MINUTES FOR THE SPRINGFIELD RETIREMENT BOARD MEETING
70 TAPLEY STREET, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104
HELD ON DECEMBER 3, 2025 AT 5:00 P.M.

Present: Thomas Scanlon, Robert Moynihan, Karl Schmaelzle, Patrick Burns, Attorney Alfredo ViVenzio, Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, Teresa D’Agostino, Recording Clerk, Kenneth Byers
Remote Participation:
Haskell Kennedy gave adequate notice to the Chairman that he would not be able to be present at the December 3, 2025 meeting but would participate by remote participation. All votes taken were by Roll Call.

Chairman Scanlon called the meeting to order at 5:00 P.M

Agenda Item #1-Minutes
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the open and executive session minutes of the meeting held on November 5, 2025, second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, abstain, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #2-Accidental Disability Application-Kenneth Byers-Fire Department
The medical panel results were reviewed and discussed. Motion was made by Moynihan to accept the responses of the medical panel for the Accidental Disability benefits submitted by Kenneth Byers, the evidence of the application, and approve the Accidental Disability benefits, second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #3-Superannuation Applications
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the following Superannuation Applications: Tina Albano, Health Assistant, School Department with 29 years and 3 months as of December 20, 2025; Jesus Arce, Program Manager, Community Development with 17 years and 10 months as of November 29, 2025; Blanca Berrios, Director of Compliance RAO, Springfield Housing Authority with 21 years as of January 5, 2026; Andrea Franco, Paraprofessional, School Department with 27 years and 3 months as of January 7, 2026; Pierre Grenier, Fire Captain, Fire Department with 32 years and 8 months as of January 2, 2026; Josh Haygood, Police Officer, Police Department with 22 years and 9 months as of January 3, 2026; Sandra Johnson, Sped Para Educator, School Department with 19 years and 10 months as of December 20, 2025; James Lane, Electrician, Facilities School Department was 17 years and 4 months as of December 10, 2025; Joseph Lech III, Police Officer, Police Department with 32 years and 5 months as of January 10, 2026; Robert McCaffrey, District Fire Chief Commander, Fire Department with 32 years as of January 3, 2026; Joy McDowell, Sped Para Educator, School Department with 32 years as of January 6, 2026; Jesse McKnight Jr., Police Officer, Police Department with 33 years and 1 month as of January 2, 2026; Angela Nichting-Brunelle, Principal Clerk Typist, School Department with 26 years and 2 months as of January 3, 2026; Altagracia Reinoso De Reyes, Jr. Custodian, School Department with 11 years and 6 months as of December 19, 2025, second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #4-Superannuation Calculations
Motion made by Moynihan to approve the three (3) retirement allowance calculations as presented to the Board according to statute, second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #5-Redeposit of Refunds and Makeup of Contributions:
Motion made by Moynihan to accept the redeposit of refunds and makeup of contributions to: Nichole Lee Brookens, Outreach Coordinator, Elder Affairs, for the refunds from the State Board of Retirement in 2002 and 2010; Diana Diaz Carreras, SPED Para Educator, School Department, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 2023; Jeremy Gongora, Police Dispatcher, Dispatch Department, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 2023; Xashairys Gonzalez, Police Dispatcher, Dispatch Department, for the refund from the State Board of Retirement in 2024; Maurice Jones, SPED Para Educator, School Department, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 2021; Hasina Mungin Bey, City Solicitor 3rd Associate, Law Department, for the refunds from the State Board of Retirement in 2022 and 2025; Tatiana Lee Pomales, SPED Para Educator, School Department, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 2025; Tawanna Winston, SPED Para Educator, School Department, for the refund from the Springfield Retirement System in 2024, second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #6-Warrants
Motion made by Moynihan to approve and reaffirm the approval of the following warrants: Warrant #70 Refunds in the amount of $219,731.91, Warrant #71 Refunds in the amount of $36,736.62, Warrant #72 Transfers in the amount of $215,073.20, Warrant #73 Expenses in the amount of $135.86, Warrant #74 Expenses in the amount of $67,419.53, Warrant #75 Retirement payroll in the amount of $8,246,414.86 and redemption from the PRIT fund in the amount of $6,000,000.00, second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #7-Refunds/Transfers to Other Systems
Motion made by Schmaelzle to accept the twenty-three (23) requests for refunds and transfers to other systems as presented to the Board. The names have been submitted to their particular Department, the Law Department and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, second by Burns. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #8-New Members
Motion made by Schmaelzle to accept the thirty-one (31) New Members for membership due to their employment within the member units of the Springfield Retirement System as presented to the Board, second by Moynihan. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #9-Monthly Financial Reports
Motion made by Burns to accept the monthly financial reports for the month of October as presented to the Board, second by Moynihan. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #10-Director’s Report
Executive Director Baltazar reviewed the fiduciary insurance information and stated we can receive more information from another insurance company to compare coverages. Ms. Baltazar will keep the Board updated. Ms. Baltazar also discussed cybersecurity insurance, and the PERAC webinars and education available regarding Cybersecurity insurance. She informed the board that we will apply for a Grant that is available through the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) for their Cybersecurity Awareness Program training sessions. Executive Director, Susana Baltazar, updated the Board on how many 91A requests for information were outstanding and disability retirees who are not in compliance. After discussion, motion was made by Moynihan to grant an extension for the disability retirees to be in compliance with PERAC by December 25, 2025. For those who are not in compliance with PERAC, the benefits will be terminated beginning on December 26, 2025 and only started again on the day that they are in compliance with PERAC, second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes. Ms. Baltazar reviewed Renee Rae and Rosemary Chiarizio’s job descriptions with the Board. After the job descriptions were reviewed, a motion was made by Burns and second by Schmaelzle, to accept the Executive Director’s request to adjust Renee Rae and Rosemary Chiarizio’s job descriptions based on the needs of the office, and adjust their salaries as of January 1, 2026. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

Agenda Item #11-Attorney’s Report
Attorney ViVenzio reviewed MGL Chapter 32, Section 20(5)-Receipt of Required Information from Departments with the Board. Due to the need for pre-employment physicals from members during a request for disability process, a motion was made by Schmaelzle to adopt a policy for all departments to provide digital copies of the members pre-employment physical to our office effective December 3, 2025, second by Moynihan, so that, if necessary, an application for a disability can be processed. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes. Attorney ViVenzio updated the Board on the pending cases, which include the matters of Goodman, and Lefebvre.

Agenda Item #12-Old Business
None

Agenda Item #13-New Business
None

Reports and Notices
PERAC Memos 29-New Pension Fraud Poster, 30-Follow-up to Mem No. 28/2025 re: G.L. c. 32, Section 100 and COLAs, 31-Forfeiture of Retirement Allowance for Dereliction of Duty by Members, 32-Free Cybersecurity Training, PRIT Fund Update – October, Treasurer’s Reconciliation for the month of October, Budget Balances as of November, Monthly Transfers as of November, Recent Retiree Deaths, List of Injury Reports, Monthly Cash Flow

Motion made by Moynihan to adjourn at 6:00 P.M. second by Schmaelzle. Moynihan, yes, Kennedy, yes, Schmaelzle, yes, Burns, yes, Scanlon, yes.

The correspondence and reports were received and reviewed by the Board Members and Executive Director, and will be placed on file.

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Thomas M. Scanlon, Chairman

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Robert P. Moynihan, Elected Member

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Haskell O. Kennedy, Appointed Member

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Patrick S. Burns, Ex-Officio

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Karl J. Schmaelzle, 5th Member