Bristol Virginia Council Takes No Action On Dental Increase

By David McGee
Staff Writer / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: July 23, 2008

BRISTOL, Va. – City employees won’t pay higher dental insurance premiums, after the City Council failed Tuesday to approve proposed increases.

After an extended discussion, the council took no action on a plan to raise rates charged to city and school division employees.

Vice Mayor Fred Bowman’s motion to approve the plan died for lack of a second. Councilman Ernie Sprouse said he would abstain from voting, since he participates in the program and Councilmen Jim Heaney and Guy Odum said nothing.

“I think that was the right thing,” Mayor Jim Rector said after the meeting. “There was some concern about not understanding the total concept and seeking some additional information.”

The matter could be brought up again at a later date.

“I think you’ll see it again,” Rector said. “The plan will remain in effect as it presently is.”

The city is self-insured on its dental program, charging employees a nominal monthly premium. Under the plan, employees pay their dental bills and are then reimbursed for 50 percent of the costs up to $1,500 per covered person. In addition to current employees, the plan is also open to retirees.

“The idea is to make the plan break even,” City Recorder Steve Allen said, adding rates haven’t been raised since 2003.

“We’ve reduced their hospitalization insurance by about $4, but now we’re wanting to take it away with dental insurance,” Rector said.

Single employees presently pay $5 monthly for the coverage, while $12.50 covers an entire family. The proposed increases would have raised single coverage to $6 per month and family coverage to $15.

“Have the city employees been able to review and comment on this plan? I wonder if they might have suggestions for possible improvements,” Heaney asked during the discussion.

A city insurance committee reviewed proposals from insurance companies and it opted to retain the existing program, Allen said.

“Those plans were about twice the cost,” he said.

Heaney asked City Manager Bill Dennison to distribute information about the increases to all city employees and to solicit their feedback. Dennison asked if Heaney wanted more than 600 copies made and mailed to the employees, since many may not have access to the Internet.

Heaney said the information shouldn’t be mailed.

After the meeting, Councilman Guy Odum said he also would like to hear from employees.

“I want to know is the plan working for people. Is it of value for them – if it’s good or not,” Odum said.

To put the item back on a future agenda, the council must direct Dennison to do so.

In other action, the council held first reading on an ordinance to simplify a section of the city code dealing with taxicabs. No taxi companies currently operate in the city, but a potential operator has expressed interest, Dennison said.

“I don’t expect a rash of applications, since this is the first one in more than 20 years, but we do have one, and he is interested in operating in Virginia,” Dennison said.

Current city regulations are “complicated and convoluted,” Dennison said.

The plan closely mirrors guidelines in Bristol, Tenn., where the Twin City’s existing cab services are all based, Dennison said.

The revised plan and fee schedule must undergo second reading to be approved.

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