In compliance with Public Act 152, the Belleville City Council on Monday approved 20% monthly healthcare premium contributions for all city employees, effective July 1.
The new Michigan law was effective last September and covered employees after current union agreements expired.
The Police Officers Association of Michigan union agreement has been expired for some time and they already pay the 20%. The other two unions for city employees expire June 30.
The city is getting an attorney’s opinion on whether retirees getting health care are included in this law. The city currently has three retired police officers and one other retiree getting health benefits.
In other business at Monday’s 35-minute meeting, the council:
• Approved a professional services agreement with Plante Moran not to exceed $5,000 for calculating the city’s other post-employment benefits (OPED) in compliance with Government Accounting Standards Board #45;
• Approved the 2012/13 Fee Schedule Amendment;
• Approved the SMART Municipal Credits agreement that brings $3,914 for the local senior/disabled transportation program with a local match of $4,501 funded with the Senior transportation budget;
• Approved the closing of Fourth Street from Main to the library at Charles Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 13 for the annual Harvest Fest;
• Approved accounts payable of $216,166.91 and departmental purchases in excess of $500: to Allie Brother, $1,138.15 for police uniform for Officer Wolfe; to BS&A Software, $6,740 for computer upgrades; to Martin & Son, $1,933.52 for vehicle repairs from the general fund and DDA; to P&W Paging, $4,840 for new fire department pagers; to Time Emergency, $7,455 for fire department turnout gear; and to Westland Fire, $571 for annual maintenance;
• Removed from the Follow-Up List an item that was put on by former Mayor Pro Tem Rick Dawson on Nov. 3, 2008, that was aimed at replacing all the old fire hydrant connections in the city. DPW Director Keith Boc said the city’s new standard is 3.75” connections and they are being replaced gradually. There is no money for a general replacement, he said;
• Heard Boc report that water meters are being installed in one section of the city at a time. He said letters went out this week to the Huron River Drive subdivisions;
• Heard comments from council members on how smoothly the Strawberry Festival went. “It was a nice, quiet family event,” said Councilwoman Kim Tindall. Mayor Pro Tem Jack Loria thanked everyone in the community for putting on the festival and showcasing Belleville. He said he counted 90 cars at that evening’s car show on Main Street, which is another good event. “It takes a lot of people to make that happen,” Mayor Kerreen Conley said in complimenting the events;
• Heard John Juriga complain about the sermons from people on Main Street during the festival and people screaming religious comments over speakers. He said he is for freedom of expression, but that was too much. He wanted a speakers’ corner, to get them into one place, like Trafalgar Square in London. Police Chief Gene Taylor said the people have freedom of speech and have the right to express themselves, as long as there is no jostling or physical contact. Juriga said, “I find that embarrassing for the community.” Councilwoman Tindall replied that it would be more embarrassing to put duct tape on their mouths and take them out of town and the citizens end up having to pay for big law suits; and
• Went into executive session to discuss the status and strategy of pending union negotiations. They reconvened into regular session only to adjourn.
Civil Service Commission
The Belleville Civil Service Commission met Tuesday, June 19, to interview four male and three female applicants for police officer positions in the city.
Chief Taylor said he sent out 50 letters to pre-screened job-seekers and got just 14 responses. Of the nine selected for interviews, two got jobs before Tuesday’s session.
Chief Taylor said Belleville Officer John Kapchus tendered his resignation in April and said he would stay until the end of July. But, he changed his mind and recently turned in his gear and left, Chief Taylor said.