LEGAL DEPARTMENT
The primary objective of this department continues to be to advise all Town boards and officials about their legal responsibilities and prerogatives as well as representing the Town, its agencies and officers both in courts of various jurisdiction as well as before state administrative agencies such as the Civil Service Commission, the Labor Relations Commission, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the Department of Industrial Accidents. Additional duties include the drafting of Town Meeting warrant articles and votes for both Town officials and citizens of the Town.
As a corporation, the Town is constantly involved in contractual and other legal arrangements with public and private agencies in the purchase of properties and materials, the rendering of services and awarding of grants. The Town Counsel prepares many applications, contracts, leases, deeds and other legal instruments concerning these matters.
The department continues to actively assist the Arlington Redevelopment Board in its efforts to develop the Symmes Hospital property and the inclusion of a medical services building on the site.
The Town Counsel as Director of Labor Relations represents the Town Manager as the Town's agent in collective bargaining with six employee unions. These duties include supervision of negotiations, contract administration, and grievance arbitration proceedings. The department supported the Town Manager in his successful negotiation to achieve three year agreements with all Town-side unions effective July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2006. This marked the first time in several years that the Town and all of its unions are current.
Another major objective of this department is to manage and direct the Town of Arlington's Workers' Compensation Self-Insurance program. Through the timely processing of claims and the attentive investigation of accidents, this department aims to protect workers from the economic consequences of injury, promote safe work environments, assist injured employees in both their medical recovery and return to work, and seeks overall to limit the Town's liability consistent with the fair treatment of injured workers. The department also prepares and litigates all contested Workers' Compensation cases before the Department of Industrial Accidents as well as reviewing and responding to any pending legislation affecting the Town's Workers' Compensation program.
This department also oversees line of duty injury claims administration for all police and fire personnel. The goal related to this responsibility is to provide complete claims management for any injured on duty uniformed employee of the police and fire divisions consistent with appropriate provisions of law, fairness to effected employees, and prudent financial practices.
In coordination with participating network pharmacies the department instituted a new program to manage prescription benefits for the Town’s work-injured employees. This program has resulted in the maximization of generic substitutions, greater control authorization for drugs outside our formulary design and reduced costs to the Town commencing at the point of fill. This eligibility and utilization review control program has had the added benefit of eliminating the “first-fill” out-of-pocket prescription expense previously borne by the injured employee.