The vote, which came on May 24,  passed by a 7-1 margin. Last year, the Council had voted against such a move, which had been proposed by Town Administrator Jeff Nutting as a cost-saver for the town.

Retired teachers pay 10% for their RMT coverage under the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) plan, while other town retirees and employees pay 32%.

Retired teacher leaders Rose Turco and Mary Beth Cook, along with a number of retired teachers, spoke against the measure.

“Over all these years, there was never any inkling that the attempts to drop the GIC plan were being contemplated,” Turco said. “We never had the opportunity to prepare for this devastating action while we were gainfully employed.”

Councilor Carlo Geramini, who again voted against the change, as he did last year, said, “I think it’s a matter of moral and ethical issues here. We’re now pulling the rug out from under these people.”

In order to ameliorate the anticipated increased costs to retired teachers, the Council voted to “Authorize the Town Administrator to commence discussions with the Franklin Education Association seeking their agreement on the creation of a GL. Ch 32B s. 15(b) Health and Welfare Trust Fund for the purpose of paying a portion of the monthly premium for teachers, who are both eligible to receive health insurance and who retire prior to July 1, 2007 or a later date as may be established by the Council.”

Others Also Out

Two years ago, the Town of Lynnfield voted to remove its retired teachers from the state plan, and the Berlin-Boylston and Berkshire Regional School Districts have voted to take their retired teachers out of the plan effective this July.