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Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Hughes stole $75,000. He abused his position in charge of the cemetery to do it. Was happy to take it.

Oops! Got caught. Judge says, "Oh, well, just give back the $75,000 and we're done here."

If the Retirement Board lets Hughes take retirement, it confirms the whole system is corrupt. Who else is stealing money from the city simply because they can get away with it?

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Retirement Board meets at 9 AM Today. We'll know soon.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Of course the system is corrupt. People who have friends in high places always get away with things. Dolan's probably already told the retirement board to let Hughes get all the money he wants. He shouldn't get the retirement. He should be made to give back all the money the city paid him as cemetery director.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

If they do anything other than strip him of his pension it will open a giant can of worms. A few years ago they made a retired cop repay excess earnings - he worked more detail hours and earned more money after he retired than was allowable under the law.

http://www.mass.gov/anf/hearings-and-appeals/decisions/gen-jurisdiction-decisions/p-r/john-pike-v-melrose-retirement-board.html

This cop committed no crime. He worked details after retirement (legal) and simply exceeded the earnings limit for retirees, yet the Retirement Board insisted he repay the excess earnings, which were deducted from his retirement check until it was repaid, even though the city took 10% of every dime that was earned, and the money was earned and paid by private companies, not by the city. He was never reimbursed for the income tax he paid on that money, so it actually cost him money to work excess hours. The city, of course, kept the 10% they took.

As stated in the above ruling, he was classified as an "employee" of the city, even though the earnings were paid by private companies. That being the case, they city should have been taking out withholding and paying into the unemployment fund, and they did neither - the city broke multiple federal and state laws by not doing so.

In this case Hughes (and his associates, whoever they are) committed multiple felonies. If they don't strip Hughes' pension and make him pay back every penny he was paid since the date the first felony was committed, you can bet the retired cop and his attorney will be all over this. It will be the height of hypocrisy to do anything but strip his pension and will demonstrate once and for all the level of corruption that exists within the Dolan administration. As a practical matter, they really have no choice.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

The retired cop will have no standing in the matter.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Any word on what decision was made at the meeting?

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

No standing
The retired cop will have no standing in the matter.


Not in this particular matter, that's correct, but it will document the level of favoritism, misconduct, and corruption that exists, and you can bet that the cop's attorney will report the withholding and unemployment fund violations to the appropriate authorities, which to my knowledge hasn't been done - yet. Again - as a practical matter, the retirement board has no real choice but to strip Hughes' pension and make him repay monies earned since the crimes began unless they want the other stuff on the record.

We shall see, but I actually believe they will do the right thing here. I'll be shocked if they don't.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

I agree. I personally know two members of the Board and I don't believe they would do anything but what clearly ought to be done. Also Dello Russo is the Chairman, and he's Dolan's butt boy. Hughes's ties to the Mayor are actually working against him since Robbie won't want the flak falling on him. He'll cut Hughes loose.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

I agree too, especially given the politics. Sorry, Mike. Politics is a contact sport.

I'm still working on trying to figure out how someone could be so stupid as to think they actually could get away with what he (they!) did. The first time someone tried to put two bodies into the same grave it would have come out anyway.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

How much did the co-conspirators get for their help? Was it paid in dollars or politicial benefit through Dolan?

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Will the Melrose taxpayers continue to pay GIC for the rest of Mike Hughes life? The cost of his health insurance is more than his retirement pension. Real Estate taxes are due this week. They keep going up, up and away! The water and sewer rates continue to be crazy. We are expected to fund the school system that didn't even get a rating (MHS) from U.S. News in the report released this week. I need to save to pay for Private High School instead of paying a convicted felon's healthcare!

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Health care for retirees is part of the retirement package. I would assume that would also go away. I can't figure out how people can be so dumb either. He's no Aaron Hernandez, but he's the same kind of stupid.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

As expected. The last paragraph is telling. They're going after the money already paid out too. Recovery of prior health care costs will probably also be included in that.

Free Press - "The Melrose Retirement Board voted unanimously on Wednesday to initiate proceedings that could result in the forfeiture of former Wyoming Cemetery Superintendent John Hughes’ retirement benefits.

The Board will now hold a hearing within 30 days, as outlined in Chapter 32, Section 15 of Massachusetts General Law. The Retirement Board’s outside counsel Michael Sacco will serve as hearing officer during those proceedings.

Sacco will issue a decision after the hearing and if he determines Hughes committed crimes directly connected to his position as a city official, the Board would likely accept the recommendation that Hughes forfeit his pension.

The Board also voted unanimously on Wednesday to suspend Hughes’ pension payment for May 2017. City Solicitor Rob VanCampen told the Free Press Hughes’ pension benefit is $1,481.69 per month.

“The reason I would suggest suspending the pension today is to ensure the amount of his annuity is reserved for purposes of restitution,” VanCampen told the Retirement Board."

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

MH should have all benefits from the city discontinued immediately and retroactively dating to the first known dates of illegal activities!

http://melrose.wickedlocal.com/news/20170426/update-melrose-retirement-board-to-move-on-hughes-pension-proceedings
jhinkle@wickedlocal.com

The Melrose Retirement Board voted unanimously on Wednesday to initiate proceedings that could result in the forfeiture of former Wyoming Cemetery Superintendent John Hughes’ retirement benefits.

The Board will now hold a hearing within 30 days, as outlined in Chapter 32, Section 15 of Massachusetts General Law. The Retirement Board’s outside counsel Michael Sacco will serve as hearing officer during those proceedings.

Sacco will issue a decision after the hearing and if he determines Hughes committed crimes directly connected to his position as a city official, the Board would likely accept the recommendation that Hughes forfeit his pension.

The Board also voted unanimously on Wednesday to suspend Hughes’ pension payment for May 2017. City Solicitor Rob VanCampen told the Free Press Hughes’ pension benefit is $1,481.69 per month.

“The reason I would suggest suspending the pension today is to ensure the amount of his annuity is reserved for purposes of restitution,” VanCampen told the Retirement Board.

Hughes, 71, pleaded guilty in Middlesex Superior Court last week to five counts of larceny over $250 and receiving outside compensation by a municipal employee for his role in a scheme to sell unused city cemetery burial plots to unsuspecting buyers.
Hughes was sentenced to two years of probation and the Revere resident was ordered to spend the first 90 days of his probation in home detention.

Judge Peter Krupp also ordered Hughes to pay $74,900 in restitution to the city of Melrose during the two-year probation period.

Hughes was appointed to the position of Wyoming Cemetery administrator in 2007. Beginning in 2011, he began telling individuals looking to buy burial plots for later use that they could purchase previously sold burial plots at Wyoming Cemetery at discounted rates.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan’s office reported Hughes sold 13 burial plots, thereby diverting approximately $75,000 in funds from the city of Melrose.

“It’s the first time in my 10 years as City Solicitor that we have to go through this process,” VanCampen said.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

His late wife was the secretary for the school MPS business manager. Hughes may receive health insurance as the surviving spouse. He should not be eligible to receive benefits this way either. Wyoming Cemetary was neglected and the Mayor, DPW and Aldermen didn't care.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

I did not know that. This should prove interesting.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

The cemetery hasn't looked like it should since Steve Cefalo left the position!

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Geezer
The cemetery hasn't looked like it should since Steve Cefalo left the position!


Steve was the best thing that ever happened to that place.

He didn't leave, he got kicked out.

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Hughes was given Cefalo's job and made way for New Hampshire resident Mike Lindstrom to become Rob Dolan's Chief of Staff...the rest is history....

Re: Hughes and Melrose Retirement Board

Late Wife
His late wife was the secretary for the school MPS business manager. Hughes may receive health insurance as the surviving spouse. He should not be eligible to receive benefits this way either. Wyoming Cemetary was neglected and the Mayor, DPW and Aldermen didn't care.


Did the "Retirement Board" discuss (deceased) Judith Hughes Health Insurance being USED for her "surviving spouse"? Is this legal?