LAKEPORT ? The Lakeport City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to pay health insurance surcharges for early city retirees until July when they will pay no more than active employees.
For retirees younger than 65 and not Medicare eligible, surcharges range from $92.55 for single retirees to $194.38 for two people and $277.67 for a family per month, according to finance director Janet Tavernier. This year active employees started paying a 12-percent charge for their health insurance, which the city used to cover 100 percent.
Mayor Ron Bertsch said he hopes national government will develop a health care plan that will solve the issue.
Council member Rob Rumfelt dissented on the issue that he said affects the “city”s veterans.” He said he”s against the surcharge but he thinks they need to pay the 12 percent active employees pay.
“I think they”ve earned what we told ”em we”d give ”em,” Rumfelt said.
Former Chief of Police Tom Engstrom retired in 2005 and said the retiree and health insurance benefits were a big reason he continued working with Lakeport rather than taking a higher-paying job elsewhere. He asked the council to support retiree benefits.
The council also adopted a resolution 4-0 to support keeping the Mendocino College Lake Center on Parallel Drive. Rumfelt abstained because he is a part-time employee of the college.
With a 3-2 vote, the council denied an opportunity to apply for Proposition 84 funding for purchase and complete development of a park on Alden Avenue. Rumfelt and Councilwoman Suzanne Lyons voted to go forward with an application. Council members approved Clear Lake High School”s request to have their homecoming parade from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 30 on Main Street as long as staff can safely oversee the two parades scheduled that day.
The city will buy a new street sweeper for about $205,000 plus tax and licensing as the city”s old street sweeper broke down. City Clerk Janel Chapman swore in Stephanie Green to office as a school resource officer.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
