BOW Denies Heady's Health Insurance Request
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
Heady, a former WPD sergeant, has been on disability since 1987. His disability insurance expires Aug. 30.
Heady previously appeared before the board Aug. 7 to request the city adopt a policy regarding permanently disabled police and firemen who are injured directly in the line of duty.
Heady, 54, was injured Thanksgiving morning 1987 while crossing U.S. 30 while on duty stopping a drunk driver. Since the accident, he said, he and his wife have been allowed to stay on the city's health insurance at the rate that other active officers are paid.
However, he had been informed by Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins and Jennifer Whitaker, human resources director, he will be required to pay for the COBRA rate.
It will be more than $400 a month for him, or $1,200 monthly for him and his wife.
Wiggins said Aug. 7 that the issue was a personnel matter and the board held an executive session Aug. 9 to discuss the matter.
The city's health insurance policy, modeled after the Indiana code legislation, states if an employee retires and has reached at least 55 on or before their retirement date and has not become eligible on that date for Medicare coverage and qualifies for retirement benefits in a qualified retirement plan sponsored by the employer, the employee is entitled coverage under the plan past their retirement date.
Upon becoming eligible for Medicare coverage, coverage terminates. The retiree may be required to pay the full cost of coverage.
Heady attended Friday's meeting and said he felt he had been abandoned by the city. He suggested it develop a policy to ensure injured police personnel are cared for after they are no longer able to work and are on disability.
Heady said he works at Wal-Mart and can receive health insurance through the business.
In other business, the board approved for WPD to hold a public auction Sept. 18 at 9:30 a.m. until items are sold out.
The department will auction unclaimed property, bicycles and miscellaneous equipment. The proceeds from the sale of bicycles will be deposited into the police pension fund. The proceeds from all other items sold in the auction will be deposited into the general fund.
Items are from the airport, wastewater, police, clerk's office and street departments.
Some of the items that will be auctioned off include a 1994 Jeep Cherokee, 1996 Chevrolet cargo van and 1995 Ford Taurus.
The board also heard the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association's Fill The Boot fundraiser will be Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. WFD personnel will be at the intersection of Cleveland and Center streets in front of Warsaw Fire Station 2.[[In-content Ad]]The board also:
- Approved WPD applying for a $2,500 grant through Kosciusko REMC Operation Round Up. The request is for the DARE program to pay for half the cost to bring a motivational speaker to Warsaw Community Schools.
- Approved Warsaw Parks Department contracts for Celebracion Latina that will be Sept. 18 in Central Park.
- Approved a contract for carriage rides in downtown Warsaw for Dec. 10 and 17 from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Approved a contract not to exceed $6,000 between the city and Symbiont for further assessment of soil and groundwater impacts at the Tinkey property.
Heady, a former WPD sergeant, has been on disability since 1987. His disability insurance expires Aug. 30.
Heady previously appeared before the board Aug. 7 to request the city adopt a policy regarding permanently disabled police and firemen who are injured directly in the line of duty.
Heady, 54, was injured Thanksgiving morning 1987 while crossing U.S. 30 while on duty stopping a drunk driver. Since the accident, he said, he and his wife have been allowed to stay on the city's health insurance at the rate that other active officers are paid.
However, he had been informed by Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins and Jennifer Whitaker, human resources director, he will be required to pay for the COBRA rate.
It will be more than $400 a month for him, or $1,200 monthly for him and his wife.
Wiggins said Aug. 7 that the issue was a personnel matter and the board held an executive session Aug. 9 to discuss the matter.
The city's health insurance policy, modeled after the Indiana code legislation, states if an employee retires and has reached at least 55 on or before their retirement date and has not become eligible on that date for Medicare coverage and qualifies for retirement benefits in a qualified retirement plan sponsored by the employer, the employee is entitled coverage under the plan past their retirement date.
Upon becoming eligible for Medicare coverage, coverage terminates. The retiree may be required to pay the full cost of coverage.
Heady attended Friday's meeting and said he felt he had been abandoned by the city. He suggested it develop a policy to ensure injured police personnel are cared for after they are no longer able to work and are on disability.
Heady said he works at Wal-Mart and can receive health insurance through the business.
In other business, the board approved for WPD to hold a public auction Sept. 18 at 9:30 a.m. until items are sold out.
The department will auction unclaimed property, bicycles and miscellaneous equipment. The proceeds from the sale of bicycles will be deposited into the police pension fund. The proceeds from all other items sold in the auction will be deposited into the general fund.
Items are from the airport, wastewater, police, clerk's office and street departments.
Some of the items that will be auctioned off include a 1994 Jeep Cherokee, 1996 Chevrolet cargo van and 1995 Ford Taurus.
The board also heard the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association's Fill The Boot fundraiser will be Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. WFD personnel will be at the intersection of Cleveland and Center streets in front of Warsaw Fire Station 2.[[In-content Ad]]The board also:
- Approved WPD applying for a $2,500 grant through Kosciusko REMC Operation Round Up. The request is for the DARE program to pay for half the cost to bring a motivational speaker to Warsaw Community Schools.
- Approved Warsaw Parks Department contracts for Celebracion Latina that will be Sept. 18 in Central Park.
- Approved a contract for carriage rides in downtown Warsaw for Dec. 10 and 17 from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Approved a contract not to exceed $6,000 between the city and Symbiont for further assessment of soil and groundwater impacts at the Tinkey property.
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