Present: Chairman Rackow, Alderpersons Sevenich, Pazdernik, Seiser, Kedrowski

Also Present: Mayor Wescott, City Attorney Molepske, C/T Schlice, Clerk Zdroik, Directors Gardner, Schrader, Van Alstine; Alderpersons Walther, Barr, Molski, Nealis, Phillips; Mayoral Assistant Marciniak, Personnel Specialist Jakusz, Police Captain Dowling, Assessor Kuehn, Water & Sewage Administrator Disher, Mike Jacquart (Journal), Gene Kemmeter (Portage County Gazette), Scott Krueger (WIZD)


1. Request to refill vacancies in the Community Development Department:

City Electrical Inspector
City Building Inspector

Director Gardner, in a letter addressed to Mayor Wescott, is requesting permission to fill the positions of City Electrical Inspector and City Building Inspector. The incumbent City Electrical Inspector has given his letter to the director indicating his intent to retire from City employment approximately March 12, 2001, dependent upon implementation of a Post Employment Health Plan.

At the Personnel Committee meeting of August 14, 2000, and the Common Council meeting of August 21, 2000, permission was granted to create a new, permanent one-quarter time position of Electrical Inspector in the Community Development office in addition to the position of Building Inspector.

The awarding of the position will take place after a definite retirement date has been received from the retiring Electrical Inspector.

Ald. Seiser moved, Ald. Kedrowski seconded, to approve the request to refill the vacancies of City Electrical Inspector and City Building Inspector in the Community Development office.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

2. Notice of Intent - employee seeking public office.

In a letter addressed to Mayor Wescott and the Personnel Committee, Election/Licensing Specialist Betty A. Bruski Mallek is asking permission to seek the office of village clerk in the Village of Junction City. This will be her 11th 2-year election to the office.

The City of Stevens Point Administrative Policy 1.10 requires that all employees disclose their intention to run for a position prior to active participation.

Chairman Rackow commended City employees who come before the Personnel Committee asking permission to seek public office. These employees would like to perform their civic duty, if qualified and when they can.

Ald. Sevenich moved, Ald. Pazdernik seconded, to approve the request from Mrs. Mallek regarding her intention to seek the office of village clerk in the Village of Junction City.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

3. Distribution of the 2001 Management Pay Plan Chart.

A copy of the 2001 Management Pay Plan Chart is included in the packet for information only.

4. Update on performance evaluations.

The formal evaluations which begin in the fall of the year and conclude in December of the same year have been conducted for management employees since 1995. Job descriptions are reviewed annually in this process with the updates done if necessary.

5. Discussion and possible action on implementation of a Preferred Provider Program effective 01/01/2001 for non-represented employees and retirees.

Representatives from the Humana/Employer’s Health gave an overview of the plan to non-represented employees of the City during informational meetings held here. The necessary materials were also distributed to non-represented employees.

An employee seeking medical care from those providers within the network would be responsible for the deductible of $100 for a single plan and $200 for a family plan, per calendar year.

An employee seeking service outside the network will be responsible for their deductible and 10% of the cost of the service with a cap of $2,500. The maximum out-of-pocket cost for the single plan is $350 and $700 for the family plan. These amounts include the annual deductible.

Humana/Employer’s Health is requesting a 30-day window, making the implementation date to be March 1, 2001.

C/T Schlice suggested implementing the plan as a "silent PPO" which means the City would reimburse employees who seek services outside of the network. The claim must be processed by Humana/Employer’s Health.

Personnel Specialist Jakusz explained that the City gets a discount from providers listed in the network. The discounts range anywhere from 7% to 10% or even 12% from specialty clinics. She noted that the insurance premiums are driven by claims. Currently, it costs employees who retired from the City and who choose to keep the City’s insurance policy $879 for a family plan. The City is trying to look for ways to maintain a level of benefits so the premium does not continue to go up by 8% or 10% every year, and give the employees the freedom to look for the provider of their choice.

Ald. Seiser moved, Ald. Kedrowski seconded, to approve the implementation of a Preferred Provider Program for non-represented employees, with the following conditions: (1) that the out-of-pocket cap will be $2,500; (2) that the effective date is March 1, 2001; (3) that the City implement the plan as a "silent PPO" which means the City would reimburse employees who seek services outside of the network; and (4) that the progress will be reviewed in November 2001.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

6. Discussion and possible action on implementation of a Post Employment Health Plan effective 01/01/2001 for non-represented employees.

A Post Employment Health Plan provides an employee with a vehicle with which employees can save money now for health care costs to be used when they retire. Employees can set aside money on a pre-tax basis from their paycheck and use this money for related health care costs upon retirement. Employees can also roll over accrued sick leave conversion benefits as well as unused vacation that he/she earned which can be used for health insurance premium payments upon retirement.

There will be an annual administrative fee of $25 per participant that will be paid by the City. The benefit to the City is the anticipated savings on social security and the City will no longer be required to administer the sick leave conversion accounts for retirees.

The action this evening will only approve the roll over of accrued benefits such as sick leave and unused vacation that can be used for health insurance premium payments upon retirement.

The amount of money that an employee can set aside from their paycheck will be determined at a later date.

Ald. Seiser moved, Ald. Sevenich seconded, to approve the implementation of a Post Employment Health Plan for non-represented employees, effective March 1, 2001; that the action being approved this evening is the roll over of accrued benefits such as sick leave and unused vacation that can be used for health insurance premium payments upon the employees’ retirement;
and the amount of money that an employee can set aside from their paycheck will be determined at a later date.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.


7. Requests for out-of-state travel:

Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Schiefelbein
Transit Manager Lemke

Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Schiefelbein and Transit Manager Lemke are requesting permission to attend a mandatory pre-production contract review meeting at the Gillig Corporation in Hayward, California, on January 29 and 30, 2001.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss all of the technical specifications in detail involving procurement of City buses.

The cost for the trip will be $2,267.00, which has been budgeted.

Ald. Pazdernik moved, Ald. Seiser seconded, for approval of the out-of-state travel requests from Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Schiefelbein and Transit Manager Lemke.

Ald. Kedrowski said that since the meeting is mandatory and the federal government is paying a good portion of the cost of the buses, he is wondering if the cost of the out-of-state travel can be charged to the federal government.

C/T Schlice said since this is a transit related expense, the expenses could be submitted for cost sharing between the state and the federal governments.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

8. Adjournment - 6:40 P.M.

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