Co-pays may increase for county employees

SUNBURY - The Northumberland County commissioners plan to increase co-payments for employees' health insurance and grant pay hikes to election poll workers.

At the meeting Tuesday afternoon, Commissioner Vinny Clausi said health insurance has been "killing" the county for the past several years, although he pointed out a change in insurance carriers last year saved approximately $1.2 million.

During last month's meeting, budget director Jeff McClintock said the county would save approximately $113,000 per year if it would increase a $20 co-payment per month to $31 for a single plan, $54 for a two-party plan and $75 for a family plan for non-union employees. If county commissioners were successful in getting non-union and union workers to accept the same suggested co-payment increase, the county would save approximately $400,000 per year, McClintock said.

Clausi, who said the county's health insurance is expected to rise 17 1/2 percent next year, said the county's cost for health insurance has increased $4 million in the past 10 years.

"We have to beg the union to come to the bargaining table and accept raising the co-payment for their employees," Clausi said. "I don't know where else to go to get the money. The bone is shaved to the bone. We have to get a balanced budget."

Clausi and fellow Commissioners Frank Sawicki and Kurt Masser agreed to tell Human Resources Director Joseph Picarelli to contact union officials to set up a meeting to negotiate co-payment increases for bargaining unit employees.

In other business, the commissioners agreed with a recommendation by Clausi to raise the average pay of $78 per day for all election poll workers, but deferred taking action until the 2010 budget is balanced.

Clausi said, "I think it's a crime that the poll workers don't even get minimum wage for working from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. We are losing people by paying them an average of $78 per day."

Sawicki added, "The poll workers do a good job. They are dedicated and deserve a raise, and we will bring it up to the election board."

After the meeting, Masser, who has been in favor of raising the pay for poll workers for the past couple years, stated, "We need to pay a better compensation to the people who work at our polls. One of the most important duties we have as commissioners is running a fair and accurate election, and these poll workers are the folks who see that this happens. I vote in the busiest poll in the county in Elysburg, and they have the greatest group of poll workers and judge of elections. No matter the size of the turnout, they do an exceptional job. The same could be said for all the voting sites. This is long overdue for this group of people who perform this valuable task."

Other business

The commissioners granted permission to have Southside Fire Company of Riverside switch its 911 dispatch service from Northumberland County Department of Emergency Services to Montour County Department of Emergency Services.

The board awarded a contract for oil and gas furnace retrofits for the weatherization department to Jim Olcese Plumbing and Heating at their bid of $30 per hour per man, and $80 to clean and tune.

Mrs. Mel Purdy was appointed as the county's designee on the tourism fund grant review panel for the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau.

David Crowl, of Elysburg, and John Kopp, of Sunbury, were reappointed to four-year terms on the county's Conservation District Board of Directors, and Commissioner Masser was reappointed to a one-year term on the board.

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