CCP 11-25-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

depending on when the Engineering position discussed in the reorganization is filled. The reduction in the budget will carry over into future years with the only reductions to the number due to the new positions going through the step process. Health Insurance Insurance Committee Discussion The insurance committee met each week after the increases were disclosed to discuss strategies for 2015. The discussion touched on core issues and values including why does the city offer insurance ?, the current health insurance design options, the plans offered, defirdtions of equity, elimination of the waiver option, and the benefit costs for each choice employees could make. The committee recognized the difficult choices and financial pressures each employee would face with the large increases for 2015. Of particular concern were the premium increases for employees choosing the Family and Single + 1 option. The committee was asked to communicate these issues and concerns to their respective departments, seek feedback and ideas of fellow employees, and share there with the committee. There was much concern and also much comradery built with employees participating in this discussion and recognizing we are all in this together. The insurance committee worked towards a recommendation they presented to management to bring forward to the Council for possible implementation. Insurance Committee Recommendation The insurance committee felt any options for helping with the health insurance increases should meet three goals; be equitable, be a longer term fix within the current design, and have a solid budget number. The options discussed primarily focused on premium adjustments, flat increases to the health savings accounts, and a matching contribution to employee's health savings accounts. The committee felt a combination of help with premiums and health savings accounts would be best. The recommended option would include a 2015 budget increase for the employer contribution of $61,500 for premium costs and an increase of $55,000 for health savings accounts for a total of $116,500. The committee felt this recommendation would be equitable; a longer term fix based on the current plan design, and is a solid budget number, not variable. Action Items and Next Steps The report covers a lot of moving parts. New Brighton is no stranger to reorganizing and the City will always look for efficiencies while protecting the effectiveness of our key services. Action items needed to bring this reorganization plan to fruition are as follows: Adapt a revised organizational chart via resolution effectively authorizing Manager Latter to reorganize the Public Works and Community Development Departments and create the Department of Community Assets and Development, Approve a severance package for the current Public Works and Community Development Directors Reallocate $116,500,00 in savings from the reorganization to offset costs of insurance