Jones, Tarr Secure Pension Adjustment for Retired NR Police Officer

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) and Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr (R-Gloucester) have secured the final passage of a home rule petition that will correct an error made in the calculation of pension benefits for retired North Reading Police Lt. Thomas Romeo.

House Bill 4437, An Act correcting the membership date of a certain police officer in the town of North Reading relative to their membership in the Middlesex County Retirement System, was enacted by the Massachusetts House of Representatives on May 6 and by the Massachusetts Senate on May 9. The bill is now on Governor Maura Healey’s desk for her review and signature.

Jones and Tarr filed the corrective legislation on Lt. Romeo’s behalf after North Reading voters unanimously approved the request at last October’s Fall Town Meeting.

“Lt. Romeo dedicated nearly four decades of his life to serving the residents of North Reading as a police officer, and this legislation will ensure that he receives the full pension benefits he earned and is entitled to,” said Representative Jones. “I’m happy to have worked closely with Senator Tarr to move this bill through the legislative process on behalf of the Romeo family, in keeping with the town’s wishes.”

“Lieutenant Romeo has been a good, unwavering, and effective public servant for the North Reading Police Department and the community for which he has dedicated his career in law enforcement,” said Senator Tarr. “I share in Leader Jones’ deep respect and appreciation for his service. I am glad we have been able to work together to advance this correction, that is based in fairness, through the legislative process and onto the desk of Governor Healey. Lieutenant Romeo has always been there for us, and it is important for us now to be there for him and his family."

Lt. Romeo began his longtime employment with the North Reading Police Department on January 10, 1985, and attended the reserve police academy. He worked regular uniformed shifts as a patrol officer until April of 1988 when he was appointed to a full-time position. In 1990, Lt. Romeo bought back the time he had served working as a Reserve/Special Police Officer between January 10, 1985, and April 13, 1988, confirming his standing as a town employee since 1985.

Lt. Romeo’s 38 years of continuous uninterrupted service for the North Reading Police Department ended on January 20, 2023, when he was determined to be totally and permanently incapacitated from performing his essential duties as a police officer, pursuant to sections 7 and 94 of Chapter 32 of the General Laws. This determination was made by the Middlesex County Retirement Board and approved by the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission.

Five months after his retirement, Lt. Romeo was notified by the Middlesex County Retirement Board that an error had occurred which resulted in a reduction in his pension benefits. North Reading officials, led by the Select Board, responded immediately and took steps to correct the error by placing a proposal on the October 2023 Town Meeting warrant requesting the filing of corrective legislation by Jones and Tarr.

House Bill 4437 authorizes Lt. Romeo’s pension to be amended and recalculated based on his true membership start date with the Middlesex County Retirement System of January 10, 1985. It also exempts him from the 75 percent pension limitation imposed by Section 7(2)(a)(ii) of Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws so he can receive the full retirement benefits he is due.

Governor Healey has until May 19 to sign House Bill 4437 into law.