Boston City Council unanimously advances 911 dispatcher pension reclassification petition

BOSTON — October 22, 2025 — Boston City Council unanimously advances a home-rule petition to reclassify 911 dispatchers under the state's public employee retirement system. The council voted 12-0 Wednesday on Docket 1277, which would move roughly 95 Boston dispatchers from Group 1 to Group 2 retirement membership under Massachusetts General Laws, a change the Boston Retirement Board estimates will carry an actuarial accrued liability increase of $1.6 million and a fiscal year 2028 appropriation impact of $2.36 million. Committee Chair Gabriela Coletta Zapata said dispatchers are currently "labeled legally as clerks and administrators, which does not do them justice," while lead co-sponsor Ruthzee Louijeune called them "the first first responders." The council also approved $1 million in federal funds for Ceylon Park improvements in Dorchester, $44,780 for Chandler Pond water quality monitoring in Brighton, and passed home-rule age waivers for two prospective Boston police officers, Ryan Cazole, 42, and Jose Reyes, 46. Dispatcher base salaries start at roughly $23 per hour, and workers routinely cover double and triple shifts of up to 18 hours.