Barnstable County Retirement System

Barnstable County Retirement System

The Barnstable County Retirement System operates as a contributory defined benefit plan established to deliver retirement allowances to employees of 15 towns and 36 districts. It reports directly to the Board of Retirement with day-to-day management by Executive Director Christine A. Tetreault. Oversight falls to the Massachusetts Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission. Assets sit entirely inside the PRIT Fund. Current allocations include global equity at 39.4 percent, core fixed income at 14.8 percent, private equity at 17.1 percent, and real estate at 9 percent. Timberland exposure through PRIT accounts for 2.9 percent. The system also holds a direct position in the Allegis Value Trust real estate fund and maintains cash reserves at Rockland Trust. The system employs no internal investment staff and relies on the PRIM Board for management since 1983. Additional service providers include State Street Bank as custodian and Segal Marco Advisors for actuarial work. In June 2024 the system attended the MACRS Annual Conference to review pension legislation and cybersecurity topics. Governance rests with a seven-member board that includes elected, appointed, and ex-officio seats. This structure keeps investment decisions centralized at the state PRIM level while local board members retain authority over benefits administration and vendor selection.