Newbern aldermen pass new health insurance plan for city employees

Newbern city employees will have the option of having their insurance benefits reduced or paying a premium to keep their current level of benefits according to a plan passed by the Newbern Board of Aldermen at their meeting Tuesday night.

If the aldermen had kept the current system, health insurance costs would increase by 19 percent more than last year. The new plan will increase the city's insurance costs by just 4 percent.

"We need to give the employees a choice," Aldmerman Bill Parks said while the board was discussing the proposal. He also suggested that the board should find out what the town's employees want.

"I know what they want. They want to keep it just like it is," City Recorder Steve Anderson said. He pointed out that the employees would prefer to keep their current level of benefits and not pay a premium.

With insurance being the topic at hand, Alderman Kathy Clements took the opportunity to bring up the aldermen's insurance plans.

Currently, aldermen Mary Dycus, Robert Hart and Bill Parks receive health insurance that is paid for by the town of Newbern. Larry Fesmire takes advantage of the dental insurance plan, but opts not to take the health insurance.

Clements said that it wasn't right for the aldermen to receive the insurance. She said she didn't want the board to simply take their insurance away.

"I want people to realize what they're doing and surrender it [their insurance]," Clements said.

Dycus said only one person has ever complained to her about her insurance. Though she said that after she explained the board of aldermen approved the plan, the person was satisfied.

"I will vote to keep my insurance, because I don't think I'm doing anything wrong," Dycus said.

Hart defended his use of the insurance.

"I did not run for this position to get the insurance. I ran for this office to serve the community," Hart said. He added that no one had ever complained to him about the insurance situation.

However, Parks, despite receiving insurance benefits, made a motion that the city would no longer provide insurance to alderman. Clements seconded the motion.

The motion was tabled while the aldermen confer with the city attorney to ensure that they can legally take away benefits from sitting board members.

Further discussion about the insurance and budget led to a debate about the public works director's salary. This in turn led to a short but heated exchange between Hart and Mayor K.W. Dennison, who was once the public works director for Newbern.

Hart suggested that the current public works director was more qualified than Dennison. Dennison took issue with Hart's statement and quickly pointed out he had some 30 years of experience in public works and was amply qualified for the job.

A motion was made to keep the public works director's salary the same. The motion was tabled.

The Newbern Board of Aldermen will meet again on Tuesday night to consider the tabled items.