Council Panel Advances Home Rule Pension Request
Lawrence's Ordinance Committee backed a home-rule pension petition for a police lieutenant who died of a heart attack at 44. The panel voted 3-0, with Chair Anna Levy abstaining, to recommend the petition for Lt.
Other Committee · Meeting of August 11, 2026
Lawrence's Ordinance Committee backed a home-rule pension petition for a police lieutenant who died of a heart attack at 44. The panel voted 3-0, with Chair Anna Levy abstaining, to recommend the petition for Lt. Charles Sandin, pending city attorney review and an invitation to the retirement board, which had denied the family's claim and did not attend Tuesday's hearing.
Attorney Lee Panettieri argued the board wrongly let a bout of food poisoning "break the chain of causation" under the state's heart-law presumption, despite Sandin's 21 years of service, which included the Columbia Gas crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 civil unrest. Capt. Jay Cirillo testified Sandin's "death cannot fairly be separated from the demands of his employment." Widow Kelly Sandin, speaking publicly for the first time in two and a half years, said, "This decision is long overdue, and I expect the decision to be made now." The petition now needs full council approval before heading to the state Legislature.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,924 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of August 11, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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