Plymouth Finance Committee Votes 13-0 Against Citizens' Health Insurance Petition

PLYMOUTH -- March 11, 2026, Plymouth Finance Committee votes 13-0 to oppose citizens' petition targeting employee health insurance tiers. The committee Wednesday rejected a recommendation to forward a special town meeting citizens' petition that would have amended Chapter 27 of the Acts of 2003, which sets the town's employee health insurance contribution rates. The petition, filed by Richard Serkey and presented by Precinct 4 member David Peck, would have created a new employee tier subject to future bargaining, but Peck acknowledged no savings would materialize for at least 15 to 20 years. Retired DPW worker and 2003 act co-author Dale Weber told the committee employees had already delivered $250 million in cumulative savings since the original act passed, and that the active six-year Public Employee Committee agreement, which has reduced OPEB liability by $227,391,317, explicitly bars changes to health insurance contribution rates for its remaining three-year term. Tom Pinto, president of the Education Association of Plymouth Carver and current Insurance Advisory Committee chair, said the petitioners never contacted any town union before filing. The committee also voted 13-0 to advance an 11-article consent agenda to spring town meeting, scheduled for April 11.