Town of Clinton Police First to Join State's Municipal Employee Retirement System in 16 Years

Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon has announced that the Town of Clinton Police Department is the first group to join the Municipal Employee Retirement System (MERS) since 2009, largely attributable to the ongoing improvements to the system made by his office.

Reforms to MERS, which has more than 10,000 municipal employees enrolled across 107 Connecticut municipalities, spearheaded by Comptroller Scanlon beginning in 2023, were put forth by a bipartisan group of municipal government and labor leaders with a key focus on affordability and sustainability.

In making the announcement, Comptroller Scanlon also used the occasion to spotlight the future of the system and the “MERS 2.0” revisions which will go into effect on July 1, 2026. Reforms include calculating pension benefits based on average base pay, as well as the introduction of a defined contribution plan (similar to a 401(k)), where employee contributions will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by the employer.

“Strengthening MERS has been a top priority for me, and the major reforms we have put in place over the last three years are working to ensure that the plan is both sustainable for our cities and towns and that more Connecticut police officers, firefighters and public works employees have the retirement security they deserve,” said Comptroller Scanlon.

“For a long time, MERS just wasn’t an attractive option for towns struggling with recruitment and retention, especially amongst first responders. Now it is. I’m proud that the Clinton Police are the first new unit to join MERS in sixteen years, and I’m confident more will follow,” Scanlon added.  

"The Town of Clinton is proud to support the transition of our active Police Department officers into MERS,” said Clinton Town Manager Michelle Benivegna. “This move has taken some time to get done, but with the support of the Town Council and Police Commission, we were able to make it a reality. Their backing reaffirms our commitment to offering our officers the best possible benefits. This transition not only strengthens our recruitment and retention efforts but also ensures our Police Department is aligned with the rest of the town departments already in MERS. It reflects the strong partnership between the Town of Clinton and our dedicated police officers."

“Joining MERS solidifies Clinton’s steadfast support for our top-tier police force for generations to come. I am appreciative of my colleagues for seeing this through, as well as Comptroller Scanlon for his commitment to making the system more affordable for towns,” said Clinton Town Council Chair Carrie Allen.

“The Union appreciates the town's efforts in working to facilitate this change to the state pension plan. We’re in full support of the town’s decision and believe that it will help with retention and recruitment of Clinton Police Officers,” said Lorenzo Lombardo, Clinton Police Department Union President.

MERS 2.0 will go into effect on July 1, 2026, for new employees and divisions that join. MERS 2.0 will not change the benefits available to any current member of MERS 1.0.

The Comptroller’s office noted that municipal groups interested in joining can visit https://osc.ct.gov/retirement/mers/ for additional information.