Committee Findings on Council Health Benefits

Several months ago the City Council faced an ordinance that would have provided them with medical benefits at a similar rate as other City employees. Currently, Council is given the option of medical coverage, but the rate they are paying equals nearly half their total salary. After much debate, it was decided to form an independent committee to address the question of Council’s eligibility for medical benefits. The committee consisted of Johnathan Phillips, Sharon Winters, and John Pellessier. The committee presented their findings and recommendations at today’s study session.

• The City Council is neither full- or part-time. The committee looked at how the Council was classified to help make a determination for benefits. They found that in the municipal code, “elected officials” (i.e. City Council members) are not defined as either full- or part-time employees. They are defined by the City’s retirement system as full-time, but after a survey of outgoing and existing Councilmembers, it was determined they put in an average of 32 hours per week.
• Councilmembers should pay at a part-time employee rate. Since Councilmembers work an average of 32 hours per week they should pay into the system as part-time employees.
• The Council should receive benefits at the same rate as a .9 FTE employee. Based on the amount of time required of Councilmembers, and the on call nature of their job, the committee felt this was an appropriate assessment of their time.

Council will vote tonight on final reading of the ordinance.