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May 2005, Vol. 1, No. 2| Back to Index
Falmouth Awards MBL Certificate for Reduced Fertilizer Use
Falmouth Selectmen awarded the MBL a Falmouth Friendly Lawn certificate at their meeting on March 7. The certificate is given to organizations that have volunteered to conserve fertilizer nitrogen. This is the second year that the laboratory has participated in the program. The MBL is reducing its nitrogen use by ten percent in 2005. In a letter of congratulations to the MBL, Falmouth Selectman Chairman Ahmed Mustafa noted, “Thank you for an outstanding example of stewardship, and also for helping to demonstrate to Falmouth residents that it is possible at the same time both to maintain healthy turf and to preserve Falmouth bays and ponds.”
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Housing and Conference Services Expand Offices
Mary Beckwith, Director of Housing and Conferences and Pam Oldham, Coordinator of Conferences and Meetings, have relocated their offices to newly renovated space in Swope Suite 101, located on the first floor of the building near the entrance to Café Swope. The move has enabled remaining Housing and Conferences staff to gain some much needed space in the Swope main office. Deborah Grasso, Coordinator of Housing, has moved to Mary’s old office enabling her to meet privately with clients.
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Did You Know...?
The MBL offers a great voluntary benefit to all non-temporary employees of the MBL—the Marine Biological Laboratory Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) Plan, also referred to as the Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity or GSRA. Here’s an overview of the GSRA, provided by TIAA-CREF, and how it works: The MBL’s GSRA is a defined contribution plan that operates under Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC); 403(b) plans allow employees of tax-exempt organizations to enter into salary reduction agreements with their employers. Under the agreement, a portion of the employee’s compensation is applied on a before-tax basis to an annuity contract owned by the employee. This deferred compensation, together with any earnings, is not subject to federal income tax until paid out (to the employee or a beneficiary) in the form of benefits. A 403(b) plan is designed to encourage the concept of individually owned, fully portable contracts. And, although this type of plan was traditionally classified as an annuity, some recent changes with the IRC allow multiple options for benefit payment, including cash distributions.
There is no waiting period, so new employees are eligible to sign up for the GSRA at any time after joining the MBL; even those who work part-time are eligible to participate. Contribution limits are set by the IRC each year; for 2005, the maximum contribution is generally $14,000 (see the chart below). |
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New Benefits added to MBL’s Delta Dental Plan!
As of April 1, 2005, three new benefits have been added to our plan for patients at risk for dental disease:
- Sealants: Coverage will be provided for sealants on unrestored, permanent molars for patients age 16 to 19 if they’ve had a recent cavity and their dentist determines that they may be at a higher risk for future decay.
- Prescription Flouride Toothpaste: For patients who’ve had periodontal (gum) surgery, prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste will be covered two times per calendar year when dispensed by the dentist in his/her office.
- Chlorhexidine Antimicrobial Mouthrinse: If a patient has a scaling and root planning (deep cleaning) performed and their dentist determines that Chlorhexidine is right for them, it will be covered two times per calendar year when dispensed by the dentist in his/her office.
Delta Dental maintains that these benefits have been designed to prevent or reverse dental disease and have the potentials to reduce the cost of treatment over time for those considered at risk. The above treatments are considered Type 1 – Preventative and are covered at 100%.
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The New Collecting Net is an employee newsletter published by the Communications Office. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Call (508) 289-7423 or e-mail us at
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