Future Mineola Village Boards Must Pay to Claim Benefits

Starting immediately, any current or future member of the will have to pay into the state system if they wish to receive benefits, just like a regular employee.

“There are people who have worked in the village much longer than any of us who are paying into their insurance premiums,” said during a meeting on June 20 at the . “Currently we do not and I quite frankly do not think that’s fair.”

Prior to the measure, full-time employees pay 10 percent of their salaries to the state retirement fund, whereas board members reportedly did not. The new measure would go into effect immediately. No current retirees would be affected by the change.

“A number of us up here on the board are not here for the benefits, we’re here to serve our community,” the mayor said.

The vesting of medical benefits to board members would be on the same terms as regular employees as would the requirement to have 10 years of service in order to qualify for retirement and pension benefits from the state.

Although the board has the ability to receive benefits, trustees may decline to participate.

“It’s available but it’s not necessarily used,” deputy mayor Paul Pereira said.

“I just think that anybody who does, either now or in the future, should be required to pay the 10 percent, just as our employees are,” Strauss said.