The city leaders finally reached a compromise on how much each employee should contribute toward the cost of their health insurance premium.
The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously on Monday night to divide the employee population into three payment categories on the basis of income after a second suggestion by Alderman Gary Fratesi was approved.
Under the agreed upon proposal, employees making $10.50 per hour or less are to contribute $40 per month, employees with an annual income of $20,001 to $40,000 will contribute $75 a month and any employees earning $40,001 and up will contribute $100 per month, base-pay rate. Fratesi made this final motion after his first suggestion, which would have also altered the initial motion by Alderman Ruben Woods, failed on a 2-3 vote. Only Woods and Alderman Marvin Elder voted yes for that.
Woods had proposed that a two-level plan consisting of a $40 per month and a $75 per month outlay, based on the previously presented petition by the employees, be implemented. However, before they could put it to a vote, Fratesi offered his first counter-proposal. “It’s kind of, to me, one-sided. I think we need three levels,” Fratesi said.
His initial suggestion was to add an additional level of $120 for employees making over $40,000 per year; however, Woods rejected that idea and said he would rather stick with his original plan, which was just two levels of separation.
After continued discussion and a desire to formulate a compromise, Fratesi then proposed reducing the $120 top-level amount to $100 and that is the measure that passed. Fratesi asserted that he was just trying to be fair.
Alderman Darrell Simpson also contributed his thoughts to the discussion. “When we go to buy gas, it don’t make a dang how much money you make, you’re paying $1.65 for gas, so if you want to be fair everybody should pay the same,” he said.
Nonetheless, Simpson added that he was in favor of the three-level split that Fratesi recommended because it would allow those who make more to contribute more and thereby generate more money for the city to help cover the high rates.
Additionally, the aldermen also chose not to make any changes to the current emergency proclamation, which includes a mask mandate, social distancing restrictions and a curfew.
And it was again reiterated that no homecoming type celebration or gathering has been sanctioned or approved by the powers that be nor will any be allowed.
