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Planning Board chair resigns over health insurance

Date: 7/16/2015

EAST?LONGMEADOW– Planning Board Chair Alessandro Meccia recently announced his resignation, citing the Board of Selectmen’s decision in May to cancel health insurance for elected officials as his reason for departure from the board.

The selectmen’s decision, which went into effect on June 30, included the option for individuals affected by the change to fully pay for COBRA health insurance for 18 months.

Prior to the Board of Selectmen’s decision, the town was paying for 70 percent of premium costs for the health insurance of elected officials.

“I haven’t been the same and I don’t want to sit up here and be negative all the time ... I don’t want to leave but I have no choice. You guys have been great. I’ve learned a lot. We’ve made some friends, we’ve made some enemies, but I guess it is what it is,” Meccia said during the Planning Board’s June 30 meeting.  

Meccia said he considers the Board of Selectmen’s decision to be unfair.

He added, “People think we just sit here and come up here for an hour and then we leave. It’s not like that at all. To say that someone works five hours a week here ... no. My phone rings constantly.”

Meccia said he would not leave the board until a replacement is found.

Planning Board member George Kingston said he knows of an individual who might be willing to fill Meccia’s seat on the board, but noted that Meccia would need to resign before that person could be appointed by the Planning Board and selectmen.

Planning Board member Tyde Richards said Meccia could give his resignation effective on a certain date, which Kingston thought was appropriate as well.

“I think that we certainly need to encourage anyone in town who is interested on serving on the Planning Board to submit a letter of interest to this board with a copy to the Board of Selectmen,” Kingston said. “I’m not saying that we’ve got somebody picked out who’s a shoe-in.”

Planning Board member Ralph Page said Meccia will be greatly missed on the board.

“You [brought] a great perspective to the board and one that will not be able to be replaced,” he added.

Meccia was elected to a five-year term in 2011 in an uncontested race. His term expires in 2016.

Planning Board Vice Chair Michael Carabetta and Meccia did not return requests for comment as of press time.