City OKs IACT Medical Trust Agreement, Buys Market Street Property
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw City Council approved a resolution Wednesday that will save city employees on out-of-pocket expenses for health insurance.
The council approved entering into an agreement with Indiana Association of Cities and Town's Medical Trust for city employees' health insurance.
The purpose of the trust is to provide medical, dental and vision coverage for city employees. The insurance plan will go into effect Nov. 1, and is a three-year plan.
"I think this is a win-win situation for everyone. It is not only better for employees, but a better plan that is cheaper," said Jennifer Whitaker, Warsaw human resources director.
A city department head meeting was scheduled for this morning, and IACT officials will meet with city employees Tuesday to discuss the benefits of the plan.
Whitaker said city employees are currently self insured, and have a current annual deductible of $300 per person and $500 per family.
They also currently have a $1,800 maximum out-of-pocket expense they are responsible for per individual, and a $3,500 out-of-pocket expense per family.
With the IACT Medical Trust Plan, city employees will have a $250 deductible per employee, a $500 deductible per family, a $1,000 out-of-pocket expense per employee and a $2,000 out-of-pocket expense per family.
There also are wellness benefits in the IACT plan that the city plan did not have.
Thallemer said he supports the IACT plan.
"Our employees will end up with a better benefit package and less out-of-pocket expenses," Thallemer said.
In other business, the council approved the city purchasing land for right of way for the Lake City Greenway.
Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety still needs to approve the property purchase, said Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins.
The city approved purchasing the property for right of way from Jack Kelley, who owned the property at 787 W. Market St.
Warsaw is acquiring 0.60 acres of land from the property.
All of the land being purchased will be used to build a portion of the Lake City Greenway with landscaping, according to City Planner Jeremy Skinner.
The portion is part of the Market Street part of the Greenway, and will connect the Chinworth Bridge leg to the trails in Winona Lake.
The grass along the trail will be seeded, and more than 40 trees will be planted in cooperation with NIPSCO.
In other business, the city approved five transfers for the Warsaw Street Department.
Transfers include $25,000 from street budget salaries to street repairs and maintenance; $20,000 from street other services and charges to street repairs and maintenance; $5,000 from street professional services to street operating expenses; $10,000 from street rentals to street operating expenses; and $20,000 from equipment street to repairs and maintenance.
The council also approved a wooden NIPSCO pole be replaced with an aluminum pole at the intersection of West Market, West Center and Hand Avenue.
