Subscribe to The Advocate - See page 18
Vol. 28, No. 20
-FREE-
www.advocatenews.net
Free Every Friday
781-286-8500
Friday, May 18, 2018
City Council adjusts RHS Army JROTC plant flags for Memorial Day at historic COLA for city’s retirees By Sara Brown Rumney Marsh Burial Grounds T
Mayor Brian Arrigo, RHS JROTC Advisor Major Deborah Bowker, Revere’s Veterans Services Director Marc Silvestri and Burial Grounds Maintenance Director Bill Reedy are shown with cadets Ssesy Lainez, Christian Falzarano, Brian Valerio, Ashley Peguero-Pena, Edgar Aquino, Jasmina Mujic, Alfonso Gracey and Ashley Mercado on Thursday morning at the Rumney Marsh Burial Grounds, where the cadets were placing flags for Memorial Day. See more photo highlights on page 15. (Advocate photo by JD Mitchell)
he City Council voted in favor of altering the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retired city employees. It has been more than 22 years since the city has adjusted the cost. Currently, the COLA is based on the first $12,000 of a retirement pension, which is the lowest in the Comm o nwe a l t h . N ow, a f t e r the council vote, it will increase by $1,000: totaling $13,000. “I t ’s long overdue for retirees,� said the former member of the retirement board James Carmello at the M ay 7 Cit y Council meeting. “I’m not retired yet but this is long overdue,� said Police Chief James Guido According to Carmello, in 2013 the Retirement Board
voted in favor of a motion to increase the COLA to $16,000, which was amended to go in steps of $1,000 for three years then max at $15,000. This was closer to the state average, Carmello said. However, the request came to the council at the last meeting of the year in 2013 and died. It hasn’t been brought up since. Retirement Board Chairman John Henry said the board gives three percent COLA on the base, which is around $360. Now, retirees will receive $390 a year. Henry said Mayor Brian Arrigo was also in favor of the adjustment. According to Henry, the retirement system has 504 retirees, and 403 of them are eligible for the COLA benefit. Ward 2 Councillor Ira No-
CITY COUNCIL | SEE PAGE 3
Annual Boston’s Wounded Vet Run this Sunday beginning in Revere By Sara Brown n Sunday, May 20, over 6,000 motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to s h ow t h e i r s u p p o r t fo r
O
combat veterans at the 8 th Annual Boston Wounded Vet Run, a 90-minute motorcycle ride through Malden, Melrose, Wakefield, Saugus, Revere and East
SPECIAL GUESTS: Some of the honored wounded veterans are shown being applauded by attendees as they arrive by motorcade at last year’s annual Wounded Vet Run at Boston HarleyDavidson in Revere. (Advocate file photo)
RU D &RQWDFW XVD IWLRQ 1R 2EOLJ
tĂŜƚ ƚŽ ĹŹĹśĹ˝Ç ĆšĹšÄž ǀĂůƾĞ ŽĨ Ç‡Ĺ˝ĆľĆŒ ŚŽƾĆ?Äž Ĺ?Ĺś ƚŽĚĂLJ͛Ć? ĆŒÄžÄ‚ĹŻ ÄžĆ?ƚĂƚĞ ĹľÄ‚ĆŒĹŹÄžĆšÍ?
)5(( 0DUNHW $QDO\VLV 2I <RXU +RPH
Ä&#x201A;ĹŻĹŻ hĹśĹ?Ć&#x161;Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x161; Ć&#x152;ŽŏÄ&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ć? Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x161; ϲĎϳͲϰϲĎͲϰώϯϴ
:H DFFHSW 0DVWHU&DUG 9LVD 'LVFRYHU
$2.53
*DO 0LQ +U 6HUYLFH
*$//21
3ULFH 6XEMHFW WR &KDQJH ZLWKRXW QRWLFH
GALLON
Boston to raise money in support and honor of severely wounded military veterans, Captain Greg Galeazzi, Sergeant Brandon Korona, S ergeant Peter Rooney and Corporal Brian Johnston. Those that want to take part but prefer not to ride can meet motorcycle riders, this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s honorees and New England vet-
VET RUN | SEE PAGE 10