Town employees' 'out-of-pocket' rises
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Due to increases in the town of Syracuse's group health insurance premiums, the town council Tuesday approved to increase town employees' out-of-pocket maximum to $2,000 per year but keep the deductible at $500.
The town council approved to keep John Alden Insurance as their insurance carrier for 2004 with the changes.
Chris Cotton, insurance agent for the town, said when he was looking at insurance for the town, he tried to keep any increases under 15 percent as directed by the town council. However, with premium increases for next year, the town's insurance costs for town employees would increase at 17.6 percent if the council made no changes to the employees' benefits.
If the town council approved changes to the town employees' deductibles or out-of-pocket expenses, it would lower the cost. The least painful change for the employees, Cotton said, would be to switch the co-pay from 80-20 percent of $5,000 to 80-20 percent of $10,000.
"I still think increasing the out-of-pocket is best," said councilman Bill Hane.
Councilman Paul Stoelting's motion to keep John Alden as the town's insurance carrier with the increase in out-of-pocket expenses unanimously was approved.
The town's property, casualty, auto and liability insurance also was approved - at an 11 percent increase for 2004 over 2003.
The council approved to accept the recommendation by Greg Miller of Miller Insurance Agency of Downey Insurance, Kokomo. For 2003-04, the town's insurance totaled $67,500. For 2004-05, the total will be $75,133.
In other business, the town council:
• Approved a reciprocal agreement with Warsaw for assistance in case of a national emergency.
• Accepted the resignation of Mike Davis from the Syracuse/Turkey Creek Township Fire Department.
• Approved sending firefighter Jeremy Caudill to paramedic certification class for $3,500.
• Tabled Fire Chief Mickey Scott's request until Dec. 30 to purchase a Dimension 4600 Series Dell computer for $1,759.04.
• Approved Scott's request to purchase a digital projector from HP products for $798.
• Approved the 2004 Syracuse/Turkey Creek Township Fire and EMS department officers as: Fire Department: Howard Birkel, first assistant fire chief; Kevin Grindle, second assistant fire chief; Brian Richcreek, fire captain; Brian Simmons, fire lieutenant; Roger Grothaus, fire department secretary/treasurer; EMS: Lindsey Hurt, EMS lieutenant; and Sarah Lancaster, EMS secretary/treasurer.
• Approved the appointment of Sariah Morgan to Syracuse Parks and Recreation.
• Approved the purchase of an $1,800 aqua tap machine from Utility Supply Co. for the water department.
• Approved the purchase of a plazma cutter from Purity Cylinder Gases Inc. for the street department for $2,334.52.
• Approved the purchase of a $25,300 17-cubic-yard leaf collector from Brown Equipment Co., Fort Wayne, for the street department. An Indiana Department of Environmental Management grant will reimburse the town 50 percent of the cost.
• Presented a plaque to retiring clerk-treasurer Elgie Tatman for 14 years of service; council chairman Barbara Carwile for 15 years of service; and Bill Hane for six years of service. Carwile and Hane were not re-elected to the council this year.
The town council's last meeting of the year is Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in the town hall. [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - Due to increases in the town of Syracuse's group health insurance premiums, the town council Tuesday approved to increase town employees' out-of-pocket maximum to $2,000 per year but keep the deductible at $500.
The town council approved to keep John Alden Insurance as their insurance carrier for 2004 with the changes.
Chris Cotton, insurance agent for the town, said when he was looking at insurance for the town, he tried to keep any increases under 15 percent as directed by the town council. However, with premium increases for next year, the town's insurance costs for town employees would increase at 17.6 percent if the council made no changes to the employees' benefits.
If the town council approved changes to the town employees' deductibles or out-of-pocket expenses, it would lower the cost. The least painful change for the employees, Cotton said, would be to switch the co-pay from 80-20 percent of $5,000 to 80-20 percent of $10,000.
"I still think increasing the out-of-pocket is best," said councilman Bill Hane.
Councilman Paul Stoelting's motion to keep John Alden as the town's insurance carrier with the increase in out-of-pocket expenses unanimously was approved.
The town's property, casualty, auto and liability insurance also was approved - at an 11 percent increase for 2004 over 2003.
The council approved to accept the recommendation by Greg Miller of Miller Insurance Agency of Downey Insurance, Kokomo. For 2003-04, the town's insurance totaled $67,500. For 2004-05, the total will be $75,133.
In other business, the town council:
• Approved a reciprocal agreement with Warsaw for assistance in case of a national emergency.
• Accepted the resignation of Mike Davis from the Syracuse/Turkey Creek Township Fire Department.
• Approved sending firefighter Jeremy Caudill to paramedic certification class for $3,500.
• Tabled Fire Chief Mickey Scott's request until Dec. 30 to purchase a Dimension 4600 Series Dell computer for $1,759.04.
• Approved Scott's request to purchase a digital projector from HP products for $798.
• Approved the 2004 Syracuse/Turkey Creek Township Fire and EMS department officers as: Fire Department: Howard Birkel, first assistant fire chief; Kevin Grindle, second assistant fire chief; Brian Richcreek, fire captain; Brian Simmons, fire lieutenant; Roger Grothaus, fire department secretary/treasurer; EMS: Lindsey Hurt, EMS lieutenant; and Sarah Lancaster, EMS secretary/treasurer.
• Approved the appointment of Sariah Morgan to Syracuse Parks and Recreation.
• Approved the purchase of an $1,800 aqua tap machine from Utility Supply Co. for the water department.
• Approved the purchase of a plazma cutter from Purity Cylinder Gases Inc. for the street department for $2,334.52.
• Approved the purchase of a $25,300 17-cubic-yard leaf collector from Brown Equipment Co., Fort Wayne, for the street department. An Indiana Department of Environmental Management grant will reimburse the town 50 percent of the cost.
• Presented a plaque to retiring clerk-treasurer Elgie Tatman for 14 years of service; council chairman Barbara Carwile for 15 years of service; and Bill Hane for six years of service. Carwile and Hane were not re-elected to the council this year.
The town council's last meeting of the year is Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in the town hall. [[In-content Ad]]