During the past few months and by the end of November, seven longtime support staffers at the District Court, with 184 years of service between them, are leaving, most of them accepting the state’s recent early retirement incentive.
Three of those workers have 30 to 40 years of service, according to court personnel.
Alice Chaves, the court sessions clerk, started working there as a teenager and has the most seniority, 40 years.
“Alice is an icon,” said Clerk-Magistrate Ronald A. Valcourt, who is also retiring at the end of next week after 10 years in that post and 20 at the District Court.
Valcourt, as a gubernatorial appointment, is not eligible to retire by Oct. 31 and receive the incentive package. According to him and court officials, that includes a $7,500 incentive bonus and retention of the 15 percent retirement health care co-payment. That percentage is scheduled to increase to 20 percent in the [...]

Original post by Michael Holtzman