October 21, 2009

PERRYVILLE – The cost of health insurance is rising less than five percent for the city of Perryville and its employees.

City Administrator Brent Buerck said the contract with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield for employee health and life insurance coverage for 2010 was given first and second reading and final approval as an emergency ordinance during last night’s meeting of the board of aldermen.

City Clerk Tracy Prost says the premiums are going up 4.6 percent this year. Last year they rose 12.8 percent. Prost crunched the numbers to come up with the monthly premiums under the new contract:

The city covers the premiums for its workers, and that cost is going up just under $25 a month.

If an employee has his or her spouse on the city’s health insurance plan, the increase to him would be just under $25 a month.

For employees who have their children on the city’s plan, the increase a little more than $18 a month.

Those employees who have their spouse and their children on their plan will have to pay $42.76 more a month.

Prost said the deductibles and co-pays remain about the same under the new contract which takes effect on January 1^st. She said the city spends $54,000 a year insuring its workers.

In other business at last night’s meeting:

The board approved a nearly $6,000 invoice from URS Corporation for the airport ALP update and AWOS or automated weather observing station.

Prost estimated the AWOS may be installed at the municipal airport in about six months

Once in place the station is expected to provide current weather conditions including temperature, sky condition, wind speed and direction, barometric pressure. It is hoped that it will be linked with the internet so that anyone with access to the internet will be able to check it for weather conditions. Automated weather observation stations are located all across the country, providing internet browsers with current and historical weather information.

The board approved a recommendation from Public Safety Committee Chairman Flentge to place a street light at the intersection of Forest Avenue and West Harvest Circle and the posting of a city limits sign on V Road.

The board agreed to allow Tom Welch to sell concessions in the park, but noted the agreement is non-exclusive meaning others may be interested in selling concessions in the park.

The board agreed to provide the labor to do the rough electrical work at the downtown Community Center as it moves ahead with plans to install automatic doors at the center. A professional electrician will do the finish electrical work.

One measure was on the agenda for second reading and final passage: an easement deed from Frank D. Emmendorfer II for sinkhole repairs was approved.

Two other measures were on the agenda for first and second reading and final passage as emergencies:

A grant award agreement with The Missouri Foundation for Health regarding a nearly $260,000 PATH grant

Approving the admission of the City of Plattsburg, Missouri, and the city of Fulton, Missouri, as new members of Interstate Municipal Gas Agency

One measure was on the agenda for first reading: It would limit the number of and length of time of yard sales and Garage Sales

The city administrator noted that he is starting the process which will lead to the next city budget. The new budget will take affect April 1^st, 2010.

He also discussed creating IDs for city workers and reminded city departments to look over the list of surplus items the city will be auctioning off Saturday in case they see anything they can use.

He also told the board about a TIF webinar the city will be hosting Tuesday and discussed with the aldermen the trees that have been planted around the downtown square. He said the decision was made in the past to stick with one variety and it appears the Bradford pears are working well. He said a new variety of pear tree, the Cleveland, has been developed and while it looks like a Bradford pear, it is somewhat sturdier and will likely be used more now and in the future than the Bradford.