The Marion Select Board emerged from a 56-minute executive session on June 29 with a brief action to vote Adam Murphy as interim harbormaster.
The opening was created by the recent departure of Isaac Perry, who after two decades left to become Mattapoisett’s harbormaster, a job that opened in the spring with Jamie McIntosh’s decision to join Wareham’s Fire Department.
It has been an eventful 2023 for Murphy, who in May won a seat on the Rochester Select Board on his third attempt. Murphy has been working for the Town of Marion as deputy harbormaster and shellfish officer.
Prior to his most-recent appointment, he told the Marion Marine Resources Commission that the summer schedule had been worked out so that in Perry’s absence, he, Assistant Harbormaster David Wilson and Andrew Miller would have all the shifts covered.
Officially, the board’s executive session was pursuant to Purpose 3 of General Law Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(2) to conduct collective bargaining or strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel or litigation or if open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the board’s ability to do business.
A substantial discussion followed on the meeting’s other agenda item: a 2% cost-of-living increase in the Plymouth County Retirement fund. The adjustment, from 3% to 5%, is retroactive to cover FY23.
“I don’t think that’s aggressive,” said Select Board member Randy Parker before the board voted unanimously to approve the adjustment.
Prior to Marion’s vote, the county had secured approval from 17 of its 23 municipalities. Marion’s last such increase occurred in 2020.
So far in FY23, Marion has paid $36,263, including $4,997 for county mosquito control.
Select Board Chairman Toby Burr asked Finance Director Judy Mooney about the logistics of payment, having read that the Town of Mattapoisett is spreading it out over three years, per a report in The Wanderer.
The FY24 appropriation is already determined. According to Mooney, the increase sticks and becomes a permanent part of the rate going forward.
The board was not clear on how much this will cost the town. Mooney called it “a moving target” because the number of retirees is always changing. Marion’s pension is just under $1,400,000 for 186 people including 93 active employees, 23 who are inactive, and 70 retirees. Mattapoisett has approximately the same number of retirees as Marion, while Rochester has 42.
According to Town Administrator Geoff Gorman, $30,000 per beneficiary is the estimated cost for the anticipated life of the applicant.
The county needed the vote ahead of the close of FY23.
The next meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, July 18, at 6:00 pm at the Police Station.
Marion Select Board
By Mick Colageo