SEPTEMBER 2002 - Local Early-Outs Underway - The city of Springfield opened the Commonwealth's optional early retirement incentive program (Chapter 116) with a bang. By June 21, which the city had set as the last date for retiring, 212 Springfield employees had accepted the five-year ERI bonus and were out the door. Included in this number were 35 firefighters and 19 police officers.Quincy, which had been the first city to accept Chapter 116, retired an even 100 employees on June 30. Only 4 firefighters and 3 police signed to accept the five-year offer.

In accepting the ERI plan, Somerville, Haverhill and Weymouth also set June 30 as the retirement date, without any limit on the number of retirements.

The Somerville Retirement Board saw 60 employees say good-bye on that date, including 10 fire and 6 police; Haverhill had 52 retirements, 2 fire and 3 police, and Weymouth had 54 members bid farewell, 4 fire and 1 police.

New Bedford, adopted an ERI limited to 50 Group 1 employees, but subsequently retired all 99 who applied. the retirement date was August 2. One police officer

(Gr. 4) and one EMT (Gr. 2) were allowed to retire.

Boston, our largest city, adopted an ERI that set a limit of 350 Group 1 employees, 20 Group 2 employees and no public safety (Group 4) employees. The filing deadline is August 31, with an October 31 retirement date.

Fall River voted for an ERI and set a limit of 70 Group 1 employees with a July 31 retirement date. There was no limit on Group 2 and a limit of 10 Group 4 employees.

Worcester's ERI is limited to 100 (Gr. 1) and 30 (Gr. 4) employees with an August 15 filing deadline and a September 30 retirement date.

Westfield set an August 5 filing deadline, without any cap, and a final retirement date of December 5.

Barnstable County voted for an unlimited ERI, with a July 31 filing deadline and a final retirement date of August 31.

Melrose met its cap of 40 retirements on the June 17 deadline with a September 15 final retirement date.

Chicopee adopted a narrow 2-year ERI with a limit of 8 (Gr. 1) and 4 (Gr. 4). August 1 was the retirement date.

Saugus approved an ERI of (20 Gr. 1) and 12 (Gr. 4). The application deadline was July 15, with a retirement date no later than September 30.

Athol adopted an unlimited ERI, including Group 4, with an application deadline of July 31 and a retirement date of September 1.

Dukes County has accepted an unlimited ERI with an open application date and a December 31 retirement date.

A number of other communities have voted for ERIs but are awaiting final rules and regulations on the limit of retirements and dates. Also a large number of housing authorities are undergoing the ERI process.

Although 4,859 state employees had earlier signed up for the state's five-year ERI, a number of state college teachers withdrew their applications shortly before their June 15 retirement date, leaving the final total at 4,587. The last state ERI in 1992 resulted in 4,102 early-outs.

"The market loss on personal investments took its toll," said Association President Ralph White. "The retirement nest egg that looked so good two years ago had lost its luster. Also, the post-retirement job market that once beckoned to many had somewhat faded. Still, five free years was hard for many to resist."