The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Three trustees opt out of plan
By Sandi Kasha, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: January 18, 2007
After much public scrutiny, Webster Township trustees Karl Fink, Gary Koch and John Westman have decided to drop their township-funded health insurance benefits.
Advertisement
Fink confirmed Tuesday that he has dropped his insurance. Webster Township officials confirmed that Koch and Westman canceled their health plan.
"I told them (township) on Dec. 18 that I wanted to end it effective immediately," Fink said. "I did not want the issue to be a distraction to the board, and I did not want it to be an ongoing thing."
Fink's insurance rate totaled $14,258.04 yearly while Westman's amounted to $1,722.96 per year and Koch receives $14,829.84 per year.
Koch and Westman couldn't be reached for comment.
Trustee Richard Kleinschmidt has yet to relinquish his health insurance benefits, which totals $5,687.88 per year, township officials said.
The decision to opt out of the health plan, which costs the township $36,498.72 a year, was probably a wise move.
The insurance benefits didn't sit well with some township residents who voiced their concerns at the Dec. 19 board meeting.
Webster Township Supervisor John Kingsley, who doesn't receive any health insurance through the township, put together the five-member compensation commission Dec. 19 as a way to solve the problem.
The commission had their meeting Jan. 11.
"The idea of the commission is to determine compensation and insurance benefits for board members," said Laurie Hunter, who is a member of the commission.
"I also dropped the insurance because I didn't want the compensation commission to look at the issue with me being in the position of receiving health insurance," Fink explained.
He and Westman's renouncing their health insurance benefits doesn't mean that the commission will put a halt to their meetings, Hunter said.
Township officials were using resident tax dollars to fund for their medical insurance, which was costing the The health perk was initiated about four years ago when Dean Fisher was supervisor.
Township officials' insurance coverage can come through the township plan or they can opt to get insurance through their work, but can get reimbursed through the township, according to township documents.
Hunter said that the committee is researching more than just insurance.
"We're looking at the board's salary and the meeting rates," she explained. "It's not just about the insurance."
According to township records, Kingsley's salary as supervisor is $30,643 while the trustees are paid $170 per meeting.
Hunter said that the commission is researching board funds at every angle and are also looking for public input on the matter.
"We are anticipating wrapping this up soon," she said. "We probably have two to three more meetings. The next meeting hasn't been set until more data has been collected."
Not all stories are guaranteed to appear
online. The Web edition contains a reasonable
sampling of the print edition stories.
For the most complete news coverage, we invite you to
subscribe
to the print edition of the paper.
Expanded
Web
Coverage
TOP JOBS
