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[CALL TO ORDER ]
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY.WELCOME TO SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL THIS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21ST, 2026.
ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM.
[1. 26-01370 Establishing health insurance rates and plan design for employees and retirees effective January 1, 2027. By Mayor-President Sid Edwards.]
ALL RIGHT.ITEM ONE, ESTABLISHING HEALTH INSURANCE RATES AND PLAN DESIGN FOR EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES.
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2027 BY MAYOR, PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS.
I'M GONNA HAVE COMMENTS BY THE MAYOR AND I THINK A, UM, PRESENTATION BY THE CONSULTANT.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'VE BEEN HERE A LITTLE WHILE ALREADY.
UH, WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTHCARE PLAN AND WHAT EVERYONE'S BEEN WORKING ON, AND A LITTLE HISTORY WITH IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HEAR A LOT OF THINGS TONIGHT, AND THERE'S SOME STUFF I WANT TO CLARIFY AND SOME STUFF I CERTAINLY WANTED DISPEL.
SO THE HISTORY OF IT IS WE HAD OUR INTERNAL TEAM WORKING ON THIS, UH, THIS PLAN, UH, FOR QUITE A WHILE.
WE HAD SOME BUMPS IN THE ROAD RIGHT AT THE START IN TERMS OF NOT HAVING MAYBE THE CORRECT DATA OR THE CORRECT NUMBERS, WHICH WAS, UH, CORRECTED FROM THERE.
A PLAN GOT PUT ON MY DESK, UH, SOME WEEKS AGO WITH A 50% INCREASE IN, UH, THE PREMIUM AND IN THE HEALTH PLAN, 50% WITH A COUNCIL MEETING CALLED WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
WHEN THAT GOT TO MY DESK, I THREW IT IN A GARBAGE CAN, AND I SAID, WE'RE NOT ROLLING THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, I'M NOT ABOUT A 50% INCREASE.
AND, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF CHATTER ON THE OUTSIDE.
SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES, SOME OF OUR UNIONS, UH, WANTED TO BE A PART.
NOW, ONE THING I WANTED TO DISPEL, IT'S BEEN SAID BY, UH, ONE OF THE UNIONS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
NOW, PRIOR TO WHEN THIS 50% INCREASE WAS BEING, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT OUT THERE, THEY WEREN'T IN THE ROOM, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN, BUT I KILLED THAT.
AND WHEN WE STARTED OVER, I INVITED ALL OF THE UNIONS INTO THE ROOM AND THEY CAME.
UM, MY, UH, EXPECTATION OF MY INTERNAL TEAM AND THE UNIONS AND SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES WAS, EVERYBODY HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
EVERYBODY HAMMERED THIS THING OUT.
AND LET'S COME TO A, A GOOD DECISION FOR OUR CITIZENS AND OUR, OR OUR EMPLOYEES, A PLAN.
I THINK IT WAS ALMOST 10 HOURS AND TWO DAYS THAT OUR, UH, UNIONS AND, UH, OUR INTERNAL TEAM WORKED.
ADMINISTRATION WORKED ON THIS, AND A PLAN, UH, WAS CRAFTED.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WANTED TO ASK BY, BY SOME OF THE UNIONS WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, LET'S LOWER THOSE PREMIUMS ON THAT ORIGINAL PLAN AND KIND OF PUT THE IMPETUS ON THE DEDUCTIBLE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS SUGGESTED, WHICH IS WHAT THE TEAM DID.
I WENT OUT OF TOWN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND GOT A CALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS ON THE NEW PLAN.
SO I JUST CAME ON BACK HOME AND I LOOKED AT IT AND, UH, I JUST FELT THERE WERE SOME THINGS IN IT I DIDN'T LIKE.
SO I ASKED OUR TEAM TO TAKE OUT THE SPOUSAL, UH, SURCHARGE.
UH, I DON'T THINK, UH, WE WERE READY FOR THAT AS WELL AS LOWER, UH, THOSE PREMIUMS, YOU KNOW, WHICH, WHICH WERE LOWERED.
WE MADE A TWEAK AT THAT POINT.
THE PLAN WAS SET TO COME BEFORE OUR COUNCIL.
AND AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, AS THE EVENING WAS GOING ON, UH, OUR CONSULTANT HUB HAD MET WITH SEVERAL OF YOU, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MET, MET WITH THE, UH, THE FIRE UNION.
OKAY? AND WHAT I GOT HERE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OUR MEETINGS START AT FOUR.
IT'S FOUR 10, IT'S FOUR 15, AND PEOPLE ARE HITTING ME UP ABOUT, COACH, LET'S PULL IT, LET'S HOLD UP.
I'M LIKE, WHY? YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MY DEAL'S ALWAYS THE VOTES TO VOTE.
WHY SHOULD WE DO IT? THEY SAID, BECAUSE HUB GOT WITH, UH, THE FIRE UNION AND SEVERAL OTHERS, AND GAVE A PRESENTATION THAT FINALLY MADE SENSE.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT THESE FOLKS ARE GONNA BE FOR IT, BUT IT MADE SENSE.
SO MY WHOLE DEAL, THE REASON I DECIDED, HEY, WE'LL HOLD UP, WE'LL PULL IT, WAS TO GIVE HUB TIME TO GO TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS, TO OUR COUNCIL, TO THE FIRE UNION TO PRESENT.
AND THE, THE EARLIEST THEY COULD DO IT WAS LAST NIGHT.
SO I GOT A CALL THAT SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WERE NOT GONNA SUPPORT IT.
UH, I MET, UH, WITH A FEW PEOPLE SINCE THEN AND I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION IS, ARE WE GONNA GO FORWARD TONIGHT WITH IT? AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES YOU'LL HEAR THAT LACK OF
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COMMUNICATION, NO SEAT AT THE TABLE DIDN'T GET TO BE A PART OF IT.SO I WANNA MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.
I HAVE A PERSONAL ISSUE WITH IT.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, IT'S WELL DOCUMENTED.
I HAVE, UH, TWO AUTISTIC YOUNG MEN, A 20, UH, 5-YEAR-OLD AND A 30 5-YEAR-OLD AT HOME.
SO JUST LIKE EVERY FAMILY OF THE 4,300 EMPLOYEES WE GOT, PEOPLE ARE SITTING TRYING TO GUESS, WHAT POSITION DOES THIS PUT US IN? WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? HOW MUCH MONEY, MORE MONEY OUT TO CHECK? IS IT, AM I GONNA GET THE COVERAGE? SO OUT OF ALL THE PLANS, SID EDWARDS FAMILY, LIKE EVERYONE IN HERE, OR ALL 4,500 CITIES, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, MY CARDIOLOGIST, UH, IS AT THE BATON ROUGE GENERAL.
I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU MY WHOLE MEDICAL, THAT'S A HIPAA VIOLATIONS, BUT IF, YOU KNOW, MY GUY OVER HERE IS AT THE LAKE, YOU GOT BROCK.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, BEANIE AND I, YOU KNOW, ARE GOING TO, UM, HAVE TO GO HMO.
AND REMEMBER, YOU'RE TALKING TO A GUY HERE THAT NEVER HAD MONEY, PROBABLY NEVER WILL HAVE MONEY MAKING MY $63,000 A YEAR.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS, BY THE WAY, UH, MS. LATOYA WILL VOUCH FOR ME MY SECOND DAY ON THE JOB.
AND I GO IN THERE AND SHE QUOTED ME THE HMO FAMILY PLAN.
IT WAS $400 LESS THAN I WAS PAYING AS A $63,000 A YEAR TEACHER.
SO THAT'S MY PERSONAL FAMILY BACKGROUND WITH IT AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO GOING FORWARD.
UH, SOME OF YOU COULD BE TIRED OF HEARING THIS 'CAUSE SOME OF YOU HEARD IT, BUT I'M GONNA GO TO MCDONALD'S.
UH, A BIG MAC MEAL IN THE YEAR 20 16, 10 YEARS AGO WAS $5 AND 69 CENTS.
THAT SAME BIG MAC MEAL TODAY IS $11 AND 13 CENTS IN 10 YEARS.
NOW, LET'S SAY THAT I WENT TO MCDONALD'S AFTER THE MEETING, WHICH I PROBABLY WILL, AND I GOT A BIG MAC MEAL AND IT WAS $11 AND 13 CENTS.
BUT THEN I WENT BACK TOMORROW AND BOUGHT THE SAME MEAL ONE DAY LATER, AND THEY SAID IT'S $16.
THAT JUST WOULDN'T BE NATURAL.
AND THIS IS KIND OF WHAT'S GOT US TO WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS HEALTH INSURANCE.
WE, IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, THERE'S ONLY BEEN INCREASES FIVE TIMES, TWO, AND I THINK TWO OR THREE, MAYBE THREE IN THE LAST NINE OR 10 YEARS.
IF WE INCREMENTALLY DO IT, WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS SITUATION.
I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I'M NOT THE BIG BAD WOLF AND NEITHER ARE YOU 12, Y'ALL ARE NOT THE BAD GUYS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A BAD GUY IN THIS THING OR NOT, BUT IF THERE IS A WOLF, IT'S THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY.
WHICH ONE OF YOU UP THERE WANT TO VOTE TO TAKE MONEY OUTTA SOMEONE'S PAYCHECK? NONE OF YOU DO, AND NEITHER DO I.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS, AS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GREAT QUALITIES OTHER THAN I, LISTEN, I LISTENED TO YOU AND I LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE I MET WITH, UH, A LIFELONG FRIEND OF MINE LAST NIGHT.
KURT MONTE, A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER, USED TO BE PART OF THE UNION, SPOKESMAN FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE TALKED FOR AN HOUR OR SO.
HE GAVE ME HIS THOUGHTS, HE GAVE ME HIS IDEAS, WHICH I RESPECT VERY MUCH PRIDE AS IN MANY PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE HEALTHCARE, UH, INDUSTRY BETTER THAN HIM.
AND I LISTENED TO HIM AND I TOLD HIM, I SAID, I'LL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND AT SEVEN O'CLOCK THIS MORNING, UM, MS. ANGIE AND, UH, CHIEF LEDUFF, UH, AND I GOT TOGETHER AND STARTED HAMMERING AND LOOKING AND SEEING WHAT WE COULD DO.
WE'RE SQUEEZING BLOOD OUT OF TURNIP AT CITY HALL AND WE'RE DOING A PRETTY DAMN GOOD JOB OF HOW WE'RE DOING IT.
OH, AND I HAD TO HEAR THIS TOO.
HEY, YOU KNOW THAT PAY RAISE, YOU'RE RAISING ALL THESE INSURANCE RATES TO GIVE A PAY RAISE TO OUR DPW WORKERS AND OUR POLICE.
THIS WAS COMING AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNEW IT WAS COMING.
IF WE WOULDN'T HAVE GAVE 'EM THE PAY RAISE, WHAT POSITION THEY WOULD BE IN, WHAT POSITION EVERYONE WOULD BE IN.
THANK GOD OUR COUNCIL HAD THE HEART TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR OUR CITIZENS.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, THE PLAN WE PUT TOGETHER IS HISTORIC.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TWO NEW PLANS, THE NARROW NETWORKS THAT ARE ON IT.
I'VE ALREADY SAID MY FAMILY CAN'T GO THAT ROUTE.
AND THERE'LL BE MANY, MANY OTHER EMPLOYEES IN THE SAME BOAT, I'M SURE.
BUT THOSE TWO OPTIONS GIVE PEOPLE A HAVE A CHANCE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I DON'T KNOW THIS EVER, Y'ALL BEEN HERE LONGER THAN ME.
I'M OLDER THAN ALL THE HELL ALL Y'ALL, BUT Y'ALL, Y'ALL BEEN HERE LONGER THAN ME.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S EVER BEEN A TIME WHEN ANYONE CAME UP HERE
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AND SAID, HEY, WELL, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE 25% ON YOUR HEALTHCARE.WOW, I THINK THIS IS A, A GREAT OPTION.
NOW, I COULD TELL YOU IF I'M IN A POSITION AND I AS A PERSONALLY, I GOTTA MAKE A HARD CHOICE, AND IT'S MY WIFE AND I AND I GOTTA GO A NARROW NETWORK, WELL THEN I'D BE THE ONE, I'D BE THE MAN AT THE HOUSE.
AND I WOULD SAY, WELL, LOOK, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'M GONNA GIVE UP MY, UH, CARDIOLOGIST AND I'M JUST GONNA SEE SOMEONE AT THE OTHER PLACE.
SOMETIMES WE GOTTA MAKE THOSE CHOICES.
I KNOW Y'ALL HEART AND Y'ALL KNOW MINE.
AND SOMETIMES THERE'S ALWAYS A, UH, A BATTLE BETWEEN A SPREADSHEET AND THE HEART.
AND THIS IS A TIME THEY GOTTA KIND OF COME TOGETHER.
'CAUSE FROM THE HEART STANDPOINT, EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO RIGHT BY OUR EMPLOYEES.
BUT LET ME REMIND EVERY ONE OF THIS, OF OUR 4,500 EMPLOYEES, I AS THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, WILL ALWAYS LOOK OUT FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM AND FIGHT FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER 400 AND THOU, 430,000 CITIZENS THAT RELY ON US ALSO.
AND IF WE DON'T TAKE THESE MEASURES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE AFFECTED.
WHERE'S, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND, AND I'M SURE ANGIE MAY COME UP HERE AT SOME POINT TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET IT FROM? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? WHAT SERVICES WILL BE CUT? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THAT? SO WE GOTTA LOOK OUT FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR CITIZENS AS WELL.
THE BIG THING IS WE CANNOT KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD ANY FURTHER.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S A 20, 20, 30% DEAL.
LET'S JUST SAY WE SAID, HEY, WE FROZE IT WHERE IT WAS.
I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE OPTION NEXT YEAR WOULD BE.
OUR, OUR PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE NO CHOICE.
I WOULD BRING TO YOU, HEY, YOU GOT ONE CHOICE AND IT'S A NARROW NETWORK.
HERE'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO THE DOCTOR.
AND I'D LOVE TO SAY THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR, UH, IT'S GONNA BE BETTER.
IT'S NOT, IT, IT'S NOT GONNA IMPROVE.
WE'RE GONNA BE BACK HERE AGAIN.
NOW, HERE'S WHAT I AM GONNA DO.
AND I PROMISED, UH, THE UNIONS THIS AS WELL.
WE'RE NOT GONNA WAIT TILL AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER TO START JANUARY 2ND.
WE'RE GONNA COME IN AND WE'RE GONNA START WORKING, AND WE CAN PUT A BIG COMMITTEE TOGETHER TO WORK HARD TO SEE WHAT ARE ALL OUR OPTIONS? DO WE, IS THERE ANOTHER PROVIDER? I THINK EVERYTHING WILL BE ON THE TABLE.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO, UH, TO GET THIS RIGHT? BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BALANCE THIS, THIS THING OUT.
AND I COULD TELL YOU, I'M, I'M COMING AT WITH YOU AND A DIFFERENT MINDSET THAN I DID WHEN I FOUGHT FOR THE POLICE PAY RAISE WHEN I FOUGHT FOR THE DPW PAY RAISE.
THIS IS MORE, IT'S NOT MONOTONE, IT'S JUST MORE, UH, BUSINESS.
AND, UH, REGARDLESS OF HOW THE VOTE GOES, UH, I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S GONNA BE JUMPING UP AND DOWN LIKE WE GOT WHEN WE GOT OUR PAY RAISES FOR OUR PEOPLE.
AIN'T NOBODY GONNA BE, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TAKING SOME MONEY OUTTA SOMEONE'S POCKET.
BUT LET'S, LET'S REMEMBER THIS, WE HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST HEALTHCARE PLANS IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, IF NOT THE NATION.
AND I WOULDN'T BE ASKING YOU TO DO THIS WITHOUT MY, MY PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, MY FINANCE, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, MS. LATOYA, AND HOW HARD ALL THEY WORK ON THIS STUFF, THAT THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO LOOK FOR A GOOD, HEALTHY DISCUSSION.
UH, AND I PRAY THAT WE CAN GET SOME RESOLUTION.
AND LEMME SAY THIS TOO, IF THIS CAN'S KICKED A LITTLE FURTHER, IMMEDIATELY, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CAN BEING KICKED YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
IF IT GOES TOO MUCH FURTHER, WE ARE GONNA JEOPARDIZE OUR EMPLOYEES BEING COVERED BECAUSE THE, IT'S A REAL CHANCE THAT THEIR HEALTHCARE COULD LAPSE IF WE WAIT TOO MUCH LONGER.
AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE DATES ON THAT CAN MAYBE SPEAK ON THAT.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT, UH, UH, WE GOTTA MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.
GOOD EVENING, AND I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US HERE.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS KEVIN GARDNER.
THIS IS MICHAEL DUBEL, MY PARTNER ON THE CASE.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH AND GIVE YOU AN EDUCATION, HOPEFULLY OF WHERE YOU ARE, UH, ON YOUR HEALTH PLAN AND DISCUSS THE THINGS THAT YOUR TEAM HAS WORKED SUPER HARD WITH OUR TEAM HAS WORKED HARD WITH TO BRING BACK.
AND I'LL, I'LL ADDRESS MANY OF THE ITEMS THAT THE MAYOR ADDRESSED AS WE WENT THROUGH IT.
ONE OF THE LARGEST RESPONSIBILITIES THAT A COMPANY
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HAS AND CERTAINLY A MUNICIPALITY HAS, IS TO THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THE BENEFITS THAT YOU'RE GIVING THEM.THIS IS A KEY REASON WHY YOUR FOLKS WORK HERE AND, AND THE REASON WHY YOU DISTINGUISH YOURSELF AS AN EMPLOYER THAT HOPEFULLY THEY STAY WITH.
SO THIS DECISION ON WHAT YOU DO WITH BENEFITS, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW NO ONE TAKES LIGHTLY.
SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, UNDERSTAND THIS MUCH THAT YOU ARE RUNNING A SELF-FUNDED PROGRAM, LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT THAT MEANS TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR.
SOME COMPANIES BUY INSURANCE FROM BLUE CROSS OR UNITED HEALTHCARE.
AND WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THAT PLAN IS THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
BLUE CROSS IS YOUR ADMINISTRATOR.
THE FINANCES OF THIS PLAN, WHO PAYS THOSE ACTUAL DOLLARS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES? ARE YOU, THIS IS 100% HOW YOUR PLAN PERFORMS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN YOUR EMPLOYEES AND, AND YOU AS A CITY.
THE CITY IS PAYING THE MAJORITY OF THOSE DOLLARS FOR THE PLAN, BUT THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND THEM.
AND WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, TO HAVE A FISCALLY SOUND PROGRAM.
SOMETHING THAT, AS THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT, BENEFITS, YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER THIS YEAR IN FUTURE YEARS.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO SHORT TERM.
'CAUSE I WANT TO EXPLAIN ONE THING TO YOU AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, AND I'LL JUMP INTO IT.
THE PROBLEM IN HEALTHCARE IS NOT A BATON ROUGE ISSUE, A LOUISIANA ISSUE, IT'S A NATIONAL ISSUE.
AND THE COST OF HEALTHCARE IS EXPLOSIVE AT THIS POINT.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TRY TO MAKE A PLAN FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE SO WE CAN HONOR OUR OBLIGATION TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR RETIREES.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A FEW SLIDES AND AS I GO THROUGH IT, YOU CERTAINLY CAN STOP ME ALONG THE WAY AND WE CAN WAIT TO THE END.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A SCREEN THAT CAN SHOW THE, DO YOU ALL HAVE THE POWERPOINT? THERE'S NOT A, OKAY, SO LET ME JUST START, I'LL, I'LL ADDRESS, JUST STARTING TO GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT SLIDES AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL POP THESE UP IN A SECOND.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL RATING SERVICES THAT GO THROUGH WHAT TREND IS ON HEALTHCARE COST, WHETHER THAT'S AON PRICE WATERHOUSE, WILLIS TOWERS WATSON, OUR KAISER FAMILY HEALTH TREND IN HEALTHCARE IS RUNNING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 9% AND 11% PER YEAR.
YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT AVERAGE INFLATION IS, WHICH CERTAINLY IS HIGH, THIS IS DRAMATIC AS FAR AS WHAT WE ARE PAYING NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY INCREASES EACH YEAR.
SO AS WE GO THROUGH AND WORK ON YOUR BUDGET BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE, YOU'RE HAVING THAT INCREASE IN COST THAT IS WELL ABOVE INFLATION.
SO WHAT IS A HUNDRED DOLLARS TODAY IS CERTAINLY HAVING A PRETTY DRAMATIC INCREASE GOING FORWARD IN THE PLAN.
WHEN WE SAT IN FRONT OF YOU A YEAR AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER, WE BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE ON MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, MOVING EMPLOYEES OVER TO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE OR RETIREES AND WHAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY DO TO SAVE THE CITY DOLLARS.
WE WERE DOING THAT TO TRY TO RECONCILE WHAT HAD NOT BEEN DONE FOR DECADES WITH YOUR PLAN.
I THINK THE EASY THING THAT HAPPENS WITH EVERY EMPLOYER AND PARTICULARLY A MUNICIPALITY, IS CAN I ABSORB IT? CAN I EAT IT? CAN I IGNORE IT? AND CAN I HOPE IT GOES AWAY? AND IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
THE COST OF IN HEALTHCARE CONTINUES TO INCREASE AND PUSHING IT DOWN THE ROAD ONLY MAKES THE SITUATION WORSE.
THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION TO THIS AND YOUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATION BOTH MADE STATEMENTS SAYING THAT SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE AND CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE.
YOU CANNOT ADVERSELY IMPACT EMPLOYEES ALL IN ONE YEAR.
SO WHEN WE APPROACHED YOU LAST YEAR, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MULTIPLE THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE TO REDUCE THE COST OF HEALTHCARE, BUT WE ONLY FOCUSED ON A FEW BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO PLACE AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THE EMPLOYEES.
WE FOCUSED THE MAIN EFFORTS ON TRYING TO GET UNDER CONTROL THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE 'CAUSE THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY, WHICH WE'LL ADDRESS IN A SECOND WHAT THE RESULTS WERE ON THAT.
ONE OF THE SLIDES, AND HOPEFULLY WHEN IT POPS UP, WE'LL COME BACK AND ADDRESS IT, IS TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SHARE OF COST ON THE HEALTH PLAN BETWEEN YOU, THE CITY AND THE
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EMPLOYEES.SO IF WE GO BACK TO 2017 AND 20 17, 70 4% OF THE COST OF YOUR HEALTH PLAN, 'CAUSE REMEMBER THIS IS A SELF-FUNDED PROGRAM, 74% OF THE COST WAS BEING PAID FOR BY CITY PARISH, AND THE EMPLOYEES WERE PAYING 25% OF THE COST.
THAT IS, IF YOU LOOK IN THE MARKETPLACE ABOVE AVERAGE, AND CERTAINLY YOU'RE, YOU, YOU WANT TO DO THAT, YOU WANT TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU LOOK TO 2025, THAT NUMBER HAD INCREASED TO 79.7% AND THE EMPLOYEES PORTION DROPPED TO 19.3%.
SO THAT'S ON THE SLIDE THAT YOU SEE RIGHT HERE.
AND I KNOW THOSE, IT'S REALLY SMALL AS YOU LOOK AT IT.
WHAT IT'S ESSENTIALLY TELLING YOU IS THIS, YOU'RE PROVIDING AN, UH, AN OPTION AND A BENEFIT TO THE EMPLOYEES, AND YOU AS THE CITY ARE CONTINUING EACH YEAR TO PICK UP A GREATER AND GREATER PORTION OF THE COST.
NO ONE, AS WE APPROACH THIS, AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THIS ONE THING, AND, UM, THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT 50% AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, NONE OF THIS IS GONNA EVER BRING YOU BACK AS A CITY TO WHERE YOU'RE BACK IN 2017 AND THE CITY'S PAYING 74%.
THAT'LL NEVER HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU PUSHED IT SO FAR DOWN THE ROAD, YOU COULD NEVER GET TO THAT NUMBER.
ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO STABILIZE IT SO THAT NEXT YEAR THE CITY ISN'T PAYING 80, 81%, 82%.
AND YOU MAY ALL SAY, AS A, AS A COUNCIL, I WANT TO GIVE THAT TO MY EMPLOYEES.
I WANT TO PAY A GREATER PERCENTAGE.
THE QUESTION IS, YOU STILL HAVE A BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE TO OPERATE UNDER, AND CAN YOU AFFORD TO DO THAT? AND NO COMPANY CAN.
THE I THE CHALLENGE TODAY IS TRYING TO CONTROL IT AND KEEP IT IN LINE, AND I'LL COME BACK AND ADDRESS SOME ITEMS ON THIS.
WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE AND I, I WANT TO LOOK AT, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WHEN YOU LOOK AT DOLLARS, AND THIS IS FROM YOUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, IF YOU LOOK IN THE VERY MIDDLE, IT SHOWS YOU WHAT YOU'VE ACTUALLY SPENT IN YOUR PROGRAM STARTING IN 2017.
SO IN 2017, THE TOTAL EXPENSES OF THE PROGRAM WAS $67 MILLION.
THE CITY FOR THAT 67 MILLION HAD BUDGET, 52 AND THE EMPLOYEES 18.
IF YOU GO FORWARD AND LOOK AT 2025, THE TOTAL EXPENSES OF THE PLAN HAD GONE TO 79 MILLION.
THE CITY BUDGETED 77 WHEN THEY BUILT THE PREMIUMS. YOU'RE A SELF-FUNDED PROGRAM.
WHEN YOU RUN OVER BUDGET, WHO PAYS IT 100%.
THE CITY IT DOES IS NOT SHARED WITH ANYBODY.
SO EVEN THOUGH THE PERCENTAGES WERE WHAT WE ILLUSTRATED, IT'S REALLY GREATER BECAUSE IF WE DON'T RUN A FINANCIALLY FISCAL PLAN, THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO ABSORB THOSE AMOUNTS.
SO THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, DO WE PAY A GREATER PERCENTAGE OR DO WE TRY TO KEEP THE PLAN FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE SO WE CAN AFFORD THE PLAN LONG TERM? IF YOU LOOK AT ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT, AND THIS IS REALLY EASY TO DO, AND IT'S DONE BY PRIVATE EMPLOYERS AND PUBLIC EMPLOYERS.
IF YOU LOOK, LOOK AT STARTING IN 2021, PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE ALWAYS STRUGGLED.
I DON'T WANT TO PASS ALONG COST TO MY PEOPLE, BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENED IN FROM 21 TO 25, ALL BUT ONE YEAR YOUR PLAN RAN IN A DEFICIT, MEANING THE CITY ABSORBED A GREATER AMOUNT THAN WHAT IT HAD BUDGETED IN THE PROGRAM, AND THAT MONEY WAS BEING PULLED OUT OF INSURANCE RESERVES TO PAY THAT, TO DEMONSTRATE IT A LITTLE BIT GREATER.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, IF YOU LOOK BACK AND SAY, WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH PREMIUM CHANGES OVER TIME, IF ANY OF YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND YOU, YOU'RE PROVIDING BENEFITS TO YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES, THIS WOULD BE THE GREATEST STORY IN THE HISTORY OF EMPLOYMENT.
WHERE IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES SINCE 2017, YOU'VE HAD TWO YEARS, I'M SORRY, THREE YEARS WHERE THERE WAS SOME FORM OF INCREASE GIVEN TO YOUR EMPLOYEES.
ALL THE OTHER YEARS NO INCREASE.
AND DURING THAT TIME, IF YOU GOOGLE CHAT GPT, LOOK AT ANYTHING THAT'S OUT THERE, THE INFLATION RATE WAS ALWAYS WELL ABOVE FIVE OR 6% IN SOME YEARS, EIGHT IN THIS YEAR BEING AS IT IS TODAY, LOOKING AT NINE.
SO THE CITY ABSORBED IT OR RAN THE PLAN AS A DEFICIT.
THE THE DIFFICULT THING IS, IS THAT SOME, AT SOME POINT IT COMES BACK TO ROOST.
AND AND THAT'S THE SITUATION AS WE'VE MET
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WITH MANY OF YOU, THE CHALLENGE YOU HAVE TODAY.SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA.
SO YOU LOOK AT IT IN, IN TRANSPARENCY OF WHAT'S HAPPENED ON YOUR PROGRAM.
IN 2025 WHEN WE SAT IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HIT A $79 MILLION PLAN COST FOR 2025, AND THAT WAS PROJECTED WITH TREND TO BE AT 85,900,000.
WE THEN PUT THE PROGRAMS IN PLACE THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY SAVE MONEY IN THE PROGRAM, AND THE SAVINGS WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND $16 MILLION.
THAT WOULD BRING US TO A BUDGET ORIGINALLY OF 63.
THAT'S AT THE BOTTOM, BUT YOU HAD LAYOFFS.
AND IF WE ADJUST THAT TO LAYOFFS, IT WOULD BE ADJUSTED TO ABOUT 60 MILLION.
IF WE LOOK AT HOW THE PLAN IS RUNNING TODAY, IT'S RUNNING WELL ABOVE BUDGET RIGHT NOW THROUGH AUGUST.
YOU'VE SPENT 45 MILLION IN THE PLAN.
IT'S RUNNING 5 MILLION OVER BUDGET, PROBABLY GONNA END THE YEAR ANYWHERE BETWEEN SIX AND A HALF TO EIGHT OVER BUDGET.
AND WE'LL EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR THAT.
IF WE LOOK AT ON 2026, THE CHANGES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, THERE WAS QUESTIONS BY SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CERTAINLY THE, THE O OTHER EMPLOYEES, IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE $16 MILLION IN SAVINGS? THIS GOES THROUGH WHAT THE PROJECTED SAVINGS WAS IN 2026.
AND ON THESE, IF YOU GO TO ONE MORE PAGE FORWARD, THANK YOU.
UM, THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, THE PROJECTED SAVINGS WAS 6.9 MILLION.
IN REALITY, THOSE SAVINGS IS CLOSER TO 8 MILLION IN, IN HOW THE PLAN IS ACTUALLY PERFORMED.
COORDINATION OF BENEFITS, REMOVABLE REMOVAL OF MEDICARE PART D SUBSIDY.
YOU CAN SEE THE SAVINGS THAT PROVIDED TO THE CITY.
AND THEN WE PUT IN SOME SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PHARMACY MANUFACTURERS AND, AND THE PBMS REAP THE OTHER SAVINGS THAT ARE LISTED ON THE PROGRAM.
ONE THING I WILL ADDRESS IN THE NEXT PAGE, AND I'M GONNA COME BACK TO THIS, THIS PAGE WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IN A SECOND, GO TO THE NEXT PAGE.
THERE WAS QUESTIONS BY THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA HURT THE EMPLOYEES BY MOVING THEM TO A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, THE RETIREES.
WAS THAT A BAD THING? UM, AND, AND ARE WE SHORT CHANGING THESE RETIREES? UM, WHEN THE CHANGE WAS MADE, APPROXIMATELY 1300 RETIREES MOVED.
IF YOU CAN TALK TO HUMAN RESOURCES TODAY, THERE'S BEEN MINIMAL TO NO COMPLAINTS ON THE MOVEMENT OF THOSE EMPLOYEES.
MATTER OF FACT, THIS COMING OPEN ENROLLMENT, WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RETIREES WHO ARE ASKING TO JOIN THE PROGRAM.
DID IT WORK? TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW IT WORKED, REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT A REGULAR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM THAT OUR MOMS AND DADS MIGHT BUY THROUGH HUMANA PEOPLE'S HEALTH, OR YOU SEE ADVERTISEMENTS ON TV.
THIS IS A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM THAT THE CITY STILL SUPPORTS AND PAYS A PREMIUM FOR.
IN 2025, THE CITY PARISH PAID $4 MILLION.
THE TOTAL PREMIUM IN THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN WAS 18 TOTAL CLAIMS PAID FOR THAT POPULATION PRIOR TO DOING THIS WAS 17 MILLION.
REMEMBER, YOUR RETIREE MEMBERS WHO EARNED THIS BENEFIT ARE ALSO SOME OF YOUR HIGHER UTILIZING MEMBERS.
BETWEEN JANUARY, UH, 26TH TO AUGUST, YOU HAD A PREMIUM THAT YOU PAID AS A CITY OF 6 MILLION AND CLAIMS OF 27 MILLION.
IF THOSE EMPLOYEES HAD BEEN ON YOUR PLAN, IF YOU DO THE MATH, YOU WOULD'VE PAID $8.4 MILLION ON YOUR CITY PARISH PLAN IF YOU WOULD NOT HAVE MOVED THEM TO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE.
IN RETURN, THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ON RETIREES GOT A BASICALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT COVERAGE FOR MOST OF THEIR BENEFITS BY BEING ON THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM.
SO THAT PROGRAM WAS A WIN-WIN, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS SKEPTICISM ABOUT WAS THAT A GOOD MOVE OR NOT.
SO THE IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE ASKING YOU SHOULD BE ASKING AN ADMINISTRATION ASKED IS WHY IS THE PLAN RUNNING OVER BUDGET THIS YEAR? IF YOU LOOK AT ON THE NEXT PAGE, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO ON ANY GROUP, LARGE CLAIMANTS, YOU THINK BACK YEARS AGO, ALL OF US WHO HAD HEALTH PLANS, YOU'D, YOU'D WANT TO PUT IN AN HSA PLAN.
YOU'D WANNA DO SOMETHING THAT CHANGES PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR.
THE REALITY OF THE COST OF HEALTHCARE TODAY IS A SMALL CONCENTRATION OF EMPLOYEES COSTS THE MAJORITY OF THE COSTS.
IN 2025, YOU HAD SEVEN CLAIMANTS THAT EXCEEDED $250,000 EACH FOR THE COST OF CLAIMS AT ABOUT 2.9 MILLION IN 2026, YOU'VE ALREADY HAD 10 CLAIMANTS THAT HAVE EXCEEDED $250,000 FOR 5.2 MILLION.
[00:30:02]
THE REASON YOU OFFER QUALITY BENEFITS IS TO HELP THESE PEOPLE.BUT THE CHALLENGE WITH THE COST OF HEALTHCARE IS THESE LARGE CLAIMANTS RAN OVER BUDGET, $2.3 MILLION.
THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DECIDED TO GO AFTER NOT ONLY PBMS, BUT ALSO DO EFFORTS TO TRY TO HELP INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES.
CHANGES IN THAT LEGISLATION IMPACTED SELF-FUNDED PLANS AS WELL AS FULLY INSURED.
THE DIRECT IMPACT TO YOU WITH THE CHANGES TO THE STATE LEGISLATION THAT WAS RETROACTIVE WAS $450,000 TO YOUR PLAN.
THERE WAS A REBATE SHORTFALL IN THE PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN THE DRUG MIX OF 2.4 MILLION.
WE HAD RECOMMENDED AN INCREASE OF 2% IN THE PREMIUMS LAST YEAR TO CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES, WHICH THE CITY DECIDED NOT TO DO IN AN EFFORT TO HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES.
THAT PUSHED THE PROBLEM AGAIN DOWN THE ROAD AND LED TO A $1.2 MILLION DEFICIT BASED ON WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED.
AND THEN WITH THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE FROM THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM, FROM THE COMMERCIAL PLAN, THE DELAYS IN GETTING SOME OF THAT DONE IS ABOUT A $500,000 DEFICIT.
THAT ALONE IS 6.85 MILLION IN A SHORTFALL.
SO I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT, UM, THE PLAN TODAY AND WE'RE BUDGETING OF THE PLAN TODAY REQUIRES SOME CHANGE.
NO ONE IN THIS ROOM AND NO EMPLOYEE.
AND AS I'VE TALKED TO OUR FRIENDS OF FIREFIGHTERS AND THE OTHER GROUPS, NO GROUP ONES CHANGE BECAUSE THIS IS COMPLICATED STUFF AND MOST OF US WOULD JUST PREFER TO LIKE IT TO GO AWAY.
BUT WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS COME UP WITH A BALANCE.
I THINK AN IMPORTANT THING FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT THAT WAS REQUESTED AS BEING REQUESTED OF THE EMPLOYEES, AND I'LL COME BACK AND DISCUSS IT IN A SECOND.
THE MAJORITY OF THE COST THAT'S BEING PAID BY THE PROGRAM IS GONNA CONTINUE TO BE ON THE BACK OF THIS, THE, THE, THE CITY PLAN OR THE, OR THE CITY ITSELF.
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
THAT'S THE BENEFIT THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING.
ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO MAKE THE PLAN FISCALLY SURVIVE LONG TERM.
SO THANK YOU AND I'LL LET MICHAEL COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
SO KEVIN, UH, KEVIN JUST WENT THROUGH THE FINANCIALS OF THE PLAN.
I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE ENHANCEMENTS OF THE PLAN AND THEN ALSO THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
UM, THE FIRST CHANGE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND IS, IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY.
SO THIS IS A, A VENDOR CALLED REGENX.
UM, REGENX IS, AGAIN, IT'S AN, IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY.
IT USES YOUR BODY'S STEM CELLS, UM, TO, TO HEAL ORTHOPEDIC INJURIES.
UM, IT'S LESS RISKY, THERE'S LESS DOWNTIME, UH, FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES, AND THERE'S NO REHAB THAT'S NEEDED.
IT'S VOLUNTARY FOR THE EMPLOYEES IF THEY WANT TO ENGAGE.
THERE'S DOCTORS IN BATON ROUGE AND NEW ORLEANS AND ALL THROUGHOUT LOUISIANA, UM, THAT THEY CAN GO TO.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS A CHOICE THAT THEY HAVE FOR A BENEFIT, UM, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TODAY, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OFFERING THAT.
ANOTHER ENHANCEMENT TO THE PLAN THAT I WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY IS A SPOUSAL INCENTIVE, HRA SPOUSAL INCENTIVE HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENT.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE CITY PARISH'S BENEFITS TODAY, AND KEVIN, KEVIN ALLUDED TO IT, YOU HAVE REALLY RICH BENEFITS AND YOU ALSO HAVE BENEFITS THAT ARE NOT EXPENSIVE WHEN COMPARED TO PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
WHAT THAT CREATES, IT CREATES A UNIQUE CHALLENGE NOT ONLY FOR MUNICIPALITIES IN GENERAL, BUT ALSO PRIVATE INDUSTRY WHO HAVE RICH BENEFITS.
SO WE'RE COMING UP ON OPEN ENROLLMENT.
IT'S THE MOST POPULAR TIME, JANUARY 1ST, WHERE EVERYBODY'S MAKING BENEFIT DECISIONS.
WHEN YOU HAVE A FAMILY LOOKING AT THEIR BENEFITS PROGRAMS, EVEN IF THEY HAVE A WORKING SPOUSE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE TWO OPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE.
WHAT'S GONNA BE THE LEAST OUT OF POCKET FOR THEM, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE LEAST PREMIUM THAT THEY'LL PAY? AND WHAT THAT CREATES A UNIQUE CHALLENGE FOR THE CITY PARISH BECAUSE YOU OFFER VERY INEXPENSIVE BENEFITS AND YOU HAVE VERY LOW DEDUCTIBLES, AND THAT CREATES AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE LARGE CLAIMS OCCUR ON YOUR PLAN, WHICH CREATES FINANCIAL STRAIN.
EMPLOYERS IN THE MARKET HAVE TACKLED THIS OR TRIED TO ATTEMPT TO TACKLE THIS, UM, IN UNIQUE WAYS.
WALT DISNEY WORLD, UH, RECENTLY CAME OUT AND SAID, WE HAVE A CLAIMS PROBLEM.
WE HAVE HIGH COST PROBLEM ON, ON OUR, UM, HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN.
WE ARE GOING TO ELIMINATE SPOUSAL COVERAGE FROM OUR PLAN.
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE PUT IN A SURCHARGE WHERE THEY SAY YOU'RE GONNA PAY A HUNDRED DOLLARS
[00:35:01]
A MONTH TO BE A SPOUSE ON OUR PLAN.WHAT THIS ADMINISTRATION AND WHAT THE MAYOR WANTED TO DO IS GIVE EMPLOYEES A CHOICE AND INCENTIVIZE SPOUSES AND EMPLOYEES TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE COVERAGE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY PARISH HEALTH PLAN IF THEY CAN ACCESS THAT.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SPOUSAL INCENTIVE HEALTH REIMBURSE REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENT MEANS IF YOU HAVE A WORKING SPOUSE THAT'S CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE CITY PARISH'S HEALTH PLAN AND THEY WAIVE THE CITY PARISH'S HEALTH PLAN AND GO ON THEIR OWN EMPLOYER'S HEALTH PLAN, THEY WILL RECEIVE 100% BENEFIT.
THEY'LL RECEIVE THEIR DE DEDUCTIBLES, REIMBURSED COPAYS, REIMBURSED OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUMS, REIMBURSED UP TO THE A CA LIMIT OF $12,000.
THE WIN FOR THE EMPLOYEE IS THEY HAVE AND THE SPOUSE, THEY HAVE 100% COVERAGE IF THEY WAIVE THE CITY PARISH'S HEALTH PLAN, WHICH IS BETTER COVERAGE THAN WE CAN AFFORD TO OFFER THEM TODAY.
THE WIN FOR THE CITY PARISHES, YOU'RE TRADING AN UNLIMITED LIABILITY ON YOUR SELF-FUNDED HEALTH PLAN FOR A LIABILITY THAT'S CAPPED AT $12,000 TO THE A CA MAXIMUM OUT OF POCKET.
WE HAVE EMPLOYERS IN LOUISIANA, LARGE EMPLOYERS, UM, AND MEDIUM SIZED EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE.
IT'S WORKED WITH SUCCESS AND IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD CULTURAL ANCHOR AND BENEFIT WHEN OFFERED BECAUSE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY HAVE THAT FIRST CLAIM AND THEY GET REIMBURSED, THEY SAY, WOW, SOUNDED TOO GOOD TO BE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
BUT I REALIZE NOW THAT IT'S NOT, THE CITY'S ALSO COMMITTING TO, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE LOW PREMIUMS AT THE CITY PARISH.
OTHER PREMIUMS ON THE SPOUSE'S PLAN MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE.
THE CITY IS COMMITTING TO PAYING $500 A MONTH, UM, TO, FOR ANY DELTA IF THE PREMIUM'S MORE EXPENSIVE ON THE OTHER EMPLOYER'S HEALTH PLAN.
SO THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAP, UM, IF THERE IS, IF IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THE SPOUSE OR EMPLOYEES TO GO ONTO ANOTHER GROUP HEALTH PLAN.
ANOTHER ENHANCEMENT THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT ARE TWO NEW OPTIONS THAT WE'RE INTRODUCING TO THE CITY PARISH.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE AN HMO PLAN, WE HAVE A POINT OF SERVICE PLAN, AND WE HAVE A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN THAT WE OFFER TODAY COME JANUARY 1ST, WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A COMMUNITY BLUE PLAN AND THEN A PRECISION BLUE PLAN COMMUNITY BLUE IS A NARROW NETWORK OPTION THAT USES BATON ROUGE CLINIC.
IT USES OCHSNER BATON ROUGE AND IT USES BATON ROUGE GENERAL AND THE FACILITIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH WITH THOSE THREE.
SO THERE'S 24 FACILITIES, UM, THAT EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT.
PRECISION BLUE IS FMOL NETWORK, WOMEN'S HOSPITAL AND THOSE FACILITIES.
BATON ROUGE CLINIC IS ALSO IN NETWORK ON THOSE PLANS.
SO THE REASON THAT WE WANT TO OFFER THESE TWO NEW OPTIONS REALLY STARTS BACK AT A STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING THAT WE HAD EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
WE LOOKED AT IS BLUE CROSS THE RIGHT ADMINISTRATOR FOR US, OR IS UNITEDHEALTHCARE OR IS A COMPANY CALLED VERITY, WHICH IS OWNED BY BATON ROUGE CLINIC? WOULD THAT BE THE BEST FOR US IN OUR TEAM? VERITY AND BATON ROUGE GENERAL PRESENTED SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS OF WHAT THEY COULD PROVIDE TO THE CITY, PARISH AND THEIR TEAM.
BY GOING THAT ROUTE, WE WOULD'VE HAD TO STRICTLY USE THEM AS OUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
WE WOULD'VE ELIMINATED THE FMOL NETWORK OUT OF OUR OFFERING TO OUR TEAM USING THE DATA AND UNDERSTANDING YOUR SELF-FUNDED PLAN.
WE KNOW THAT THE MOST POPULAR PLAN FOR YOUR TEAM IS THE HMO PLAN.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CLAIMS FROM THAT HMO PLAN, 70% OF THOSE PEOPLE USE THE FMOL NETWORK.
SO WE REALLY FELT THAT IT WAS NOT IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO PURSUE A PLAN THAT THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO EARLIER, COULD BE A NUCLEAR OPTION OF ELIMINATING A SIGNIFICANT FACILITY IN OUR FOOTPRINT THAT OUR EMPLOYEES USE.
WE FEEL THAT THE PRECISION BLUE PLAN AND THE COMMUNITY BLUE PLAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT OUR GOAL IS, WHICH IS TO OFFER MORE OPTIONS TO OUR TEAM AND HOPEFULLY KEEP COSTS DOWN.
SO I COULD SEE YOU HAVE UP ON THE SCREEN THE PREMIUMS. SO I JUST WANNA MENTION WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO GET TO FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT IS 66.9 MILLION.
SO KEVIN, KEVIN WENT THROUGH THE FINANCIALS OF THE PLAN.
ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING GET US TO THIS NUMBER OF 66.9 MILLION.
IF WE DON'T DO ANY OF THE CHANGES, WE'RE LOOKING AT A PLAN THAT'S GOING TO COST
[00:40:01]
71000071.3 MILLION FOR 2027.AS WE GO TO THE PAGE THAT'S UP ON SCREEN RIGHT NOW, THE PROPOSED RATES FOR THE HMO PLAN WOULD INCREASE $16 AND 20 CENTS PER PAYCHECK.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT AND I'VE SEEN NEWS ARTICLES WHERE IT'S, IT'S BEEN 20%, 20%, 30%, 50%.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM A DOLLAR STANDPOINT, IT'S $16 AND 20 CENTS MORE PER PAYCHECK THAN WHAT WE'RE PAYING TODAY.
ON THE POINT OF SERVICE PLAN, IT'S $20 AND 63 CENTS PER PAYCHECK FOR AN EMPLOYEE ONLY.
AND ON THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN, IT'S $10 AND 69 CENTS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PRECISION BLUE IN THE COMMUNITY BLUE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A $20 DECREASE THAN THE PROPOSED RATES.
THE COMMUNITY BLUE WOULD BE $36 LESS THAN THE PROPOSED RATES.
ONE OTHER THING THAT WE DO, UH, TO POTENTIALLY KEEP COSTS DOWN IS RAISE DEDUCTIBLES, RAISE COPAYS, AND RAISE OUT OF POCKETS.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO RAISE THE HMO, THE POINT OF SERVICE AND THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN, THE DEDUCTIBLES ON THOSE PLANS.
UM, WE, WE DO PROPOSE THAT WE INCREASE THOSE, BUT WE DON'T PROPOSE AN INCREASE ON THE COMMUNITY BLUE PLAN OR THE PRECISION BLUE PLAN.
SO IDEALLY THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER TWO NETWORKS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT OUR TEAM ACCESSES BEING BATON ROUGE GENERAL OSTRA, BATON ROUGE, AND THE FML NETWORK WITH THE PRECISION BLUE PLAN, WITH KEEPING THE BENEFITS THE EXACT SAME AS THEY'RE STRUCTURED TODAY FOR A LOWER COST THAN WHAT THEY'RE PAYING TODAY.
AND AGAIN, THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT OUR GOAL IS, IS ALWAYS WE NEVER WANT TO CUT BENEFITS, WE ALWAYS WANNA PROVIDE OPTIONS TO OUR TEAM AND BE AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR MEMBERS.
PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ONE THING, JUST TO ADD TO WHAT MICHAEL SAID, TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL FOLLOW ON THIS, IF YOU ASK THE QUESTION, WHY IS THE COMMUNITY BLUE PROGRAM PREMIUM CHEAPER THAN THE PRECISION BLUE COMMUNITY? BLUE IS BATON ROUGE GENERAL AND BATON ROUGE GENERAL'S INTERNAL COST OF USAGE IS LOWER THAN WHERE FMOL IS.
AND SO FM UH, BATON ROUGE GENERAL, I KNOW APPROACHED SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS MICHAEL SAID ABOUT STRATEGICALLY ALIGNING WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO SAVE CITY PARISH DOLLARS.
THERE IS TRUTH IN THE FACT THE RATES ARE LOWER.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A PLAN WHERE THE EMPLOYEES GET A BENEFIT AND THE CITY PARISH GETS A BENEFIT TO HAVE STEERAGE TO GO TO THAT FACILITY.
WE'RE GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE AGENDA ITEM? I GUESS I WILL.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE FIREFIGHTERS UNION COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE BATON ROUGE FIREFIGHTERS STAND IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED HEALTHCARE RATE CHANGES IN THE SPRINGTIME OF THIS YEAR.
I REQUESTED TO BE A PART OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGES TO EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE VIA THE ESTABLISHED STANDING HEALTHCARE COMMITTEE.
I WAS TOLD THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA AND THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE UTILIZED.
FAST FORWARD TO SEPTEMBER 30TH COUNCIL MEETING WHEN UNPRECEDENTED HEALTHCARE RATES WERE PROPOSED WITH NO EMPLOYEE INPUT.
IT'S VERY CONCERNING THAT CITY OFFICIALS INITIALLY THOUGHT 30 TO 50% PREMIUM INCREASES CO-INSURANCE, SPOUSAL PENALTIES.
PENALTIES WAS A GOOD PLAN FOR REFERENCE.
OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS, EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE COSTS HAVE RISEN 36% IN TOTAL.
IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING CANCELLATION THAT THAT EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVES WERE THEN BROUGHT INTO, UH, BROUGHT TO THE NEGOTIATION TABLE.
THOSE NEGOTIATIONS WENT WELL, BUT WE TRULY WERE NEGOTIATING AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED PROPOSAL AND NOT LOOKING AT ALL PLAN OPTIONS.
IF THE HEALTHCARE COMMITTEE WAS UTILIZED, WE COULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT PLAN DESIGNS, INCENTIVES, EDUCATING EMPLOYEES AND OTHER PLAN OPTIONS BEFORE PROPOSING HISTORIC INCREASES.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND WE DID NOT GET INTO THIS SITUATION OVERNIGHT.
LIKE COACH SAYS, I DO AGREE THIS CAN HAS BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD FOR YEARS.
I COMMEND CITY OFFICIALS FOR BALANCING A BUDGET WHEN LARGE CUTS AND REVENUE HAVE TAKEN PLACE DUE TO THE BREAKAWAY OF THE CITY OF ST.
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN EASY WITH BUDGET CUTS.
BUT WHERE ARE THE LEGACY COSTS? WE QUIT TALKING ABOUT THAT.
WE NEED OUR LEGACY DUES YESTERDAY.
THAT'S A TOUGH, ANOTHER TOUGH CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SAVINGS IN THIS PLAN WITH NARROW NETWORKS AND SPOUSAL INCENTIVES, BUT NOT EVERYBODY CAN UTILIZE THESE PLANS BECAUSE OF WHAT NETWORKS THEIR DOCTORS ARE IN.
IF MY DOCTORS ARE BATON ROUGE GENERAL OR
[00:45:01]
OCHSNER AND MY WIFE'S DOCTORS AT WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, THE NARROW NETWORK ARE IS NOT AN OPTION.AND I'M STUCK IN MY CURRENT PLAN ONLY TO PAY 20 TO 30% MORE ON PREMIUMS WITH HIGHER OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS, COSTING ME THOUSANDS MORE A YEAR.
AND THAT'S TALKING ABOUT FAMILY PLAN, NOT JUST SINGLE EMPLOYEE.
WE WORK FOR CITY PARISH BECAUSE OF, OF A CALL TO SERVE AND FOR THE BENEFITS.
THOSE BENEFITS ARE SLOWLY SLIPPING AWAY.
COST PROJECTIONS ARE JUST THAT THEIR PROJECTIONS, WHILE IT'S NECESSARY TO BALANCE A BUDGET, THOSE PROJECTIONS CAN, CAN CHANGE DUE TO MULTIPLE VARIABLES.
FOR INSTANCE, THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE SAVINGS WAS PROJECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY $16 MILLION.
IT MIGHT NOT HAVE PANNED OUT TO BE THAT IT'S NO ONE'S FAULT, IT JUST HAPPENED.
OUR AS TIN TONIGHT IS TO CUT THIS PROPOSAL IN HALF ON THE PREMIUMS, BRINGING THEM DOWN TO 10 AND 15% PREMIUM INCREASES.
TWO THINGS TO ADDRESS IN THE LAST PRESENTATION FROM WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF VERITY NETWORK IS THAT THEY, THEY, YES, THEY'RE A NARROW NET, UH, NARROW NETWORK FOR BATON ROUGE GENERAL, BUT THEY HOLD STANDING CONTRACTS TO NEGOTIATE RATES WITHOUT A NETWORK.
HOSPITALS JUST LIKE A PLAN DESIGN, THE FAMILY PAYING PREMIUMS WERE NOT TALKED ABOUT.
UH, YEAH, WE TALKED ABOUT SMALL INCREASES ON EMPLOYEES.
I DO AGREE, BUT WE'RE ALL FAMILY MEN AND, AND WOMEN.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR THEM.
AND NOW WE'RE TALKING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A MONTH AND NOT JUST A COUPLE BUCKS, WHICH EQUATES TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
THANK YOU MAYOR PROTE, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, KURT MONTE, UH, RETIREE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER BEEN ABLE TO SAY THAT.
UH, COACH, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, I DON'T EAT BIG MACS, BUT, UH, MAYBE WE SHOULD PROBABLY TEACH OUR PEOPLE NOT TO DO THAT EITHER AND WE'D HAVE A, A BETTER, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF HEALTHCARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE FINE GENTLEMEN GOT UP HERE AND GAVE YOU A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AND I SWORE I WASN'T GONNA GET UP HERE AND TALK NUMBERS, BUT I FOUND, I FOUND IT VERY ENTERTAINING THAT THEY WOULD TALK TO YOU ABOUT SINGLE PLANS AND WHAT THAT IMPACT IS AND GIVE YOU DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
I'M NOT A MATHEMATICIAN, I DON'T HAVE A BIG PRESENTATION FOR YOU, BUT JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THEY SAID, HE TALKED ABOUT A 2% INCREASE LAST YEAR WAS GONNA CREATE $1.2 MILLION TO THE SYSTEM, RIGHT? IS THAT RIGHT? AND THEN I THINK HE SAID SOMETHING TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE $6.8 MILLION SHORT RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT? 2% TIMES 20% AT 1.2 OR 1.2 MILLION TIMES 20 IS LIKE $20 MILLION.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE MY MATH IS WRONG.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MOST ATROCIOUS NUMBERS I HEARD COME OUT TODAY WAS COACH, THEY PAID YOU $63,000 A YEAR AND YOU WERE WORTH A HELL OF A LOT MORE THAN THAT, I CAN TELL YOU.
BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT RETIRED MAKING $63,000 A YEAR.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY PARISH RIGHT NOW THAT MAKE $63,000 A YEAR.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE AFTER THE THREE AND HALF PERCENT RAISE THAT MAKE $12 AND 75 CENTS AN HOUR.
MY MATH MIGHT BE OFF AGAIN, BUT THAT'S UNDER $30,000 A YEAR.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION THAT INCREASES HAVE TO HAPPEN.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT HEALTHCARE GOES UP, YOU KNOW, BUT WHEN 1995, WHEN I TURNED DOWN A JOB MAKING $65,000 A YEAR TO COME TO WORK FOR THE CITY FOR $17,632 A YEAR, I DID THAT FOR THE LONG TERM.
I DID THAT FOR THE HEALTHCARE.
I DID THAT FOR THE LOWER $400 THAT I COULD PAY TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY WITH MY HEALTHCARE.
IF WE GO, IF WE TAKE THE APPROACH, THE APPROACH THAT WE JUST WANT TO FIX IT ALL AT ONCE, THERE AIN'T NO DOUBT IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
IT ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE FIXED, BUT THE NUMBERS JUST DON'T ADD UP FOR ME.
AND WE GOTTA HAVE SOME KIND OF MORAL COMPASS.
SEEMS LIKE RIGHT NOW WE'RE DRIFTING OFF OF NORTH.
WE'RE KIND OF DRIFTING OFF OF NORTH.
IF WE TAKE THAT VEIL OFF AND WE REALLY PAY ATTENTION, WE CAN GET IT BACK BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT'S BRINGING HOME LESS THAN $30,000 A YEAR TRYING TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY THAT'S GIVEN 20 SOMETHING YEARS TO THIS CITY, THEY DESERVE THAT.
THEY DESERVE YOU TO LOOK BEYOND THOSE SPREADSHEETS AND THOSE BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATIONS.
I FELT VERY WEIRD DOING THIS, BEING IN THE STREAM OF ALUMNI, BUT I WAS ALSO THERE AT THE TIME MY JACKSON WAS IN CLASS AND I BELIEVE BLUE, RED, AND GREEN ALL DAY LONG, ABOVE ALL.
AND YOU'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT WHY MAYOR, PRESIDENT EDWARDS AND MEMBERS OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL, MY NAME IS BRANDY.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10, AND I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS ITEM.
NINE YEARS SINCE A BATON ROUGE FIREFIGHTER STOOD OUTSIDE
[00:50:01]
MY MOM'S APARTMENT AND TOLD ME WORDS I WILL NEVER FORGET BRANDY.DURING THE FINAL 18 MONTHS OF MY MOM'S LIFE, I REPEATEDLY CALLED FOR HELP BECAUSE OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE YEARS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
OFTEN IT WAS THE SAME CREW RESPONDING EVEN WHEN MY MOM WAS INJURED AND BLEEDING.
SHE FOUND WAYS TO MAKE THOSE FIRE FIGHTERS LAUGH ON THE, THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE.
ONE OF THOSE SAME FIREFIGHTERS HAD TO TELL ME SHE WAS GONE.
A BATON ROUGE POLICE OFFICER STOOD, STAYED OUT BESIDE ME UNTIL THE CORONER'S OFFICE LEFT WITH HER.
NEARLY NINE YEARS LATER, I STILL THINK ABOUT THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS.
I WONDER ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL WEIGHT THEY CARRIED AWAY FROM THAT SCENE.
I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN WHAT THEY DID FOR MY MOM OR WHAT THEY DID FOR ME.
THIS ITEM IS NOT JUST ABOUT INSURANCE RATES.
IT IS ABOUT REAL PEOPLE, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR HEALTH, AND THEIR FINANCIAL SECURITY.
INCREASES IN HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS AFFECT MORE THAN A BUDGET.
THEY AFFECT WHETHER EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES CAN AFFORD THE COVERAGE THEY NEED WHILE MANAGING THEIR EVERYDAY EXPENSES.
WE THANK FIRST RESPONDERS FOR RUNNING TOWARD DANGER.
WE TELL THEM THEY MATTER, BUT THOSE WORDS RING HOLLOW.
IF WHEN IT IS TIME TO MAKE FINANCIAL DECISIONS, WE FAIL TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE BURDEN WE ARE PLACING ON THEM.
I UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET THAT BUDGETS REQUIRE DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
I LIVE IN APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCE UP THE STREET.
I AM ASKING YOU TO EXAMINE EVERY REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE, REVIEW COMPETING EXPENDITURES AND WORK TOWARD A SOLUTION THAT DOES NOT PLACE AN REASONABLE BURDEN ON THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE THIS PARISH.
PLEASE DO NOT ASK THESE EMPLOYEES TO SACRIFICE THE HEALTH AND FINANCIAL SECURITY WITHOUT EXHAUSTING OTHER OPTIONS.
MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I'M ASKING YOU TO MAKE YOUR APPRECIATION MEAN SOMETHING.
VOTE ON THIS ITEM IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED.
RE CONSIDER THE RATES, EXAMINE THE ALTERNATIVES, AND COME BACK WITH A MORE E EX EQUITABLE SOLUTION.
I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP FOR MY MOM WHEN WE NEEDED THE MOST TODAY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO SHOW UP FOR THEM.
TED STEVENS, UH, EMPLOYEE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANNA SPEAK TODAY AS AN EMPLOYEE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY AS A FATHER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT EMPLOYEE PREMIUM INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 30%.
NO ONE WANTS LESS MONEY IN THEIR PAYCHECK.
BUT I WANNA PUT THE VALUE OF OUR INSURANCE INTO PERSPECTIVE BY SHARING WHAT IT MEANT TO MY FAMILY WHEN WE NEEDED IT MOST.
IN 2022, WE WERE FIGHTING TO SAVE OUR SON FOR OUR SON GRAHAM.
AND THE THREE SHORT WEEKS OF HIS LIFE, THE BILLS ON MY EOB TOTAL OF $914,000.
INSURANCE PREMIUMS, UH, BILL INSURANCE BILLING IS OVERLY COMPLICATED.
BILLS ARE REVISED AND THE RESUBMITTED DISCOUNTS ARE APPLIED.
THE PLAN DOESN'T PAY THE HOSPITAL FOR SOME THINGS AND INVOICES ARE BILLED TWICE.
OUR INSURANCE HANDLED THAT COMPLICATED BILLING PROCESS FOR US TO ENSURE WE WERE CHARGED ACCURATELY.
ULTIMATELY, THE PLAN PAID APPROXIMATELY $184,000 DOLLARS TOWARDS GRAM'S CARE.
OUR ONLY OUT-OF-POCKET WAS COST WAS OUR DEDUCTIBLE, NOT A PENNY.
MORE, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE COVERAGE ALLOWED US TO GIVE GRAM OUR FULL MEDICAL ATTENTION.
INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF MEDICAL BILLS, WE DID NOT HAVE TO TELL THE DOCTORS, WAIT, WILL OUR INSURANCE COVER THIS? WE DID NOT HAVE TO TELL, STOP AND CALCULATE WHETHER WE CAN AFFORD THE NEXT TREATMENT OR PROCEDURE.
WE COULD SIMPLY TELL THEM, SAVE OUR SON.
ULTIMATELY, GRAHAM PASSED AWAY.
WE HAD TO FACE LOSING OUR CHILD, BUT WE DID NOT HAVE TO FACE FINANCIAL RUIN FROM THE MEDICAL BILLS FOR HIS CARE.
WE DID NOT HAVE TO CARRY THE FEAR OF BANKRUPTCY ON TOP OF THAT GRIEF, THAT IS WHAT THIS COVERAGE MEANT TO MY FAMILY.
MOST YEARS, WE NEVER COME CLOSE TO MEETING OUR DEDUCTIBLE AND WE USE OUR HSA ANOTHER BENEFIT AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR PLAN TO PAY OUR OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES.
IT'S EASY TO FOCUS ON WHAT INSURANCE COST US, BUT WHEN WE NEEDED IT MOST, WE SAW WHAT THE COVERAGE WAS WORTH.
I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME EMPLOYEES SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD HIGHER PREMIUMS. THE CITY PARISH HAS CONSIDERED THAT OPTION BY OFFERING LOWER COSTS, CLOSED NETWORK OPTIONS THROUGH STRONG LOCAL HEALTH SYSTEMS, GIVING EMPLOYEES ANOTHER WAY TO MAINTAIN COVERAGE.
I KNOW THAT PREMIUM INCREASE IS NOT EASY FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE STANDING BESIDE YOUR CHILD'S HOSPITAL BED, THE VALUE OF DEPENDABLE INSURANCE BECOMES MUCH GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT COMING OUTTA YOUR PAYCHECK.
IT MEANS BEING ABLE TO FOCUS ON YOUR CHILD KNOWING THAT FINANCIAL PROTECTION IS THERE.
IN 2022, I WAS A PARENT WITH A CRITICALLY ILL BABY, BUT THERE ARE FAMILIES FACING THE SAME FEAR EVERY YEAR.
I BELIEVE THOSE PARENTS WOULD TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO FOCUS ON SAVING THEIR CHILD WITHOUT ALSO FEARING FINANCIAL RUIN FROM MY FAMILY.
THAT PROTECTION MATTERED MORE THAN I CAN EXPLAIN.
I WOULD GLADLY PAY THE INCREASE TO KEEP THAT PEACE OF MIND FROM MY OWN FAMILY AND HELP PRESERVE IT FOR OTHER PARENTS AND LOVED ONES
[00:55:01]
FACING THE SAME FIGHT WE FACED.I ASK YOU TO KEEP THAT PERSPECTIVE IN MIND AS YOU CONSIDER THIS INCREASE.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I WILL.
I'M VIRGINIA POLICE PRESIDENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL GOT THIS, BUT, UM, THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AS A, UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE NEW HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND DEDUCTIBLES HAVE UNDERSTANDABLY COME AS A SHOCK TO CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THE INCREASES, THE INCREASES, UH, PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BURDEN TO THE BATON ROU UNION POLICE AND THE BATON VIRGINIA POLICE RECOGNIZES THE CONCERNS AND FRUSTRATIONS FELT BY THOSE AFFECTED, ALTHOUGH THE BATON VIRGINIA POLICE WAS BROUGHT INTO THIS DISCUSSION, UH, TOWARD THE TAIL END OF THE PROCESS, OUR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH MAYOR, PRESIDENT, UH, SID EDWARDS HAS A WELCOME CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
IN THE PAST, OUR CONCERNS WERE NOT OFTEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND WERE LARGELY EXCLUDED FROM THE CONVERSATION, AND WE WERE LARGELY EXCLUDED FROM THE CONVERSATIONS AND DECISIONS THAT ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE SITUATION WE FACE TODAY.
SINCE TAKING OFFICE MAYOR, PRESIDENT SID EDWARDS HAS DEMONSTRATED A WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN, COMMUNICATE, AND WORK ALONGSIDE THE UNION, AND ADDRESS THE AND ADDRESSED ISSUES AFFECTING THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A PRODUCTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP WILL BE INSTRUMENTAL AS WE BEGIN ADDRESSING HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.
IN 2028, BEGINNING IN JANUARY, MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND OUR UNION PLAN TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER UNIONS AND EXPLORE ADDITIONAL OPPORT UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE COSTS FOR BOTH CITY, PARISH AND ITS EMPLOYEES.
I BELIEVE MAYOR PRESIDENT C EDWARDS IS SINCERE IN HIS COMMITMENT TO FINDING SOLUTIONS.
WHEN WE INITIALLY WORKED TO REDUCE THE, UM, PROPOSED INSURANCE COST, WE FOR AT APPROXIMATELY 50%, WE GOT IT DOWN TO 25%.
UM, HE CONTINUED LOOKING INTO ADDITIONAL SAVINGS AND WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO BRING THOSE INCREASES DOWN TO 20% IN 30% RANGE.
HE ALSO REMOVED THE $300 MONTH SUR UH, SURCHARGE FOR OUR SPOUSE.
WHILE THESE INCREASES REMAINED DIFFICULT FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES, I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE WHILE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT MORE WORK REMAINS.
I SINCERELY APPRECIATE Y'ALL AND THE, AND THE MAYOR, AND THE WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THE BATON ROUGE UNION OF POLICE.
OUR UNION REMAINS COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR THE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, PROTECTING THE WELLBEING OF OUR MEMBERS AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO, TOWARDS A MEANINGFUL LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL.
UM, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S SPOKEN TONIGHT AND THANK YOU, UM, TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM, UM, HUB, Y'ALL GAVE A VERY, VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION AND HOPEFULLY, UM, HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, UM, EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING AND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE WE ARE FACING.
UM, THERE IS NO LARGE INSURANCE COMPANY OR OR LARGE RISK POOL, UM, FOR US TO DEPEND ON.
IT'S THE GENERAL FUND AND, AND WHAT WE AS PLAN MEMBERS PAY THROUGH OUR PREMIUMS. AND, UM, CERTAINLY BEING ON THE COUNCIL AND REALIZING WHAT OUR BUDGET IS AND USING THE CITY PARISH HEALTH HEALTH INSURANCE HAS, UM, HAS REALLY CHANGED THE WAY I SHOP FOR MY HEALTHCARE.
SO IN FACT, KEVIN'S PROBABLY TIRED OF ME SENDING HIM, UM, TEXT MESSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PRESCRIPTION
UM, DON'T NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO, I MET MY DEDUCTIBLE WOULD BE A HUNDRED PERCENT COVERAGE, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT EVERY DOLLAR I SPEND, IT'S OUR DOLLARS.
AND I KNOW, UM, WHEN I LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND GO THROUGH OUR, THAT OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS ARE LIMITED AND EVERY TIME WE TAKE A DOLLAR FROM ONE AND PUT IT IN ONE PLACE, IT'S A DOLLAR WE CAN'T SPEND IN ANOTHER PLACE.
UM, AND SO WE ARE, WE ARE CONSTANTLY, UM, FACED WITH COMPETING INTERESTS.
UM, AND, AND IT'S HARD DO WE VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK I WOULD SAY THAT THESE 12 COUNCIL MEMBERS UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN PROBABLY 99.99, NINE 9% OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS PARISH.
[01:00:01]
THE SERVICE AND THE, THE SERVICE PERFORMED UNDER LESS THAN FAVORABLE CONDITIONS.WE KNOW, UM, WHAT Y'ALL DO AND WHAT Y'ALL GIVE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ASK US, YOU KNOW, FOR A HEART DECISION, IT WOULD JUST BE LIKE, DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO FOR OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE WANT, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM THE VERY, VERY BEST.
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE OUR CONSTITUENTS AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, OUR JUVENILE COURT, OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE PULLING MONEY OUT OF THE, THE COKE MACHINE TO MAKE THEIR BUDGET WORK.
AND WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC DEFENDER, AND, AND WE HAVE MADE CUTS THERE.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LAWSUIT FROM HILL.
I MEAN, WE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE, HE'S NOT WELL FUNDED.
I MEAN, EVERYWHERE WE TURN, WE HAVE CONSTITUENTS.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS DRAINAGE NEEDS.
UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO EVERY TIME IT RAINS, THEY WONDER IF THEY'RE GONNA FLOOD AND HAVE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, 20, 30, 40,000, $50,000, UM, EXPENSE CLEANING UP FROM A FLOOD.
UM, I MEAN, EVERYWHERE WE TURN, THERE ARE REAL NEEDS.
AND, UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT, THAT WE HAVEN'T REALIZED FOR A WHILE THAT, THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS COMING.
I WORKED, UM, IN ADMISSIONS AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR 17 YEARS.
AND, UM, I NEVER WANTED TUITION TO GO UP, BECAUSE IT'S HARDER TO GET
UM, BUT I SAT THROUGH A LOT OF MEETINGS WHERE WE DELAYED RAISING TUITION, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD TO HAVE A MASSIVE HIKE.
AND IT WAS SO HARD ON FAMILIES.
AND SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO, SEVERAL OF US DID TALK TO HR AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT TO START NOT ABSORBING THESE PREMIUM COSTS.
AT SOME POINT DOWN THE LINE, THERE'S GONNA BE AN ADJUSTMENT, A DRAMATIC ADJUSTMENT.
IT'S GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY PAINFUL.
AND IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR FAMILIES TO ABSORB IT, YOU KNOW, A PERCENT HERE, A PERCENT THERE THAN IT IS IN ONE LARGE, UM, ONE LUMP.
UM, I ALSO, AND I, YOU KNOW, THINK CHRISTELLE AND KEVIN AND ALL OF THEM KNOW I'VE ADVOCATED FOR A NARROW NETWORK, UM, KNOWING THAT THERE WERE SAVINGS THERE TO BE HAD, AND I'VE EVALUATED BOTH OF THESE NEURO NETWORK PLANS FOR ME.
DO I HAVE TO CHANGE A DOCTOR OR TWO? I DO.
WE HAVE REALLY GREAT DOCTORS, UM, IN, IN BATON ROUGE.
WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL MEDICAL CARE HERE.
UM, BUT I CAN GO WITH A NEURO NETWORK AND I CAN, I CAN MAKE IT, I CAN MAKE IT WORK.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT, UM, THE CASE FOR, UM, FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, SO DURING THE, THE PAY RAISE, IF SOME OF Y'ALL WERE HERE THEN, AND I THINK Y'ALL PROBABLY SAW SOME OF US UP HERE SITTING WITH, YOU KNOW, GRIM FACES IN WHAT WAS A VERY, UM, UH, EXCITED AND HAPPY ROOM.
IT'S BECAUSE WE, WE KNEW THAT AT SOME POINT, ADJUSTMENTS WERE GONNA HAVE TO BE MADE.
AND, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO PAYSCALE ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, AND I'M, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE IN FRONT OF US WHAT WE HAVE US TODAY.
AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T LOVE AND VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE WORK THEY DO, WE DO.
IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BALANCE ALL OF THESE COMPETING INTERESTS AND FEWER AND FEWER DOLLARS.
AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING AT US, THEY'RE REALLY NOTHING.
WE HAVE CONTROL RISING ENERGY COSTS.
WE HAVE NO EFFECT OVER THE, THE, THE OIL AND GAS MARKETS RIGHT NOW, A BRUTAL QUANTITATIVE EASING HANGOVER.
IT'S JUST, IT JUST IS WHAT IT IS.
COMMODITIES, ROLLERCOASTERS, UM, AND, AND HEALTHCARE COST INFLATION.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, BUT THEY'VE LED TO THIS MOMENT IN THESE TOUGH, UM, DECISIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU RUN FOR OFFICE, YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW THESE MOMENTS ARE GONNA COME AND YOU KIND OF DO KNOW, BUT YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW HARD THEY'RE GONNA BE.
AND, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE MISUNDERSTOOD AND IT'S GONNA BE UNPOPULAR VOTES TO TAKE.
BUT, UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN STEWARDSHIP OVER THIS TIME, AND WE HAVE TO DO, I HAVE TO MAKE THE VOTE THAT I THINK IS BEST FOR RIGHT NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE.
AND, UM, AND SO THAT IS, UM, WHAT I'M GONNA DO TONIGHT IN SUPPORTING THIS.
UM, I AM SO ENCOURAGED TO HEAR, UM, JAKE, UM, AND BRANDON TALK ABOUT, UM, WORKING TOGETHER ON A COMMITTEE NEXT YEAR TO HELP US WORK THROUGH OUR PLANS.
UM, KEVIN HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND FOR BEING SO CREATIVE AND BRINGING, UM, GREAT IDEAS AND, AND LISTENING TO, UH, OURS WHEN OUR IDEAS MAYBE WEREN'T BRILLIANT, BUT WE WERE TRYING.
[01:05:01]
ALL WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN, WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS AND, UM, AND HAVE ONE OF THE, THE MOST CREATIVE AND, AND BEST, UM, MUNICIPAL INSURANCE PROGRAMS AROUND.SO, UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S, UM, WHERE MY HEART IS, AND THAT'S WHERE MY HEAD IS.
AND, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE, UM, TONIGHT.
COUNCILMAN HUDSON, I WANNA ASK A QUESTION OF, UH, FINANCE ABOUT THE, THE COST OF THE STATUS QUO.
UM, SO ANGIE, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, YEAH.
SO IF, IF YOU WOULD WALK ME THROUGH THE SCENARIO OF, IF THIS DOESN'T PASS TONIGHT, WHAT IS THE IMPACT TO THE RESERVE FUND PARTICULARLY, UH, AND THEN POTENTIALLY THE, THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL.
SO RIGHT NOW IN THE INSURANCE RESERVE FUND, WE HAVE ABOUT 13 MILLION.
AND, UM, THE CONSULTANTS ARE ESTIMATING THAT WE'RE GONNA OVERSPEND 2026, ABOUT SIX TO 8 MILLION.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU TAKE THAT OFF OF 2026, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING ANY PREMIUM ADJUSTMENTS TO EMPLOYEES FOR 26, WE'RE ALREADY BASICALLY CUTTING THE RESERVE IN HALF GOING INTO 2027.
IF NOTHING IS DONE, I WOULD FORESEE ANOTHER SEVEN TO EIGHT MI SIX TO $8 MILLION DEFICIT.
WE HA WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH IN RESERVE.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO DO A MID-YEAR PREMIUM ADJUSTMENT.
AND I DO FEAR THAT EMPLOYEES, IT WOULD BE SO LARGE THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, UM, ABSORB THE INCREASE.
UM, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CUT BUDGETS IF YOU, IF YOU NEEDED TO IN ORDER TO FUND THE INSURANCE.
I MEAN, THE INSURANCE, LIKE YOU SAID, WE'RE SELF-INSURED, SO AS WE COLLECT PREMIUMS, CLAIMS ARE GOING OUT, WE PAY ABOUT A MILLION TO 1.2 A WEEK IN CLAIMS, AND WE PAY CLAIMS WEEKLY.
THE REASON WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION, AND THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD, THE REASON WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S, IT'S LIKE LAURIE SAID, WE HAVE COMPETING INTERESTS HERE, RIGHT? OF COURSE, WE WANT TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT INSURANCE TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND CONTINUE TO, TO NOT HAVE THE COST GO UP FOR THEM.
UH, BUT ALSO OUR PRIMARY FUNCTION AS A GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE, IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CONSTITUENTS.
UH, AND SO BECAUSE WE ARE SELF-INSURED, UH, IF WE DON'T ABSORB THOSE COSTS SOMEHOW, THE ONLY OPTION LEFT IS TO, IS TO CUT SERVICES.
THE TWO BIGGEST, UH, DEPARTMENTS AND THE GENERAL FUND ARE BATON ROUGE FIRE AND BATON ROUGE POLICE.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S GOTTA BE WHERE WE START LOOKING FIRST IF WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT CUTS, UH, JUST BECAUSE THEY MAKE UP, YOU KNOW, SUCH A LARGE PORTION OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
UM, SO WE WEIGH ALL THESE, RIGHT? UH, WE LOOK AT ALL THESE COMPETING INTERESTS AND WE TRY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE, THE MAYOR'S COMMITMENT TO, UH, TO BRINGING BACK THAT COMMITTEE.
UH, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE, THE POSITION OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, UNIONS AND, AND WANTING TO HAVE A SEAT AT THAT TABLE AND, AND, AND WANTING TO HAVE THAT SEAT AT THE TABLE SOONER.
UM, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO DO AND, AND, UH, AND, AND DO MOVING FORWARD.
MOTION TO APPROVE COUNCILWOMAN ROCKA.
UM, OFTENTIMES THIS BODY IS CRITICIZED FOR THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.
MANY FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CHOICES ARE THAT WE ARE GIVEN TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS TONIGHT.
I THINK WE HAVE HAD AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION OF THE VERY LIMITED, VERY HARD CHOICES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IN MAY.
UM, WE SAT BEFORE YOU AS THIS BODY WHILE RAISES WERE HANDED OUT, WHILE THEY WERE SUPPORTED BY MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND SOME OF US WERE VERY GRIM.
IN FACT, I WENT ON THE RECORD ALONG WITH TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN STATING, I HOPE WE'RE NOT HANDING YOU, AND THIS IS MY QUOTE.
I WILL SIT HERE TONIGHT AND QUOTE MYSELF, I HOPE WE'RE NOT HANDING YOU A 4% RAISE JUST TO YANK IT AWAY IN NOVEMBER.
WE'LL NOT SEE INSURANCE CHANGES WHERE YOUR PREMIUMS WILL GO UP, OR YOU'LL HAVE TO GO TO A NARROW NETWORK WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO TO A CERTAIN PROVIDER.
WE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS, MAKING THAT CHOICE TO GIVE THE RAISES.
THAT WASN'T ME LOOKING INTO A CRYSTAL BALL.
THAT WASN'T ME MAKING MY BEST GUESS AND PULLING THAT OUT OF THE AIR.
THAT WAS ME UTILIZING THE INFORMATION THAT I HAD FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, FROM OUR INSURANCE CONSULTANTS, AND
[01:10:01]
THE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW OUR PLAN WAS WORKING TO TELL YOU GUYS, IT'S THIS OR THAT.SO NOW HERE WE SIT, AND THIS BODY HAS TO, IS NOW TASKED WITH FIRST 50% INCREASES, AND NOW SOMEWHERE LOWER BY WITH 20% INCREASES.
SO THESE ARE THE CHOICES THAT WE HAVE AND THE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT ARE ULTIMATELY NOT ONLY GONNA IMPACT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING IN HERE TODAY, BUT THEY'RE GONNA IMPACT OUR RETIREES AND THEY'RE GONNA IMPACT, UM, PEOPLE FOR YEARS TO COME.
BUT IF WE DON'T MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND WE DON'T DO THIS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR EVERYONE IN 2027? AND AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, BUT BASED UPON WHAT EVERYONE'S TELLING ME, BASED UPON THE DATA, BASED UPON MY HISTORY, I HAVE AN INSURANCE CONSULTING LICENSE BASED UPON EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW, WE WILL BE HERE IN 2027, HAVING A MUCH HARSHER CONVERSATION.
SO DO NONE OF US WANT TO MAKE THIS CHANGE TONIGHT? BUT WHAT DO WE DO? I CAN HONESTLY SAY, I DON'T WANNA DO THIS.
UM, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT SIT UP HERE IN FRONT OF YOU THAT ALSO HAVE FAMILIES THAT WILL ALSO HAVE A LARGE INCREASE ON THEIR INSURANCE.
IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, TONIGHT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RISING COST OF HEALTHCARE.
WE KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
NOW WE KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR, 2027.
WE KNOW OR SHOULDN'T, SHOULD KNOW THAT THE COSTS ARE GONNA GO UP NINE TO 11%.
WE'VE SAT HERE IN THESE CHAMBERS BEFORE, AND WE'VE HEARD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, AND I HOPE THAT EVERYONE IS LISTENING.
PLEASE LISTEN, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA BE QUOTED AGAIN IN TWO OR THREE, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
OUR RETIREMENT IS A PROBLEM, JUST LIKE THIS IS, WE NEED ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT.
WE NEED TO ALL HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
WE NEED TO TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE NEED TO HAVE OUR PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOBBIED HARD FOR THEIR PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND UNDERSTAND THE DECISIONS THAT THIS BODY MAKES YEAR OVER YEAR IS GOING TO IMPACT YOUR RETIREMENT.
IT'S GOING TO IMPACT YOUR HEALTHCARE BENEFITS, AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IF IT IS NOT MADE BY BEING EDUCATED, BY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PROGRAMS LOOK LIKE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS AND LONG-TERM PROBLEMS LOOK LIKE.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU THAT TO SCARE YOU, BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT BECAUSE THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGES, SOMETIMES WE FORGET.
SOMETIMES WE DON'T TAKE THOSE LONG-TERM IMPACTS INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE'RE CASTING THAT VOTE VOTE HERE, BECAUSE IT'S EASY AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT AND TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS GREAT.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
EVERYBODY IN THE CITY'S GONNA LOVE US.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SIT UP HERE AND SAY, THESE ARE THE TOUGH, TOUGH CHOICES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.
AND THESE ARE THE LIMITED CHOICES THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
DO WE WANT OUR EMPLOYEES TO STAY HERE? YES, WE ABSOLUTELY DO.
DO WE HAVE A RETENTION, RETENTION ISSUE? YES, WE ABSOLUTELY DO.
DO WE HAVE A DUTY TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED HERE FOR 20 PLUS YEARS AND HAVE RELIED ON HAVING A RETIREMENT 20 YEARS FROM NOW? ABSOLUTELY.
DO WE NEED TO SIT HERE AND UNDERSTAND THAT OUR DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE TODAY IMPACT TOMORROW? ABSOLUTELY.
FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE.
THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT DEDICATED THEIR LIVES.
LIKE THIS GENTLEMAN HERE SAID, $17,000 OF PAY.
THEY COULD HAVE GONE OTHER PLACES.
THINK ABOUT OUR FIREMEN THAT HAVE LONG TERM HEALTH IMPACTS AND ISSUES BECAUSE THEY'RE BREATHING SMOKE IN, THEY'RE RUNNING INTO BURNING BUILDINGS WHEN OTHER PEOPLE AREN'T.
THINK ABOUT OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND THE, THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR US AND THE HOURS THEY SPEND.
THINK ABOUT OUR DPW WORKERS WHO HAVE LIMITED INCOMES.
THEY CAN'T BE ON, HAVE THE BEST DIET BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD ORGANIC FOOD.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE HEALTHCARE.
WHEN THEY NEED TO GO AND GET THINGS CHECKED OUT.
THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THE LONG HOURS THEY HAVE TO WORK, THE DOUBLE SHIFTS, THE EXTRA JOBS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
THEY'VE GIVEN UP ALL OF THAT FOR A LIFETIME OF SERVICE TO THE CITY.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND TODAY, WE ARE TASKED SITTING IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU, AND FOR THOSE AT HOME, MAKING YET A HARD DECISION AND AN IMPACT THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ON THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE PROMISED TO SERVE, AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE PROMISED TO PROTECT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
[01:15:02]
YOU'VE SEEN THIS ITEM COME UP AT LEAST TWO ON TWO OCCASIONS WHERE WE HAVE DELETED IT, WE'VE MOVED FORWARD, WE'VE HAD ADVOCATES FROM OUR UNIONS, WE'VE HAD ADVOCATES FROM OUR COUNCIL THAT HAVE SAID, THIS IS JUST NOT GONNA WORK.AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I KNOW THAT THERE'S SKEPTICISM WITH THE NUMBERS, BUT WE, I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL FOR SEVEN YEARS.
I HAVE WORKED OR ATTEMPTED TO WORK WITH EVERY HR DEPARTMENT, WITH EVERY INSURANCE CONSULTANT THAT WE'VE HAD TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.
AND HUB HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO TRY TO FIND CHANGES.
THEY'VE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE RETIREE CHANGES, IF YOU KNOW WHAT WE WENT UP AGAINST TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, TO TRY TO FIND THE SAVINGS, UH, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME AND MARCHED IN AND THAT WERE TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY AGAINST THIS, THEY DID NOT WANT TO EMBRACE THESE CHANGES.
AND THE MAYOR, IT TOOK THE MAYOR LISTENING TO A VERY SELECT FEW OF US THAT HAD TO PUSH AND PUSH AND ARGUE TO BE ABLE TO GET THESE CHANGES MADE.
ABSENT OF THOSE CHANGES, WHERE WOULD WE BE? WHAT WOULD OUR NUMBERS LOOK LIKE? SO HERE WE ARE YET AGAIN TODAY WITH CHANGES THAT ARE VERY, VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
ULTIMATELY, THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT WE DO TONIGHT IS GOING TO IMPACT US FOR THE 2027.
WHAT WE DON'T DO TONIGHT IS GONNA IMPACT US GREATER FOR 2027.
WHAT DO WE DO? I'LL, I'LL GIVE THE TIME TO MR. MORGAN.
HE HAS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR HIS PEOPLE.
HE HAS, WE'VE BEGGED FOR HIM TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
THEY GAVE HIM A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
HE'S WORKED VERY, VERY HARD ALONGSIDE SOME OF HIS PARTNERS.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED AN INSURANCE COMMITTEE THAT STARTS TOMORROW.
EVERYONE, WE, OUR KEY PLAYERS, NEED TO BE AT A TABLE WITH OUR CONSULTANTS TOMORROW.
NUMBERS NEED TO BE DISCUSSED TOMORROW.
SO 2027 IN JULY OF 2027, NOT SEPTEMBER, IN JULY OF 2027, YOU CAN TELL YOUR PEOPLE WHAT THEIR OUTCOME, WHAT THEIR OUTLOOK LOOKS LIKE FOR 2027.
YOU CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, GOOD, BAD, UGLY, OR INDIFFERENT.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE THE REST OF MY TIME.
PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW YOU'RE FEELING AFTER HEARING EVERYTHING.
LET US KNOW WHAT DIRECTION YOU WANT US TO GO IN.
WE ARE FIERCELY TRYING TO HELP YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ROCCO.
JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT TO BATON ROUGE FIREFIGHTERS UNION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 42% OF ALL OF OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
SO WE TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY, AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD FROM CITI, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.
WE'VE ALWAYS GONE OUT AND FOUND IT THANKS TO OUR PUBLIC, THANKS TO THE PUBLIC FOR AGREEING WITH US.
BUT WE, WE HAVE BROUGHT ALMOST $28 MILLION TO YOU GUYS TO PAY US WITH.
SO WITHOUT THAT, WHERE WOULD WE BE? UM, AND I, I COMPLETELY RESPECT EVERYTHING YOU SAID.
I, I, I, I, I DON'T DISAGREE, BUT I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PREMIUM DECREASE.
I'M GOING TO START WITH ANGIE, IF YOU COULD COME UP PLEASE, RIGHT NOW, IF, IF WE, IF WE DON'T PASS THIS NOW, OR IF WE, IF THIS DOESN'T GO THROUGH, UH, I BELIEVE IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, YOU SAID IT WOULD BE A 1.4 MILLION COST TO US IF YOU HAVE NO INCREASE, IS THAT YES, WE HAVE NO INCREASE.
IF YOU REDUCED IT FROM 20% INCREASE TO A 10% INCREASE.
IF YOU REDUCE IT FROM A 20% TO ZERO, THAT'S MORE LIKE 2.5.
SO IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, WE'RE LOOKING AT 2.5.
AND YOU SAID HOW MUCH PER 5%? 700,000.
UM, NOW DOES THAT NUMBER ADJUST WHAT IT'S GONNA COST US? TOTALLY BASED ON WHAT THE EMPLOYEES PICK OR PLANS THAT THEY GO TO.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF, IF, IF A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE GO TO, UM, THE BLUE PLAN UNDER, UH, BATON ROUGE GENERAL OR VERITY, IF, IF A HUNDRED PERCENT OF EVERYBODY SWITCHES TO THAT, UM, DOES THAT ADJUST THOSE NUMBERS BASED ON PERCENTAGE
[01:20:02]
IN, UM, FORMULATING AN AN, AN ASSUMPTION? THERE WERE CERTAIN PROJECTIONS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION OF MIGRATION BASED ON THE DIFFERENTIALS WITHIN THE CURRENT PLAN AND THE REDUCTION OF THE TWO NARROW NETWORKS.IF YOU WERE TO ELIMINATE THE INCREASE, I THINK THERE WOULD BE, UH, LESS MIGRATION.
AND SO THERE WOULD NEED TO BE A FACTOR TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION OF THAT.
I'M BOTH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT HERE IS NEXT YEAR THE COMMITTEE AND, AND TIMING AND, AND, AND EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER AND, AND, AND PLANNING THIS OUT FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND IT SOUNDS ALL WONDERFUL KNOWING WHAT WE WERE FIXING TO GET INTO THIS YEAR, KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT KICKING THE CAN AND KICKING THE CAN.
WELL, I, I THINK THE KICK IN THE CAN ALSO AFFECTED THE TIMING OF BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE TABLE.
I THINK WE KICKED THE CAN ON THAT AND, AND EVERYBODY'S ALL EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING THE COMMITTEE TOGETHER FOR NEXT YEAR.
IT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE SITTING HERE BEING TOLD THAT IT HAS TO BE DONE NOW.
NOW, I REMEMBER GETTING A NOTIFICATION, UM, ABOUT MOST OF THIS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER GOING INTO, AND I KNOW WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND, AND HEY, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
BUT THEN WE HAVE A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED FOR OUR FRIDAY, AND THAT GOT CANCELED.
AND THEN WE ARE DOING A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING FOR TONIGHT.
SO I, I THINK SOME OF THE KICKING OF THE CAN WAS ABOUT THE TIMING OF BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE TABLE.
AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THIS YEAR.
WHAT WE'RE FACING HERE IS TO THE PUBLIC IS THE KICKING OF THE CAN WAS THE CITY PARISH HAS ABSORBED THESE COSTS OVER THE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER I HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THAT AS AN, UH, AS BEING ON THE COUNCIL OR A, A ADMINISTRATION, UH, THIS ONE, THE PREVIOUS ONE, THE ONE BEFORE THAT IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
WE'RE HERE, THERE'S 12 OF US AND, AND A MAYOR THAT, NOT NECESSARILY THIS ONE OR US THAT WERE SITTING HERE, BUT SOMEBODY'S KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THIS UP IN ONE SINGLE SITTING.
AND I JUST, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY TO EASE THAT BURDEN AND STILL KEEP UP.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN SAID A LOT OF THIS TIME.
GOOD LORD, AT FIVE MINUTES WENT QUICK.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN SAID HAS BEEN THE AVERAGE INCREASE PER YEAR IS, IS ANYWHERE FROM NINE TO 11%.
WE STARTED OFF AT 50%, WE GOT DOWN TO 20%.
I, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO GET TO A LEVEL IN INCREASING AND DIFFERENT THINGS TO WHERE WE REACH THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF ANYWHERE FROM NINE TO 11%.
AND THAT'S TOLERABLE BY OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO HOW DO WE EASE INTO THAT? LOOK, I, I, THERE'S, I, I'VE SPOKE WITH JAKE, I'VE SPOKE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
I, THERE'S NOTHING I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO ABOUT THE BURDEN OF THE DEDUCTIBLES.
I I THINK THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE, IT'S A GAME THAT, THAT IF WE DIG INTO THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS OUT TRYING TO FIGURE ALL THAT OUT.
BUT ONE THING WE DO HAVE, AND ONE THING I'M HEARING FROM PEOPLE TONIGHT IS IT'S THE MONTHLY COST OF THE PREMIUMS. AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IN, IN GOVERNMENT IS ABOUT, AND ESPECIALLY BETWEEN THE UNIONS AND EMPLOYEES AND, AND WORKING WITH US AND ADMINISTRATION, IT'S ABOUT NEGOTIATION AND TALKS AND, AND WHAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
ONE THING THAT I AM HEARING IS, UH, MR. JAKE CAME TO ME AND LOOKING AT 50% OFF THAT 20%, WHICH IS TAKE US DOWN TO 10, 10% INCREASE OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO CATCH UP EVENTUALLY, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THAT JUMP TO WHERE WE GET CAUGHT TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S SPLIT THAT.
IF THEY'RE WILLING, IF THEY WANT 10% AND, AND THE CITY OF PARISH IS WANTING, UM, 20% INCREASE, LET'S, AS A COUNCIL, LET, LET'S, LET'S GO WITH A GOOD BURDEN AND A HALF AND LET'S GO WITH A 15% INCREASE THIS YEAR.
WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DO, AND THIS IS JUST PREMIUMS. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST ADJUSTING THE, UH, DEDUCTIBLES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST THE PREMIUM FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AND, AND MS. ANGIE CAN CORRECT ME, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING A LITTLE OVER $700,000.
IT MONEY IS MONEY AND IT HURTS AND IT'S GONNA HAVE TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
AND JUST LIKE WE'VE DONE EVER SINCE TWO YEARS AGO WHEN THIS ADMINISTRATION STARTED, AND AT THE END OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, WE HAVE HAD TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS.
WE HAVE HAD TO BUCKLE IN AND WE'VE MADE A LOT
[01:25:01]
OF HARD DECISIONS.AND I KNOW $700,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THE FACT THAT WE CAN EASE THIS BURDEN ON THE EMPLOYEES AND STRETCH IT OUT OVER WHAT I HOPE COULD BE A TIME THAT WE COULD GET CAUGHT UP, THAT'S THE BEST OPTION THAT I SEE ON THE TABLE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD PASS THIS TONIGHT.
IF WE GO WITH A 15% AND, AND, AND THE MAYOR, ANYBODY WANTS TO SPEAK ON IT, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO.
BUT I WOULD MAKE LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE, A MOTION MOTION BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN MADE TO PASS IT AS IS.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE GO WITH A 5% DECREASE FROM THE 20% AND WE PUT THE INCREASE ON THE EMPLOYEES PREMIUMS, NOT ADJUSTING THE DEDUCTIBLES OR ANYTHING, BUT THE PREMIUMS, THE DEDUCTIBLES ARE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, IF THEY GO TO THE DOCTOR OR IF THEY, NOT THAT THERE'S NO TELLING WHERE THEIRS WILL GO.
BUT THE PREMIUMS ARE A SET MONTHLY COST FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AT AN INCREASE OF 15%.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE PASS THIS WITH ONLY A 15% INCREASE IN THE PREMIUMS. COUNCILMAN, IF, IF I MAY, YOU MAY WANT TO ASK YOUR, I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS, I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS IS AMENDING THE LOWER END, BUT I THINK THERE WERE OTHER PERCENTAGES.
SO DO THOSE NEED TO BE ADJUSTED TOO? IT'S, I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN ANSWER THAT.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE ONE OUT THERE THAT'S, UH, 20% AND 30%.
SO ARE YOU SAYING 1525 OR YOU JUST ADJUSTING THE LOWER 1525? CORRECT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION THAT WE DO THE 15 AND THE 25% INCREASE FOR THIS YEAR, AND THEN THAT COMMITTEE AND ALL CAN WORK WITH IT AND GO FORWARD.
I HOPE I CAN GET A SECOND TO THAT AND, AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND GET THIS DONE.
UH, I JUST WANT TO HAVE, UH, SOMEBODY FROM FINANCE OR HUB TO, TO LET US KNOW IS THAT, IS THAT AN ACCURATE, UH, ADJUSTMENT AND AMENDMENT TO WHAT HE'S SAYING HE WANTS TO DO? UM, IT SOUNDS RIGHT, BUT I JUST, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE AMENDING ACCURATELY AND APPROPRIATELY YES.
WHEN HE FOLLOWED UP WITH THE 15, 15 25.
AND THAT'S THE AMENDMENT AND IT'S, UH, ANGIE, IS THAT ACCURATE? IT'S ABOUT A $700,000 DIFFERENCE IS WHAT WE WOULD BE FACING IN THAT SCENARIO.
AND IN THAT SCENARIO, IF THAT IS, THAT IS THE WISH OF THE COUNCIL, THEN, UM, IN JANUARY I WOULD BE EMAILING ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, ASKING THEM, GIVING THEM THEIR PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THIS INCREASE AND ASKING THEM WHAT THEY WOULD REDUCE THEIR BUDGET BY.
WE SPEND THAT CUTTING THE STATE'S GRASS THAT WE'RE NOT REIMBURSED FOR, SO.
COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS, I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THE LEGACY COST.
MR. MORGAN MENTIONED THAT A SECOND AGO.
ANDREW, CAN YOU COME UP TO THE MIC, PLEASE? TALK TO US ABOUT THE LEGACY COSTS, PLEASE.
SO THERE IS A ORDINANCE THAT THE PREVIOUS COUNSEL PASSED ABOUT, UH, LEGACY COSTS FROM THE WITHDRAWAL OF, UH, ST.
THE ORDINANCE STIPULATES HOW THAT WITHDRAWAL LIABILITY WILL BE FACILITATED AND CALCULATED.
AND WE ARE FOLLOWING THAT ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW.
AND WHAT IS THE LEGACY COST? CAN YOU GIMME A DOLLAR AMOUNT I MEAN BY THAT? SO, UH, I THINK COUNCILMAN HURST HAD PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE RETIREMENT OFFICE TO, UH, GIVE Y'ALL THAT INFORMATION.
IT'S $60 MILLION AND IT CAN BE FINANCED OVER 15 YEARS.
SO THAT LEGACY COST OF 60 MILLION, WHATEVER THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS, COULD BE USED IF WE HAD IT IN OUR POSSESSION TOWARDS, NO.
THE LEGACY COST, TELL ME, BREAK THAT DOWN FOR ME.
EXPLAIN THE, TO ME, THE LEGACY COST WOULD GO TO THE SPRS RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
THAT WOULD BE USED TO FUND THE OVERALL FUNDING OF THE SYSTEM THERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE A, UM, A SITUATION WHERE THAT FUNDING GOES AND REDUCES YOUR OVERALL EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION RATE.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT A ONE FOR ONE.
ONE, ONE THING ON THE, ON THE PRESENTATION, THERE WAS A, A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, SELF-FUNDED DUAL COVERAGE DUE TO, UH, ADMINISTRATION CHALLENGES 500,000.
WITH THOSE CORRECTED THAT WOULD ASSIST WITH THIS 700 ACCURATE, THOSE WERE CORRECTED, HOWEVER, WE HAD TO INCUR THE EXPENSES.
[01:30:01]
BUT GOING FORWARD AS A PROJECTION, YES, SIR.UM, COUNCIL RO YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING? YEAH, SO, UM, THOSE COSTS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH AN ERROR, UM, FOR WITHIN CITY PARISH AND WITHIN OUR ADMINISTRATION.
I THINK THAT WE NEED, MOVING FORWARD, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER AUDITS IN PLACE WHERE WE'RE NOT THROWING AWAY $500,000 YEAR OVER YEAR, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, AS WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT, THAT WOULD IMPACT OUR EMPLOYEES BENEFITS PROGRAM.
SO WHATEVER REMEDIES WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO STRONGLY CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THAT.
ALSO, WITH REGARD TO KICKING THE CAN, UM, OUR, OUR, MY COLLEAGUE HAS SAID KICKING THE CAN MULTIPLE TIMES.
SO I JUST WANNA ENLIGHTEN EVERYONE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW SERIOUSLY THESE, THESE THINGS WERE TAKEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
UM, KNOWING THAT CHANGES WERE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE PLACE, I MADE A TELEPHONE CALL TO OUR CONSULTING TEAM AND SAID, HEY GUYS, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE'VE GOTTA LOOK TO SEE WHAT THIS, WHAT OUR PLAN IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
AND THEY WERE TOLD, AND NOT VERBATIM, BUT THEY WERE TOLD, HEY, WE MADE ENOUGH CHANGES LAST YEAR, WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE ANY THIS YEAR.
AND THEY WERE TOLD TO HOLD OFF.
SO NOW THEY SIT BEFORE US AND WE ASK THESE QUESTIONS, HEY, WHAT CHANGES CAN BE MADE? WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? THEY, THEY WERE HITTING THE PAUSE BUTTON.
SO I CALLED ADMINISTRATION AND SAID, HEY, THIS CAN'T BE TRUE.
CAN WE PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND TRY TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS? NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THAT TIME, BUT I KNOW THIS TEAM WAS WORKING FOR US AND WORKING HARD.
SO WHATEVER IT IS WE NEED TO DO TO CORRECT WITHIN CITY PARISH, UM, THAT ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTINUE JUST TO LET MONEY ESCAPE US WHENEVER WE'RE TAKING IT FROM OUR EMPLOYEES PAYCHECKS.
UM, SO WITH REGARD TO KING IN THE CAN, THAT STOPS NOW, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR COMMITTEE.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING OUR ADVOCATES AT THE TABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE FAIRLY REPRESENTED.
UM, AND LIKE THE MAYOR SAID BEFORE, HE LISTENS, HE ABSOLUTELY LISTENS.
HE COMES WITH SOLUTIONS, HE LISTEN TO US WITH REGARD TO THE RETIREE INFORMATION.
WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF HAD HE NOT LISTENED.
SO I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE AND SOMEBODY THAT WILL LISTEN TO US.
AND I SUPPORT, UM, MR. MOSS, COUNCILMAN MOS, UM, CHANGES COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS.
CAN THE CONSULTANTS COME UP AND TELL US WHAT THE INCREASE WOULD BE AT 15% ON THE PREMIUMS? PLEASE CONFIRM THE, UH, NUMBERS.
AND I, AND I CAN GIVE YOU SOME ESTIMATES ON THIS, AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW WHAT AN INCREASE MEANS TO, UM, EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
AND, AND I, I THINK WE'RE FOCUSED, WHICH IS WHAT YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON, IS HOW IT'S IMPACTING YOUR PEOPLE.
BUT AT A 15% INCREASE, THE CITY PARISH PICKS UP 4 MILLION, 437,000, AND THE, THE CITY EMPLOYEES PICK UP OF THAT INCREASE 1,206,000.
SO ALL OF THIS IS BIG NUMBERS, RIGHT? BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ON YOUR QUESTION THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GROSS COST OF THE INCREASE THAT IS BEING BORN BY WHAT WE BUDGETING, WHAT WE'RE BUDGETING, IF WE DID 15%, THE CITY'S PICKING UP 4.4 MILLION OF THAT INCREASE AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE PICKING UP AROUND 1.2 MILLION OF THE INCREASE.
DID THAT HELP? ANGIE, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? IS THAT, THAT WAS JUST AN APPROXIMATE NUMBER DOING THE YEAH, CAN YOU, I THINK SHE WANTED THE PER PAY PERIOD.
SO HMO EMPLOYEE OWNING ONLY THE INCREMENTAL WILL BE $12 AND 15 CENTS.
HMO EMPLOYEE PLUS SPOUSE, $36 AND 20 CENTS EMPLOYEE PLUS CHILDREN HMO 31 AND 83 CENTS.
EMPLOYEE PLUS FAMILY IS 49.32.
I'M GONNA SWITCH OVER TO P-O-S-P-O-S EMPLOYEE ONLY 15.47.
AND I'M JUST SAYING THE EMPLOYEE AMOUNTS, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE FOCUSED ON.
BUT IF I'M, IF I'M SAYING IT WRONG, TELL ME DIFFERENT.
[01:35:01]
PLUS SPOUSE FOR POS 46.07, EMPLOYEE PLUS CHILDREN, 40.52 EMPLOYEE PLUS FAMILY, 62.78 HD WOULD BE EMPLOYEE ONLY $8 AND 91 CENTS EMPLOYEE PLUS SPOUSE, 36.52, EMPLOYEE PLUS CHILD WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 31.51.AND EMPLOYEE PLUS FAMILY IS AN ADDITIONAL 51 POINT 58.
DID YOU WANT THE INCREMENTAL OR YOU WANTED THE, THE PAY PERIOD AMOUNT? THIS IS GOOD.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS.
HEALTHCARE RAISES RETIREMENT SERVICES AND IT'S THE SAME CONVERSATION, JUST A DIFFERENT ITEM.
UM, IT'S NO DENYING, UH, THE TIGHTENING OF THIS BUDGET IS BECAUSE OF THE PULLOUT OF ST.
UH, $50 MILLION IN REVENUE, SOME $60 MILLION IN LEGACY COSTS.
UH, A LOT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE RAISES, SPECIFICALLY THE, UH, EMPLOYEE RAISES, DPW AND OTHERS, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT RAISE COSTS THE CITY PARISH ABOUT $2.3 MILLION.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS FORESIGHT AND PROJECTIONS ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THINGS LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE, RETIREMENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WELL, A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE THAT, WE GAVE THE BRPD PAY RAISES.
THERE WAS NO FORESIGHT, NO PROJECTIONS ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT OR AFFECT RETIREMENT HEALTHCARE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND TO THE MAYOR'S PART, WHERE WOULD ANY OF THESE EMPLOYEES BE HAD WE, NOT GIVEN ANY OF THEM THE RAISES, BUT WE'LL SIT HERE AND POINT FINGERS AT THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
BUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THE BUDGET IS NOT THE SAME DUE TO THE PULLOUT OF ST.
WE'VE BROUGHT UP THE LEGACY COSTS.
THERE'S ALSO ISSUES AROUND INCORPORATION DATE AND WHAT DOES THAT DO? THERE'S ANNEX OR PROPERTY OUT THERE THAT'S GENERATING, UH, TAXES THAT'S HELD IN ESCROW THAT COULD BE USED.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED TO PULL THIS REVENUE IN AND NOT LET THE EMPLOYEES BEAR THE BURDEN.
I UNDERSTAND THEIR RISING COSTS IN HEALTHCARE.
BUT AS WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THE CONSULTANTS, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU'RE ABOUT A $2 MILLION SHORTFALL RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK WE CAN FIND THAT IF WE KICK THE TIES AND LOOK AT OTHER COMPETING PRIORITIES THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET, INSTEAD OF LETTING THAT JUST LAND ON OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE ADMITTED THROUGHOUT THIS PAY RAISE PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES WITH RETIREMENT, WITH HEALTHCARE, WITH THINGS MOVING FORWARD.
BUT I WANNA CAUTION US ON, UH, OUR EMPLOYEE RETENTION.
UH, FOR YEARS, AND THIS GENTLEMAN KIND OF SPOKE ON IT A LITTLE BIT, FOLKS WENT TO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT, CITY, STATE, LOCAL BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS.
WE CANNOT COMPETE WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY WITH PAY.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THE BENEFITS TO USE AS A LURE AND AN ATTRACTION, WHAT ARE WE GONNA BE OFFERING THE EMPLOYEES? WE GONNA CONTINUE TO LOSE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WHAT WAS KNOWN TO THEM AND GUARANTEED TO THEM THE LONG GAME, AS THE GENTLEMAN SAID, THE BENEFITS ARE SLOWLY SLIPPING AWAY.
SO WE GOTTA BE MINDFUL THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, SLOWLY TAKING THAT STUFF AWAY.
AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE LEAVE OUT THE DOOR AND NOT BE ABLE TO ATTRACT FOLKS.
WE ALREADY KNOW THE PAY IS NOT COMPETITIVE WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA HANG OUR HAT ON? SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO CAUTION US, UH, BECAUSE FOLKS ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR EMPLOYMENT IF THEY CAN'T RELY ON THESE BENEFITS AS AN ATTRACTION.
THIS HAS BEEN THE LURE TO PEOPLE IN CITY, PARISH, GOVERNMENT, AND STATE GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL.
THE BENEFITS, THE INSURANCE, THE RETIREMENT.
AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME CONVERSATION ON A DIFFERENT ISSUE UNLESS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE LINGERING AND BRING SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION TO 'EM.
IN MY OPINION, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOLUTIONS OUT THERE THAT COULD EASE THIS BURDEN NOW
[01:40:01]
AND, AND WE, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.BUT I THINK WE CAN FIND $2 MILLION, WHETHER THAT'S RESOLVING SOME OF THE SAINTS GEORGE ISSUES OR LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND RESOLVING SOME OF THE COMPETING INTERESTS THERE.
SO I WOULD URGE US TO, TO CONSIDER THAT.
THINK ABOUT THAT AND LET'S NOT LET THE EMPLOYEES BEAR THE BURDEN OF THIS INCREASE.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
I THINK YOU PEEPED MY NOTES AND I DO WANNA YEAH, UH, HUB YOU ALL DID, UH, JUST A GREAT PRESENTATION.
AND EVEN WHEN YOU ALL DID THAT THE OTHER DAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME THING THAT HAS BEEN SPOKEN HERE ABOUT, AND YES, I CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH.
CITY PARISH PEOPLE WORK FOR CITY PARISH AND THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT JUST STARTED, BUT THEY PRIDED THEMSELVES ON, UH, WORKING FOR THE CITY BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS WHEN ANY TIME MEN WERE WORKING SEVEN AND $8, BUT KEPT COMING TO WORK BECAUSE THEY PRIDED THEMSELVES ON THE BENEFIT.
AND NOW WE MAY BE UP TO 10, 50, $12, BUT NONE OF US SITTING UP HERE, NONE OF US SITTING UP HERE, AND VERY FEW OF YOU ALL OUT THERE ARE WORKING FOR THAT AMOUNT.
SO I WANT YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
WHEN THEY GOT THE PAY RAISE, I DIDN'T HAVE A GRIM FACE.
I WAS GRATEFUL THAT THAT HAPPENED.
SO THERE WAS NO GRIM FACE FOR ME.
AND I'M GRATEFUL BECAUSE MY STATEMENT WAS GOING TO BE LET'S EXAMINE EVERY REASONABLE OPTION.
2 MILLION SOUND LIKE A BUNCH OF MONEY, BUT IT'S NOT WHEN WE HAD THE ISSUE THAT ROCKER JUST MENTIONED, AND WHEN WE, THAT 500 AT HALF A MILLION FOR THAT POLICE STATION, AND THEN THAT 500 THAT WE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING ON THE TRUCK FOR THE CAMERA, FOR THE BLIGHT.
AND THAT THAT RIGHT THERE IS 1.2.
AND SO, AND THEN WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO RAISE SOMETHING, BUT LIKE RAISE TUITION, THAT'S A CHOICE.
'CAUSE THEY GOT SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO THAT WAS A CHOICE THAT FOLK WOULD MAKE TO STAY AT A SCHOOL IF THEY HAVE TO PAY TO TUITION.
AND SO THE, THE, AND TALKING ABOUT PROVIDING SERVICES TO CONSTITUENTS, OUR EMPLOYEES OR OUR CONSTITUENTS, THESE ARE NOT SOME FOLK THAT'S JUST HANGING OUT THERE.
THESE ARE OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL.
AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT, UH, ROCKER YOU QUOTED YOU AND I REMEMBER THAT AND I ALSO ASK ABOUT WHAT INCENTIVES FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO IMPLEMENT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES TO KEEP AWAY FROM THE DOCTORS THAT WOULD HELP WITH THESE, UH, PREMIUMS. AND SO THAT WAS OVERLOOKED.
SO I GUESS WASN'T NOBODY TRYING TO IMPLEMENT NO HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND HAVE INCENTIVES FOR THE FOLK.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT HERE, AND BY THE WAY, EVERY TIME IT RAIN SOUTH BATON ROUGE, IT FLOODS.
AND SO THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE LEGACY COST AND SAID THAT IT COULD ONLY BE USED FOR RETIREMENT.
WELL, I BELIEVE IT WAS SOME TALK HERE TONIGHT ABOUT THE RETIREMENT COSTS.
SO LET IT BE THAT'S GOOD THEN THAT MEAN WE'LL NOT BE COMING BACK TO TALK ABOUT A A, A WINE, I SHOULD SAY ABOUT THE RETIREMENT ISSUES HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE IN BATON ROUGE.
AND SO I, I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION.
YOU, YOU DO THIS AND EVEN AFTER THIS, THEN WHAT? IT'LL BE SOMETHING ELSE.
IT WOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING ELSE.
SO MOCHA GANG, I'M GLAD THAT YOU CAME UP WITH WHAT YOU CAME UP WITH.
WE TALKED ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES MOVING TO MEDICARE AND THE ADVANTAGE BLUE AND THE SAVINGS THAT IT MADE.
[01:45:01]
WHAT SAVINGS WILL COME ABOUT IF OUR EMPLOYEES AND WHEN OUR EMPLOYEES EMBRACE THIS, UH, ADVANTAGE BLUE COUNCILWOMAN.YOU DON'T, YOU GO GO YOU EXTRA TIME WITH THIS.
SO IS YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE TWO NARROW NETWORKS, IF THEY EMBRACE THE NARROW NETWORK PLANS, WELL, NARROW WIDE, WHATEVER, MY QUESTION IS, IF THEY MOVE TO THAT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE MM-HMM
AND THAT HELPED US WITH SOME MONEY.
CORRECT? UH, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
SO, SO RIGHT NOW, I THINK, UM, AND, AND LATOYA, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY IT, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LEFT THAT DID NOT MOVE TO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM, BUT THAT WAS LAST YEAR.
I'M TALKING ABOUT NOW OPEN ENROLLMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND THE POSSIBILITY.
SO WHEN YOU, UH, LATOYA, YOU MAY WHEN ASK YOU HOW MANY, SORRY.
SO, AND, AND THERE'S AN EFFORT TO STILL MOVE MORE OF THOSE FOLKS OVER, CORRECT? UM, YES, THERE IS, THERE ARE NOT AN, I DON'T WANNA GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE NUMBER.
SO I'M GONNA ESTIMATE THERE MAY BE AROUND 400 EMPLOYEES THAT CAN STILL, SORRY, 400 RETIREES THAT CAN STILL MIGRATE OVER TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE.
UM, WE DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF RETIREES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN MOVING OVER THIS YEAR.
THEY'VE BEEN CALLING HR, THEY'VE EVEN BEEN SHOWING UP IN PERSON TRYING TO DO IT NOW.
AND WE HAVE TO TELL THEM HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL OPEN ENROLLMENT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WELL, OPEN ENROLLMENT, THEY MOVE OVER TO MEDICARE AND THAT'S MORE MONEY AS THEY SAY, RIGHT? UHHUH,
THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE, YEAH.
WE, WE, WE NEED TO STOP GETTING STUCK AND THEN SEE HOW WE CAN BROADEN THIS HORIZON AND FIND OUT HOW MORE MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND THAT THING SAY MORE MONEY, HOW MORE MONEY CAN COME ABOUT.
AND THEN WE WOULDN'T BE, WE, WE, WE JUST WOULDN'T BE HERE, UH, TRYING TO WIGGLE OUR WAY OUT OF MUCH.
AND SO AFTER THIS THEN WHAT, WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILY PLAN? SOMEONE MENTIONED ABOUT THERE WAS NO CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FAMILY PLAN PREMIUM.
I BELIEVE SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE FAMILY PLAN THAT WAS NOT ISSUED.
SO IN THE EXAMPLES THAT WERE GIVEN, IT WAS SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE HMO, THE POS AND THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE, THE NEW PREMIUM INCREASES SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE JUST THE EMPLOYEE, ONLY EMPLOYEES.
AND NATURALLY THAT'S GONNA BE MUCH CHEAPER.
BUT WE'RE ALL, AND THAT'S WHY I SAID WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE FAMILY MEN AND WOMEN HERE.
UM, AND WE'VE COME HERE FOR THE BENEFITS LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN DUNN SAID, AND THOSE COSTS ARE MUCH HIGHER.
IT, IT NOW THAT THEY PROBABLY MIGHT COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND VERY GRATEFUL, BUT THAT, THAT'S A BIGGER NUMBER THAN JUST EIGHT AND $16 A MONTH.
IT WAS A WELL OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST HONOR, UH, THE EMPLOYEE MR. TED STEVENS WHO CAME UP.
UM, IT TOOK A LOT OF COURAGE FOR HIM TO, UH, OUTLINE A VERY PERSONAL STORY.
AND SO I WANTED TO COMMEND HIM FOR THAT AND, AND LET HIM KNOW HIS HIS FAMILIES IN, IN MY PRAYERS.
UM, ANGIE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING UP, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'RE NOW TOSSING AROUND NUMBERS AND I, I DON'T WANT CONFUSION AND I'M CONFUSED.
UH, AND SO IF EMPLOYEES ARE WATCHING OR GONNA GET INFORMATION THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I DON'T WANT TO CREATE CONFUSION.
WE ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT A DECREASE FROM 20 AND 20 TO 30 TO 15 AND 15 AND 25.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THE PREMIUMS ARE BEING PROPOSED TO BE 15% ABOVE THE CURRENT PREMIUM RATHER THAN 20.
AND THEN, UH, THAT'S FOR THE POS AND THE HMO, THE HD WAS PROPOSED TO BE 30% ON TOP OF THE CURRENT RATE.
IT IS NOW BEING PROPOSED TO BE 25%.
AND AT SOME POINT THERE WAS A NUMBER OF 700,000 THROWN OUT.
AND THEN WHEN KEVIN CAME UP, THE, THE NUMBER AND KEVIN PLEASE ADD TO, BUT THE NUMBER GIVEN WAS, WELL, THE CITY PARISH WOULD BEAR 4.4 MILLION OF THAT COST.
CAN YOU CLARIFY? SO THE, THE PROPOSAL THAT, UH, THE MAYOR PUT BEFORE Y'ALL, THE CITY PARISH IS BEARING A COST TO THAT.
UM, THE EMPLOYER IN THAT, IN THAT PLAN WOULD'VE B BORN 11% INCREASE.
SO IN THE GENERAL FUND IT WAS ABOUT 1.8.
AND WHAT I THINK HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS TOTALITY OF ALL FUNDS.
[01:50:01]
AND SO, UM, WHEN YOU REDUCE THE PREMIUM FROM THE EMPLOYEE, THE EMPLOYER HAS TO PICK IT UP BECAUSE THE RESERVES, I DON'T WANT TO GET BELOW A CERTAIN THRESHOLD.AND SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, THAT IS, THAT MEANS THAT THE EMPLOYER HAS TO COME UP WITH MORE MONEY TO FUND THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM THE REDUCTION IN THE EMPLOYEE, WHICH IS ABOUT 700,000.
WOULD THIS ADJUSTMENT OF THESE PREMIUMS IMPACT THE OTHER OPTIONS? WOULD IT PUT THEM IN JEOPARDY REFERRING TO THE SPOUSAL, UH, INCENTIVE WITHOUT PENALTY AND PENALTY IS NOT THE RIGHT WORDS.
IF, FORGIVE ME, I DON'T HAVE THE POWERPOINT IN FRONT.
SURCHARGE WITHOUT THE SURCHARGE.
WOULD THAT PUT THAT AT RISK OR IN JEOPARDY AND OR THE TWO NARROW NETWORK OPTIONS? NO, THOSE ARE NOT BEING PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED AND THO THAT THEY WOULD REMAIN THE SAME.
AND SO THE 700,000 YOU REFERENCED WOULD NOT COME FROM RESERVES.
BUT YOU WOULD LOOK TO DEPARTMENTS TO GENERATE SAVINGS WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT TO TAKE IT FROM, UM, AND OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AND THEN PUT IT TOWARDS FUNDING FOR, UH, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.
AND THAT WOULD COME FROM GENERAL FUND? YES.
THE SPECIAL FUNDS I DO FEEL WOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO INCREASE THEIR BUDGETS TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASE.
AND SO WE HEARD FROM, UM, THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION, UH, THEIR OPPOSITION, WE HEARD FROM BRPD UNION.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY TOOK A FORMAL VOTE.
I DIDN'T HEAR FROM DPW UNION TONIGHT.
UH, BUT WOULD THIS ADJUSTMENT TO THE FIREFIGHTERS ADJUST YOUR POSITION THAT WAS TAKEN? CAN YES, SIR.
AFTER ALL THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
UM, AND REALLY LAYING OUT WHAT, WHAT ALL THIS STUFF REALLY MEANS, HOPEFULLY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LISTENING.
I WILL, I WILL ONLY SAY THAT WE ARE.
WE ARE ASKING ALL DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE CUTS, UM, AT THE BEHEST OF ONE.
AND, AND MY INTENTION IS NOT TO CALL YOU OUT ANY NEGATIVE WAY.
I JUST MEAN I GET UNCOMFORTABLE MAKING ON THE SPOT CHANGES IN DECISIONS.
UM, AND I, AND MY CONCERN IS WE ARE MAKING AN ON THE SPOT CHANGE AND WE DON'T KNOW THE RAMIFICATIONS.
WE
PERHAPS I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION THAT'S FORMULATED NOW.
COUNCILMAN, I'M ASSUMING YOU WANT EXTRA TIME? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
I APOLOGIZE TO KEEP HAVING YOU COME BACK UP, GETTING YOUR STEPS IN.
UM, IF WE WERE TO PASS AS IS TONIGHT, AND WE RECOGNIZE SAVINGS IN THE FUTURE, COULD THERE BE ANY ADJUSTMENTS MADE? YES.
UH, WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE CALL A PREMIUM HOLIDAY.
I THINK WE'VE DONE IT PROBABLY TWO OR THREE TIMES MM-HMM
AND SO WHEN YOU START REALIZING THAT THERE COULD BE A, UH, OVER COLLECTION OF PREMIUMS AS COMPARED TO THE EXPENSES, WE HAVE USUALLY SUPPRESSED THE LAST TWO, UH, DEDUCTIONS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE IN DECEMBER.
YEAH, I, I JUST BASED ON THAT, I I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF THOUGHT AND, AND PREPARATION WENT INTO IT.
I THINK WE KNOW WHAT SOME OF THE OUTCOMES ARE, AND IF LO AND BEHOLD NUMBERS COME IN LOWER, THERE'S A MECHANISM TO PUT THAT BACK INTO THE POCKETS OF EMPLOYEES.
THE ALTERNATIVE, THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO JANUARY TURN TO DEPARTMENTS AND SAY, WHAT SERVICES AND OR PEOPLE ARE YOU CUTTING? AND SO I JUST, I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, UH, SUPPORTING THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT MY COLLEAGUE OFFERED.
WE HAVE TWO MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR.
THEY'VE BEEN, THERE WAS A, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS SECONDED COUNCILMAN HUDSON'S MOTION.
THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.
SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS, CORRECT.
[01:55:01]
BY COUNCILMAN MOGUE.WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN NOEL IS TO APPROVE THE ITEM AS AMENDED WITH, UM, A 1515 25% INCREASE IN PROPOSED EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS. MACHINES ARE OPEN MOTION FAILS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MACHINES ARE NOW GONNA BE OPEN ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
MACHINES ARE OPEN MOTION FAILS.
COUNCILMAN HUDSON, I'D LIKE TO RESTATE COUNCILMAN MO'S MOTION.
UM, LOOK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE EXPENSE OF DOING NOTHING IS MUCH WORSE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND COUNCILMAN GOD DAY'S SENTIMENTS AND THE SENTIMENTS OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT SUPPORTED THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
UM, BUT IT'S GONNA BE EVEN WORSE WITH THE STATUS QUO.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN MO, KUDOS TO YOU.
UM, I THINK THAT IF, IF THAT'S THE MIDDLE GROUND, THEN, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
I'LL SECOND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ABLE TO MAKE A COMMENT, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THE SAVINGS, WE TALKED ABOUT THE SAVINGS IN COVERING THIS.
IT'S, IT'S THE OPTION THAT'S THE BEST ON THE TABLE TO, TO EVERY, EVERYBODY IS ON BOARD NOW AS FAR AS EMPLOYEES AND UNIONS AND, AND SO ON.
AND LIKE, LIKE COUNCILMAN, UH, HUDSON SAID, DOING NOTHING IS AGAIN KICKING THE WHOLE THING DOWN THE ROAD.
AND THEY'RE ALL ON BOARD WITH THE REDUCTIONS IN THE PREMIUMS PER MONTH.
AND I ASK THAT WE AT LEAST MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON AND A, I WILL SAY BRP D'S BUDGET WILL BE CUT.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH THIS.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON AND A VERY LENGTHY SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TWICE.
I I DON'T COUNCILWOMAN HARRIS VOTE.
UM, COUNCILMAN
AND HOW DO YOU GO MAYOR PRO TIM, I KNOW YOU, MAYBE I SEE YOUR RESPOND.
I SEE YOUR BODY LANGUAGE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY'S GONNA FEEL THIS.
AND IS, IS THERE ANY DEPARTMENT HEADS IN HERE TONIGHT BESIDES CHIEF MORRISS? DPW? WILLIAM, DANIEL, ANGIE, CAN YOU COME UP? ANGIE, PLEASE? SO I GUESS YOU ARE GONNA BE THE ONE TO GO AND DELIVER THE BAD NEWS, HUH? YES.
WHERE'S THE MAYOR? MAYBE WE SHOULD SEND THE MAYOR DELIVER THE BAD NEWS AND TELL FRED RAYFORD AND JOE BUTLER AND WILLIAM DANIEL YOURSELF THAT YOUR BUDGET IS GONNA TAKE A HIT.
AND WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? JUST GIVE ME A FIGURE.
UM, FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS $10,000.
YOU SURE ABOUT THAT, ANGIE? MM-HMM
WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DOING SO, WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR MILLIONS.
YOU'RE SAYING, OH, YOU GONNA TAKE A HIT OF 10,000? OKAY.
WHAT WILL FRED HAVE TAKE A HIT? UH, SO THIS IS BASED ON THEIR INSURANCE COVERAGE THAT THEY HAVE IN THE BUDGET.
THE LARGEST BUDGETS, LIKE COUNCILMAN HUDSON SAID, ARE POLICE AND FIRE.
[02:00:01]
WAS 123,000 AND FIRES 104.IN MY ORIGINAL STATEMENTS, I THOUGHT WE SHOULD BACK UP AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET, LOOK AT COMPETING INTERESTS, LOOK AT PRIORITIES, AND FIND THE DOLLARS THERE.
UM, I DISAGREE WITH BOTH ITEMS, BOTH MOTIONS, THE, THE ONE ON THE FLOOR AND THE SUBSTITUTE.
FOR THAT REASON, I THINK COUNCILMAN GOLDADE DISAGREES WITH THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION BECAUSE HE THINKS BP'S BUDGET IS GONNA BE CUT.
I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND JUST KIND OF LOOK AT IT IN TOTALITY AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND IT WITHIN THE BUDGET AND FIND THOSE CUTS.
COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN, YOU KNOW, MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, SOME SUGGESTIONS.
I MADE SOME, I I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH WE GO THROUGH ALL THIS STUFF AND, AND DISCUSS THIS STUFF OFTEN, IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT IRRESPONSIBLE WITH MAKING THAT DECISION ON, ON THE FLY FROM HERE.
IT MAY BE GOOD TO JUST TAKE A STEP BACK AND, AND GET IN THE ROOM AGAIN AND LOOK AT THOSE THINGS AND COME UP WITH THAT EXACT NUMBER, WHETHER THAT'S 2 MILLION, 3 MILLION OR THE $750,000.
IT MAY NOT BE, UM, WISE TO DO IT ON THE FLY JUST BEFORE A VOTE RIGHT NOW.
SO I, I WOULD OFFER THAT UP FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH IS, UH, RESTATING COUN COUNCILMAN, UM, RESTATING COUNCILMAN MO'S.
WELL, I ASKED, UM, BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT IF THAT CHANGED THEIR POSITION.
LET ME ASK BRPD SINCE THEY SPOKE AT UNION.
MR. O'NEILL, DOES THIS ADJUST YOUR POSITION LEARNING THAT YOUR BUDGET WILL BE CUT? SIX FIGURES? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT REALLY, YEAH, WE, WE WERE OKAY WITH HOW, HOW IT WAS GOING ORIGINALLY BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S BUDGET ISSUES AND WORKING TO FIND, UM, MONEY LATER TO SUP TO SUPPORT A DECREASE, I THINK IS A BETTER OPTION.
I THINK CUTTING OUR BUDGET EVEN MORE THAN IT'S ALREADY BEEN CUT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
IS, UM, I MEAN, HOW MUCH BLOOD DO YOU WANT IN OUR STREET? RIGHT? I, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK CUTTING ANYBODY'S BUDGET.
WE HAVE A CLASS ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING THEIR BUDGET, CUTTING POLICE BUDGETS.
Y'ALL DO WHAT Y'ALL NEED TO DO.
I I KNOW I'VE USED MY TWO FIVE.
AND JAY, DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT SANTA COMES IN DECEMBER? WHEN, WHEN MO SAID SOMETHING ABOUT TAKING A LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ANGIE, COME ON BABY.
DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT SANTA COMING IN DECEMBER? I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN GODDE ASKED ME IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME WHERE YOU HAD, UH, AN OVER COLLECTION OF PREMIUMS MM-HMM
AND THAT WE HAVE GIVEN PREMIUM HOLIDAYS IN THE PAST WHEN WE, WHEN THAT, WHEN IT DID APPEAR THAT THERE WAS AN OVER COLLECTION.
SO IF IT'S AN OVER COLLECTION, YOU JUST DON'T GIVE IT, YOU JUST KEEP IT AND PUT IT IN THE COFFEES FOR SUCH A TIME.
WE DON'T TAKE IT FROM THE EMPLOYEES.
TIME STILL AVAILABLE, I GUESS SMOKE, I'M GUESSING IF GIVES TO MS. COLEMAN, GOD, DAY'S TIME IF HE WANTS TO.
NOT ONLY HAVE WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SAVINGS TO THE EMPLOYEES AND, AND CUTTING, UH, 5% OF THE INCREASE OFF, UH, FOR THEM.
NOT ONLY DOES THAT BRING EVERYBODY ON BOARD, BUT MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT SAVINGS IN OTHER AREAS WITHOUT CUTTING EMPLOYEE WORKFORCE AND ALL.
I, I, I CAN'T, I CAN'T GO WITH THAT SCARE TACTIC ABOUT CUTTING EVERYBODY AND, AND, AND, AND WHO'S OUR, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY'S GONNA BE CUT.
I CAN TELL YOU I'D BE THE FIRST ONE IF I EVEN THOUGHT THAT, THAT WOULD SAY, OKAY, WELL WE'RE FIXING, I'M FIXING TO INCREASE OF MOTION TO INCREASE IT BY 50% SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO CUT POLICE OR FIRE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THE SCARE TACTIC OF, WE'RE GONNA CUT POLICE AND FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS WRONG
[02:05:01]
WHEN ALL OF THAT, THERE'S OTHER PLACES THAT CAN BE CUT.THERE'S ALREADY PROVEN SAVINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SPEAK, SPOKE ABOUT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE SAVINGS OF IF, DEPENDING ON THE, HOW MANY PEOPLE MOVE OVER TO A CERTAIN PLAN.
SO THIS, THIS WHOLE TALK ABOUT, UH, CUTTING POLICE AND CUTTING FIRE IS BS.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE TARGETED AT THEM.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE TARGETED AT EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT IF US AS A COUNCIL OR AN ADMINISTRATION NEED TO FIND $700,000 FROM SOMEWHERE WITHOUT CUTTING ANYBODY'S WORKFORCE, I'M SURE WE CAN FIND IT.
MAYBE WE DON'T FUND A PARADE OR TWO, MAYBE WE DON'T FUND SOMETHING ELSE LIKE COUNCILWOMAN.
UH, COLEMAN SAID, WE DON'T FUND $500,000 IN CAMERAS ON THE VEHICLE.
THAT'S HOW WE MAKE UP THIS SHORTFALL HERE.
WE'VE PAID FOR THIS INCREASE MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE YEARS.
ALL I'M ASKING TO DO IS EASING OUR EMPLOYEES INTO THE SITUATION OF CATCHING UP TO THE NORMAL 11 NINE TO 11%.
SO I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES, LIKE IT'S BEEN SAID, THE WORST OF TWO SCENARIOS.
WE CAN DO NOTHING TONIGHT AND WE'RE REALLY SCREWING OUR EMPLOYEES.
OR WE CAN DO SOMETHING TONIGHT AND BALANCE THIS OUT WITH WHAT I'VE OFFERED AND WE CAN PASS THIS.
AND THEN WE'RE TWO MONTHS AWAY FROM A COMMITTEE MEETING THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO START JANUARY 2ND AND BE READY FOR THE PREMIUMS NEXT YEAR.
I ASK YOU, LET'S PLEASE PASS THIS AND GET THIS DONE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND FOR THE CITY PARISH.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE MISSED, UM, THIS PARTICULAR, UM, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A CHANCE, MAYOR.
OH NO, I'M, I'M, UH, THIS PARTICULAR
DO WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AND WHAT KIND OF SAVINGS THOSE WOULD BRING IF WE TALKING ABOUT, TALKING ABOUT, UM, HAVING EXTRA MONEY? HAS THAT BEEN BROUGHT UP? I ASKED THAT, BUT HOW MUCH IT WAS? NO, IT WASN'T.
SHE COULDN'T GIVE US A, SHE COULDN'T GIVE THE, IS THERE ANY KIND OF ESTIMATE, ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH COULD BE SAVED? I MEAN, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR MONEY PLACES, YEAH.
THE, THE IMPORTANT THING IS THE WAVE THAT WE TOOK IN LAST YEAR.
REMEMBER, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT MANDATORY.
YOU ALL DECIDED NOT TO MANDATE EMPLOYEES TO MOVE OVER.
SO WE MOVE THE EMPLOYEES OVER.
THERE'S NO KNOWING WHETHER WE WOULD GET ANYONE TO MOVE.
WE MAY 'CAUSE LATOYA WAS SAYING THERE'S SOME INTEREST.
UM, IS THERE SOME SAVINGS IN THAT? BUT REMEMBER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF LESS THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT WOULD, WOULD MOVE.
YOU WOULD NEVER GET THE FULL GROUP.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LARGE NUMBER.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD, THERE WAS SOME, THERE WAS SOME ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGES WITH THAT.
NOT, NOT FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR, OR ADMINISTRATION, BUT STRICTLY DUE TO SOME OF THE RETIREES HAVE PO BOXES AS ADDRESSES.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PHYSICAL ADDRESS TO BE ON A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN.
SO THOSE PEOPLE COULDN'T MOVE AND THAT WAS 50 SOMETHING PEOPLE.
UM, THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T PAY INTO PART OF MEDICARE PART A OR B.
SO THERE, THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT LIKE, WE JUST COULD NOT MOVE.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE STILL UNDER THE COMMERCIAL PLAN FOR THAT REASON.
AND SO IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY EXACTLY HOW MUCH SAVINGS ARE STILL OUT THERE.
ALRIGHT, MAYOR, WE'VE BEEN HERE SO DAMN LONG.
THAT BIG MAX NOW $20 FOR THE WHOLE MEAL.
UH, COUNCILMAN MOOCH HAD, UH, AMENDMENT, WHICH I THINK IS SOLID, THAT EVERYBODY, MOST OF THE PARTIES OUT HERE AGREE ON.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T PUT OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES HEALTHCARE, YOU KNOW, IN JEOPARDY.
SO LET'S GO ON AND GET THIS PASSED WHERE IT'S AT.
AND GOING FORWARD, WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE TO BRING A WHOLE TEAM TOGETHER TO GET THIS DONE.
COME ON, LET'S VOTE ON THIS AND LET'S GO HOME.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS FROM COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MOOCH TO, UH, APPROVE THE ITEM WITH THE HMO AT 15% POS AT 15% HDHP AT 25% FOR THE PROPOSED EMPLOYEE.
[02:10:07]
MOTION CARRIES.THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE, EVERYBODY.