City health insurance costs drop

By BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Wait until next year.

City of Mt. Pleasant officials received a pleasant surprise recently when they learned that the city?s health insurance premiums would be declining by 12.19 percent effective June 1.

?We saw a good increase in our premiums, which is positive news,? remarked City Administrator Brent Schleisman.

Mayor Steve Brimhall, however, said with Obamacare kicking in next year, it is anybody?s guess what impact that will have on health insurance premiums, but the mayor thinks premiums will rise.

Wellmark health insurance premiums for the next year (June 1, 2013 to June 1, 2014) will have the city paying a $363.63 per person monthly premium for single coverage and $921.59 per month for family. That compares with respective costs of $419.79 for single and $1,049.52 for family coverage during the current year.

Schleisman said about 40 employees are on the city?s health insurance plan. The city pays the full premium for single coverage and the employee is assessed 28 percent of the difference between the single and family premium if he or she chooses family coverage.

The city?s employee group term life and accidental death and disability insurance premium will remain at $5,210.28 annually. The city picks up the entire premium on the coverage.

Fye Excavating, Inc., Sperry, received the bid on reconstruction and drainage/sanitary sewer improvements on the alley between Jefferson and Main Streets running from Clay to Washington streets. Fye, one of four bidders on the project, submitted a cost of $97,491.29. The engineer?s estimate was $124,577 and bids ranged upward to $117,614.

Engineer Jim Warner of Warner Engineering Associates Inc. said the first paving work on Grand Avenue may be delayed until the beginning of next week, due to the recent wet weather. Warner said that even with the weather delays ?things are going well and they are ahead of schedule.?

In a couple of housekeeping matters, city officials said they are disappointed with people not removing items not picked up during spring clean-up and grass clippings being blown into the street.

Schleisman said letters will be mailed this week to people with debris placed at curbside. Brimhall added that there seem to be problems every year with items not taken being removed from the curb following spring clean-up. ?This (spring clean-up) can be the best or worst program in town.?

Councilman Steve Engberg noted that grass clippings blown into the street flow into and clog the sewer system during heavy rains, causing sewer backups into residential basements.

In other business, the council:

? Authorized a utility easement with Two Rivers Bank;

? Accepted the terminal project and learned that Hon will donate new office furniture for the building;

? Approved an agreement with Aviation Blvd LLC (Reunion Vineyard) to allow them to hook into the city sanitary sewer. There will be no cost to the city since the property is outside the city limits and the sewer rate for the winery will be double that for city customers.

? Approved the appointment of Patrick Fox as a fire fighter reserve.

Council members meet again in regular session Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. in City Hall.