Health-care costs spur penny pinching

HUBBARD -- Township trustees are exploring ways to save money in light of hospitalization and other employee health-care costs increasing.
At a special meeting Tuesday, trustees heard from Jim Organ, a broker for the Ohio Insurance Services Agency Inc. of Columbus.
Organ outlined various group policies and other services his company, which provides coverage for townships, municipalities and other public entities, could offer to township officials and workers.
Organ noted that rewriting their current policy could reduce what the township is paying.
Trustee Joseph Gleydura said that health-care premiums went up 24 percent from 2003 to 2004.
Gleydura said trustees are "shopping around" to see what savings they can get, adding that the township's Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance policy will be up for renewal in September.
In other business, trustees were preparing a list for the county containing the names of township roads to consider for repaving.
Before the work can begin, they will need to get cost figures from county officials and decide which roads will receive priority based on money available for the projects, Gleydura noted.
Trustees should have their list compiled and have a better idea of which roads will be targeted for improvements by their next meeting March 14, Gleydura said.