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Boardman officials hope to have health-insurance vote in early ’11
Boardman officials hope to have health-insurance vote in early ’11
BOARDMAN
Township officials are optimistic that another vote on changes to health-insurance policies for public employees will be taken as early as January, after the first vote was defeated.
Administrator Jason Loree said the cost of health care for the township for 12 months is $2.1 million for its 135 employees.
The biggest proposed change is implementing a 60-40 percent deal in paying for increases to health-insurance premiums, with the township paying the 40 percent, Loree said.
Currently, five of the township’s six unions have contributions to premiums that are 10 percent uncapped, he said.
In November, the committee rejected the agreement by a vote of 5 to 4.
The township insurance committee is made up of one representative from each of the township’s unions: Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association for patrol, rank and dispatch; International Association of Firefighters 1176; the Township Workers Association, which represents road-department employees; and AFSCME Local 2498.
The committee also includes the township administrator, fiscal officer and a nonunion employee.
“The current language in the AFSCME contract provides for a 60-40 split in increases to premiums, and that’s what we would like to get all the other unions to agree to, instead of a flat contribution,” Loree said.
“We’ll make it consumer driven and keep costs down,” he said.
Harry Wolfe, president of the local IAFF, said his union’s representative couldn’t answer all the members’ questions about the insurance changes.
“All we need are questions answered first,” he said.
Wolfe added that whatever decision the committee makes, it is nongrievable.
“We just didn’t have enough detail. You have nine voting spots, and five voted no; it wasn’t just the firefighters,” he said. “We know there’s going to be changes, and we do want to have a say in it.”
Loree said other unions expressed concern that their members didn’t fully understand the changes.
The township is trying to help that situation, he said, and will send out an information sheet with employees’ paychecks and hold two informational seminars.
“I’m hoping we’ll take another vote in January so we can start shopping around for providers,” Loree said.
Last year, the township couldn’t get a competitive offer from any other insurance companies, leaving the township with its current provider, Medical Mutual, and a 24 percent increase in costs, Loree noted.