Huntington officials shorten number of years served before their retirement health benefits can kick in

An amendment to Huntington town code that decreased the time elected and appointed officials need to serve in order to be eligible for retirement health benefits kicked in last week, with one town board member defending the change Tuesday in the wake of some criticism. 

The resolution said a retired employee must have six years of continuous active service and be at least 55 years old. Previously, the employee had to work for 12 years and be at least 55 years old. 

The measure, approved 5-0 last month, became effective New Year's Day.

After Tuesday’s town board meeting, board member Dave Bennardo, sponsor of the resolution, said he believes elected and appointed officials deserve a “two-term tradition” of service, and that with changes to election law, two terms can be six to eight years.

“I believe benefits should match your term of service,” he said.

The change also was made as a recruitment and retention tool, he said.

“Our salaries are particularly low for a municipality and this sweetens the benefits pot,” said Bennardo, who public records show earned  $77,098.92 in salary in 2024. “And it also defers the compensation so you can sweeten the benefits pot without bankrupting yourself at the same time.”

He said town officials are looking to fill several positions including comptroller, director of personnel, deputy director of sanitation and director of engineering.

Town spokesperson Christine Geed said in an email the town is not anticipating any significant change in the budget for the benefit adjustment. The email did not say how the town planned to cover the added expense.

Bennardo said town officials did a cost analysis but he did not have that information immediately available. The amounts, he said, can range from “hundreds of thousands of dollars or upwards of that.”

He said the cost will depend on the age and when the official retires, and if they take the benefit.

The benefits also will extend to spouses of those officials granted the benefit if the officials were signed up for the family plan while in office. Once the person reaches 65, Medicare becomes their primary health insurance, with the town paying their portion of their secondary insurance under the state Health Insurance Plan.

Last month, social media was abuzz with news of the change, with people posting concerns about the cost to taxpayers, and the optics of the approval as many were struggling with paying their health care costs.

At Tuesday’s meeting, two residents addressed the board.

Denise Schwartz, of East Northport, said the reduction in years to receive the benefit was “unconscionable” and “ludicrous.” She said the board needs to keep in mind they represent all town residents.

“The majority of our community are regular people doing their best to get by,” she said.

Robert Lamont, of Dix Hills, said he’d like more clarity.

“The insurance scenario, that’s going to have to be explained a little bit better,” he said, explaining that he understands the challenges of managing health care costs.

CORRECTION: The change in retirement health benefits does not yet apply to town Supervisor Ed Smyth, who is 54; an earlier version of this story said that it did. Further, other officials currently are eligible for the benefit. The earlier version incorrectly described who was eligible.