Annually we list the COLA bases for the 102 local retirement systems. Since local boards can approve a COLA up to July 1, we routinely wait to publish the COLA base list in the October issue of The Voice.
But, in the meantime, local boards – 8 in number as we went to press – have been adopting higher FY2027 bases. In fact, when we were going to press with last October’s (2025) Voice, the Marlborough Retirement Board notified us that it was increasing its COLA base to $15,000.
According to the Board, they were able to obtain approval of the $15K base (up from $14K) by the City Council and also from PERAC. It took effect last October.
We take note that Association member Gregory Brewster, who is retired from the city’s police department, chairs the Marlborough Board.
In addition to Marlborough, we know that at least seven other retirement boards will be increasing their COLA base since our report last October. They include: Berkshire County with 29 towns and several local districts/authorities, going from $16K to $17K; Chicopee from $16K to $18K; Danvers from $13K to $14K; Lowell from $17K to $18K; and Mass Housing Finance Agency from $20K to $21K; and Winchester from $14K to $16k. While Danvers increased its base effective this March, the other base increases will be take effect this July.
More recently we were notified by the Brockton Retirement Board that they have unanimously adopted a comprehensive schedule that will eventually raise the current $14K COLA base to $20k as of July 1, 2031. Its decision was approved by the city.
Beginning this July, Brockton will be increasing its base by $1,000 increments in each of the 6 consecutive years, beginning this July at $15K until it reaches a $20K base.
ASSOCIATION MEMBERS ON LOCAL BOARDS
It’s noteworthy that two members of the (5-member) Brockton Board belong to Mass Retirees. It is chaired by longstanding Mass Retirees member Bill Farmer who has worked with Association officials throughout his public service career and now in retirement.
That also holds true for retired Fire Lieutenant Archie Gormley who serves as one of the Board’s two elected members and has been a strong ally of the Association going back to when he was active firefighter and union official. Upon retiring, Archie became a Mass Retirees member.
“We should also recognize that Association members serve on the other boards mentioned here,” points out Association President Frank Valeri. Lowell stands out with three Association members on the 5-member Board – William Desrosiers, Robert Littlefield (both elected members and from the Lowell Fire Department) and Michael Brennan who serves as the Board’s 5th member.
When Berkshire County voted last year for a $17K COLA base, both elected members belonged to the Association – Timothy Sorrell, retired Lansboro police chief, and Mark Bashara whose term ended this past January (see page 16). And, an Association member serves on: Chicopee – Tim O’Shea (Fire), and Winchester – Thomas Tracy (former Watertown city auditor) who serves as Winchester’s 5th member.
“These retirement boards and their members deserve recognition for their successful efforts in improving the COLA,” sums up Association President Frank Valeri.
“When in 2010 we successfully enacted the local option law allowing for these increased COLA bases, we envisioned that it would be an ongoing process that retirement boards could implement at any time. All these boards, having increased their base more than once, are prime examples of that.”