PARKER — Facing a 20 percent increase from the city’s current health insurance provider, the Parker City Council has opted to change plans to Blue Cross and Blue Shield, although the new policy will amount to a 30 percent increase.
The city’s current insurance with Aetna costs the city $208,320 per year and would increase by $62,612 with Blue Cross.
The council Tuesday night decided to go with the more expensive insurance because of a lower annual deductible, $500, and that Blue Cross applies to more health services, particularly the only cardiologist in the area. Councilman Ken Jones said not having the cardiology group on the insurance was a repeated complaint.
The council was expecting an increase in insurance cost, but Mayor Rich Musgrave estimated a shortfall of $22,000 for the budget. He said he plans to cut discretionary items in the budget, allowing department heads the option to issue bonuses or raises, but not completely.
Musgrave expects the city to still have a surplus of $590,323 at the end of the fiscal year, but part of that money probably will go toward paying $75,000 to $100,000 to remediate mold in multiple city buildings. While the city does not have black mold, several locations including City Hall, the police station, library, community center and archive room had registered forms of mold.
The council also discussed purchasing or financing three police cars. The council voted to have Chief Dennes Hutto, who was sworn in Tuesday with former Chief Charles Sweatt attending, order the vehicles and research the advantages of both financial options. Hutto is just the fourth police chief in Parker’s history.
The council will have its budget hearings at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 22 and 29.
In other business, the council tabled the administration of a $250 code enforcement fine for a recreational vehicle parked at 4510 Horne Ave. The council is allowing property owner Anthony Mullinax to obtain both a building permit — to park the vehicle in the front yard — and a remodeling permit for the permanent structure at the address.
