A key highlight of the meeting was the approval of new members for the Plymouth County Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust. The town of Situ and Upper Cape Tech were both given favorable votes by the steering committee to join the trust, with the general Advisory Board set to make a final decision on March 16. Notably, the total assets under management have exceeded $50 million, a remarkable achievement considering the original expectation was to reach $7 to $10 million over a decade. This success was attributed to fiscal management and favorable investment returns, with the trust achieving a 15.57% return over the past year.

The Treasurer delivered a detailed report on the OPEB Trust’s performance for January 2025, noting an earned amount of $67,499 for the month, bringing the total balance to $2,727,189.14. The Treasurer commended the board for its consistent funding efforts, emphasizing the importance of maintaining this funding rate to support continued growth. The Treasurer also highlighted the trust’s investment strategy, which allows members to choose from a variety of options, including growth and aggressive growth strategies. This flexibility has attracted more towns to join, as they seek to leverage the trust’s impressive returns.

During the meeting, discussions on the investment strategies of the OPEB Trust revealed a strategic choice to maintain a predominantly growth-based investment strategy, with a 70% equity and 30% fixed allocation. The Treasurer advised against attempting to time the market. Regular meetings with member units were encouraged to facilitate discussions about market conditions and investment strategies.

The discussion also touched upon the need for improved communication strategies to better inform towns about the successes of the OPEB Trust and its benefits. Despite the impressive returns, some towns remain hesitant to join, often placing other financial priorities, such as debt exclusions and overrides, above funding OPEB. The suggestion was made to send newsletters or communications to towns to highlight the trust’s achievements. Additionally, there was a proposal to invite representatives from investment partners to future meetings to further explain the program’s benefits and performance.

The meeting also acknowledged the challenges of engaging towns that have yet to join the OPEB Trust. An idea was floated to incorporate brief presentations about the trust during check presentations to towns, which could enhance awareness of the program’s benefits. However, there was concern that such discussions might detract from the focus of those events. Consequently, no clear resolution was reached on the best approach to engage non-participating towns, reflecting ongoing challenges in communication and decision-making.

In addition to the OPEB Trust discussions, the meeting addressed administrative matters, including the distribution of American Rescue Plan Act funds. A payment to CB Inc. for administrative support was unanimously approved. The Treasurer presented the Plymouth County OPEB Trust’s strong performance.