Commission/Board Makeup
Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission
The Commission consists of seven members.
The Governor appoints three members:
- one is the Governor or Governor’s designee,
- one is a representative of a public safety union, and
- one is an expert in the investment of funds.
The State Auditor appoints three members:
- one is the Auditor or Auditor’s designee,
- one is the President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO or his designee, and
- one is a representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
A seventh member of the Commission is appointed by the other six members and serves as Chairman.
An executive director, selected by the Commission, plans, directs, coordinates, and executes administrative functions in conformity with the policies and directives of the Commission.
Contributory Retirement Boards
Nearly all contributory retirement boards for public employees in Massachusetts consist of five members.
City or Town Retirement Boards
- In city and town retirement systems, the city auditor, town accountant, or other official having similar duties and powers is the board member ex-officio.
- The second member is appointed by the board of selectmen, the mayor, or the city manager.
- The third and fourth members are elected by the members of the retirement system and are active or retired members of the system.
- The fifth member is chosen by the other four and cannot be an employee, retiree, or official of the governmental unit.
One of these five board members is elected by the other four to serve as chairman.
County Retirement Boards
- The county treasurer (or director of finance if there is no treasurer) is the member ex-officio and chairman of a county retirement board.
- The county commissioners appoint the second member.
- The third and fourth members are elected by the members of the retirement system and are active or retired members of the system.
- The fifth member is elected by the County Retirement Board Advisory Council and is the treasurer of one of the governmental units within the system.
Regional Retirement Boards
(replacing county retirement boards in abolished counties)
- The first member, selected by the other four, is the chairman of the Regional Retirement Board
- The second member is a member of the Regional Retirement Board Advisory Council and is elected by a majority of the Council.
- The third and fourth members are elected by the membership.
- The fifth member is chosen by the other four and shall not be an employee, retiree, or official of the retirement system.
(Note: The Essex Regional Retirement Board is comprised in a slightly different manner. On that Board, only retirees may hold the elected positions.)
State Retirement Board
- The State Treasurer is the member ex-officio and chairman of the State Retirement Board.
- The second member is appointed by the Treasurer.
- The third and fourth members are elected by the members of the retirement system and are active or retired members of the system.
- The fifth member is chosen by the other four and cannot be an employee, a retiree, or an official of the Commonwealth.
Teachers' Retirement Board
Alone among the retirement boards, the Teachers’ Retirement Board consists of seven members:
- The Commissioner of Education or his designee is the member ex-officio and chairman of the Teachers’ Retirement Board.
- The second member is the State Treasurer or a designee of the State Treasurer.
- The third member is the State Auditor or State Auditor’s designee.
- A fourth member is a retired former public school teacher and is appointed by the governor.
- The fifth and sixth members are elected by the members of the Teachers’ Retirement System and are active or retired members of the system.
- The seventh member is selected by the other six members of the Teachers’ Retirement Board
| Date published: | July 1, 2015 |
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