Published: November 18, 2009 09:59 pm      

Benefits in doubt? Price proposing elimination of council health insurance

The New Albany City Council will be asked to rescind its health care benefits option today.

Councilman Steve Price authored a resolution that will require just one vote. If passed, the council will no longer be able to take city insurance for themselves or their families.

The council OK’d offering itself insurance last year in addition to its normal pay. Three members — Diane McCartin-Benedetti, Kevin Zurschmiede and Bob Caesar — are on the city’s plan.

Their coverage costs the city about $30,000 a year.

With talk of laying off public safety workers, eliminating a firehouse and cutting back funding in other city departments, Price believes the city leaders should set an example by eliminating the expense of council insurance coverage.

“Everybody is pointing the finger, and to be honest with you, I’ve had enough,” he said. “I’m ready to start leading. We should have never taken the insurance — some things we voted on we should not have done especially in this economic climate.”

When interviewed in October by The Tribune, Benedetti said an insurance package is a good incentive to entice qualified candidates to seek a council seat.

Insurance is offered to councils in other surrounding municipalities including the Jeffersonville City Council.

But the current council sought election without the lure of health insurance, Price said.

“If we get this done, then that shows all departments, the administration — it shows the public we mean business,” he said.

Price conceded he might not even get a second from another council member in order to bring the resolution to a vote. Since it’s a resolution, there will be just one reading.

Councilman John Gonder doesn’t believe there’s much support for the measure.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said.

If passed, insurance would expire for the council Dec. 31.

Gonder said such legislation would have a great impact on the council members that take insurance. He said a June 1, 2010, deadline would be a better date to aim for ending coverage if the measure passes.

“You have to give people a long time to adapt to that,” Gonder said.



Also scheduled for Thursday

• The council will vote by resolution on the establishment of a professional grant writer contract. The body approved the position Sept. 17.

When hired, the grant writer would be paid out of the Economic Development Income Tax fund and the contract would be managed by the New Albany Redevelopment Commission.

The position would pay up to $50,000 a year as a professional services arrangement.

• Gonder is asking for first and second readings on an ordinance to replace the tabled building permit moratorium measure.

The new ordinance basically calls for the same action as the one it replaces: Construction that occurs while the city’s stormwater masterplan is being finalized will be subject to a look back review after the drainage blueprint is completed.

There is new language warning developers of monetary risk if they choose to build before the drainage plan is finished. Gonder tabled the original ordinance last month in order to allow council attorney Stan Robison more time to research its legality.

There have been threats by developers of a lawsuit against the city for trying to enforce an after-the-fact law on builders.

The new ordinance states developers that build between the time the measure is passed and the adoption date of the drainage masterplan “are doing so at some monetary risk that the work they perform will be judged insufficient, or inferior to the standards not yet set by the stormwater masterplan.”

But the ordinance states it would exclude any construction commenced after July 1 of 2009.

Gonder said he talked with Robison, and the new language means the review of developments started before the masterplan is finished will only apply to construction that begins after the ordinance is passed.

The push for a building moratorium started with residents stricken by flooding damage this spring and summer. Several residents asked the council to consider tightening drainage laws for developments that they blamed for contributing to flooding problems due to runoff caused from asphalt.

Gonder acknowledged that if passed, the ordinance will not immediately stop flooding in the city.

“It’s not going to solve it completely, but it gives people that are engaged in that type of business a little bit of notice that we’re going to be serious about” drainage, he said.