Les Senesac, who hails from Beecher in Will County, Illinois received approval for two mobile home permits at Tuesday night’s Carmi City Council meeting. Larry Hite spoke during a special public hearing prior to the regular session on Mr. Senesac’s behalf, saying he was in the process of improving the trailer park by moving out older homes and moving in newer units. The homes, a ’95 and a ’98, will be located at 1106 West Drive and 1131 West Drive.
Council members also heard from David Andreas of Mutual Medical. Andreas was on hand to renew the city’s third party administrator for health insurance and prior to asking for a six percent hike in premiums, detailed the savings the company has brought the city over the past 6 years.
Andreas says the city was spending nearly a million dollars a year back in 2009. Since then, costs have dropped almost yearly from $824,000 down to $738,000. Over the last 6 years, he estimates Mutual Medical has saved the city nearly 2 million dollars compared to the plan they used prior. Andreas called Carmi the “poster child” for successful self-funded insurance plans. In addition to the Admin Fee going up from $25 per employee (of which Carmi has about 63) to $30 each, a new fee, called a Risk Management fee is being included, but will go directly to the City Clerk Brian Allen. Andreas explains the purpose for giving someone local a $3,780 per year “what he calls a stipend”…
“Brian puts in a lot of work on this healthcare plan. He’s very instrumental in talking to ACP folks, these are folks that are going to experience large claims. And we want to move them to ACP when it’s in their best financial interest. Sometimes it requires someone that they know talking to them. When I call, I’m a guy in Peoria calling them on the phone about their insurance plan. So we find that groups that have a dedicated risk manager at the employee level experience the most savings from the ACP and the MRP and Maxi because they help us get those folks slotted in those plans right away.”
The renewal will keep admin fees locked in at $30 per employee for the next 4 years. The February 2016 through January 31st, 2017 premium will be $792,000. Council unanimously approved the renewal.
Mayor Pollard reported after moving concrete behind the light plant, workers found some contaminated soil and said it appears it’s going to be a very costly repair though it was too early to say what the contamination was. Alderwoman Sheila Headlee had this to say…
“I can tell you right now the money is not in the budget to fix this problem. When it was brought to our attention, it’s going to take away from the projects we did budget for. So there’s not gonna be much money because the money’s just not there. I hate to say it, but there are gonna be some projects that are gonna be put on the back burner.”
Alderman Steve Winkleman asked what had caused the area to be disturbed in the first place. Mayor Pollard reported…
“It was back where the concrete wall was at with all the old tanks on it. It was brought to our attention they wanted it removed because you can hardly get around the building or anything so when they started busting up the concrete and that’s when they found the contaminated dirt.”
Alderman Mike Knight commended all veterans and was moved to remind those in attendance that Private First Class Cunningham’s remains had been brought back from Vietnam after being lost decades ago. Funeral services and burial will take place Thursday.
The next Carmi City Coucil meeting comes your way February 2nd.
