entered people’s homes with minimal PPE at one point. This is a yes all day long. You’ve got my full support for this legislation.”

Ward 4 Councillor Patrick Keefe said, “We talk very often about how we can support our public safety officials, and this is an opportunity for the Council and the residents to actually act on supporting those public safety officials, and not just talking the game.”

Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky asked whether the $1.7 million appropriation would be a one-time appropriation.

“It’s going to be $1.7 million – it’s not every year going up and up, that’s the number that they appropriated for the retirement system that they’re using,” said Novoselsky, adding that the Revere Fire Department is “the best and you get my vote.”

Councillor-at-Large Gerry Visconti said the Fire Department had a difficult year because of the pandemic. “The fires that have happened in the city over the last 10-11 months has been quite a bit, and you guys have gone through a lot the last 18 months – so the fact it’s not money that’s costing the taxpayers now, it’s already been set aside – you have my support and I think it’s something you guys deserve,” said Visconti. The firefighters were accorded a standing ovation by the councillors following the vote