Traverse City Record-Eagle

Archive: Friday

October 30, 2009

Grand Traverse Board scraps 10% co-pay

BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY

TRAVERSE CITY -- Grand Traverse County's elected officials won't get a pay raise next year, but they will pocket an extra $500 to $1,400 because county commissioners won't require them to help pay for health insurance.

The board voted 5 to 3 this week to reject a proposed 1.5 percent salary increase for elected officials, but scrapped their 10 percent co-pay on health insurance.

The county sheriff, clerk, register of deeds, treasurer, drain commissioner and prosecuting attorney are among a group of 50 non-union county employees, mostly supervisors and department heads, who have to pay a portion of their health insurance.

The move brings them in line with the rest of the county's 520 employees, including the nine-member board of commissioners, who have no co-pay requirements.

And that's the problem, said Jamel Anderson, 911 director, who's paid 10 percent of her insurance costs over the past five years, or since the county board said it intended to implement co-pays for all employees.

"I have to say I'm pretty amazed the board of commissioners doesn't pay 10 percent and disappointed," Anderson said. "You guys are leaders in this community and I'm sorry to tell you this, right now you're not doing a very good job. You should have been the first one to take the 10 percent."

County Commissioner Christine Maxbauer agreed with Anderson.

"I think it's a step backwards. Instead of eliminating co-pays we ought to be demanding co-pays," Maxbauer said. "Everyone should be paying a portion of their health benefits. Everyone, without exception."

Maxbauer and Commissioners Beth Friend and Mike Stepka voted against the proposal. The three don't take free health insurance from the county.

Commissioners Ross Richardson, Larry Inman and Bruce Hooper, all of whom accept the insurance benefit, voted yes. They were joined by board Chairman Dick Thomas and Commissioner Addison Wheelock Jr. Commissioner Larry Fleis was absent.

Hooper and Inman also voted in favor of an earlier motion that failed 5 to 2 to give both the 1.5 percent raise and eliminate the co-pay.

Wheelock called his decision a compromise.

"We freeze the wages, we eliminate the co-pay, because none of our other groups have a co-pay," he said.

County Administrator Dennis Aloia said he likely will recommend a deal for the rest of the county's non-union employees that mirrors that of the elected officials.

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