Halfway there

The Everly City Council on April 13 approved one part of an employee health care plan while tabling the other half.

The council unanimously agreed to cover 100 percent of single premiums for full-time employees. An agreement on family coverage was ultimately tabled after extensive discussion.

"There's still a lot of grey area in there with this insurance," said Mayor Ron Thompson. "We have to do what's right for Everly and its citizens."

The move is hoped to retain current employees and make the city more competitive in the job market when positions open. Discussion about insurance was sparked last month after Street Superintendent Nate Fitzgerald submitted his resignation, citing rising health care costs for his family as the primary reason.

Currently, the city offers a $625 stipend to full-time employees to use on health insurance. It also offers an individual health care plan for them to use the stipend on. According to discussion, only one full-time employee is signed up for the city's plan and the other two take the stipend to use as income or to pay for their own insurance plan.

Consensus of the council was to quit offering the stipend and instead completely cover single premiums. City Clerk Kristi Fliss said she uses the city-offered plan and only has to pay 17 cents more per month than the $625 stipend.

The council also discussed fully covering family health care insurance; however, a decision was ultimately tabled. The council wasn't in favor of covering the package completely, and instead wanted to look at the cost impact based on paying for a percentage of the package.

Still, members seemed to be in consensus about offering coverage and paying for a portion of the family plan.

"It's very rare that an employer covers 100 percent of family," said Council Member Denise Cook. "We should look at the cost to cover 60 percent, 70 percent and 80 percent."

Funding for the health insurance coverage will come from the budgeted stipend monies and other areas. The council was in favor of finding ways to pay for employee health care coverage – both single and family – without raising the property tax levy, if possible. The next chance at levying for health care coverage won't be possible until FY25, and the council has approached the gas board about helping out in the meantime.

The council was committed to offering some sort of family health insurance plan to employees. The issue will be discussed at future meetings.

"That's going to be a huge selling point for us in getting applications and retaining employees," said Council Member Tara Patrick.

• Still seeking new street superintendent

In other business, the council rejected a counteroffer from Fitzgerald to remain street superintendent while taking a pay cut to $55,000 annually and adding full health insurance coverage for his family.

Fitzgerald recently accepted a position in Spencer with a better health insurance plan than the city offers. However, he said last month he would be open to staying if the city changed its insurance offerings.

The council was unable to meet Fitzgerald's deadline, as members are still gathering information about family health insurance plans.

Thompson lauded Fitzgerald's work with the city and wished him the best.

"Nate has done a fantastic job for us over the years," he said.