CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE
MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 1997
A MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 9:35 A.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
COUNCILMAN NOURY
COUNCILMAN WEBER
COUNCILMAN WEBER CHAIRED THE MEETING.
ALSO PRESENT WERE:
JOHN KUZMISKI, FINANCE DIRECTOR
MATTHEW OLIVERIO, ASSISTANT CITY SOLICITOR
ELIZABETH CROWLEY, ACTING CITY CLERK
CHAIRMAN WEBER OPENED THE MEETING AND ASKED THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF HIS MEETINGS RELATIVE TO THE WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT.
JOHN KUZMISKI EXPLAINED THE WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT AND EXPLAINED THE WEEKLY BENEFITS RELATIVE TO THE ACT.
MATTHEWS OLIVERIO CLARIFIED THE SCHEDULE ON LOST WAGES ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE HANDOUT.
JOHN KUZMISKI ADDRESSED THE QUESTION OF WHAT THE COST OF STOP LOSS INSURANCE FOR COVERAGE OF $120,000 WOULD BE ABOUT $8,000.00 PER YEAR. HE SPOKE OF WHAT HE LEARNED ABOUT SELF INSURED WORKERS COMPENSATION AFTER HIS MEETING WITH DIANE JANELL OF PAWTUCKET WHO IS WORK COMP ADMINISTRATOR FOR PAWTUCKET AND HAS WORK ON THIS SINCE 1988. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE SIZE OF PAWTUCKET IS 381 EMPLOYEES WHO ARE COVERED BY THE ACT VS. 53 WITH THE CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS, WHICH MAKES PAWTUCKET ABOUT 7X LARGER. HE STATED THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR ATTENDS REGULAR WORKERS COMP. WORK SHOPS AND SEMINARS.
JOHN KUZMISKI COMMENTED ON NANCY LAWRENCE FROM THE STATE WHO DEALS WITH SELF INSURANCE. HE STATED THAT THE STATE ALSO CONDUCTS SEMINARS.
MATTHEW OLIVERIO AND JOHN KUZMISKI COMMENTED ON THE HISTORY FACTOR WHICH WOULD COME IN THE FUTURE TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH THE CITY WOULD FUND.
COUNCILMAN NOURY ASKED IF THIS IS $50,000 BUDGETED EVERY YEAR UNTIL A CERTAIN MAX IS REACHED.
JOHN KUZMISKI RESPONDED THAT HE WANTED TO KEEP THIS FLEXIBLE, SINCE THIS MAY NOT BE THE AMOUNT NEEDED EVERY YEAR.
COUNCILMAN WEBER ASKED IF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR HAD GOTTEN A QUOTE FOR PREMIUMS.
RHODE ISLAND INTERLOCAL RISK $92,000
BEACON $87,000
IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO SELF INSURE.
JOHN KUZMISKI AND MATTHEW OLIVERIO COMMENTED ON THE RULES OF SELF INSURANCE AND BOTH RELATED THAT CERTIFICATION WAS REQUIRED UNDER THE ACT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD HANDLE THE PAPER WORK. THEY ALSO STATED THAT DIANE JANELL WOULD ASSIST THE CITY ON A CONSULTANT BASIS UNTIL CERTIFICATION WAS ACHIEVED.
DISCUSSION ENSUED RELATIVE TO THE SUBJECT OF CERTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL FOR THE WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
JOHN KUZMISKI POINTED OUT SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES AND RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE BESIDES DIANE SUCH AS DONNELLY REHAB SERVICE AND NWI INVESTIGATIONS.
MATTHEW OLIVEIRO EXPLAINED THAT WORKERS COMPENSATION WAS A UNIQUE AREA OF THE LAW.
COUNCIL MEMBERS THANKED THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND CITY SOLICITOR FOR THEIR TIME.
BOTH COUNCILMAN WEBER AND COUNCILMAN NOURY AGREED THAT SELF INSURING WOULD APPEAR TO BE CHEAPER AND WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY FOR THE PRESENT TIME.
COUNCILMAN WEBER STATED THAT IF IN THE FUTURE THIS DOES NOT WORK THEN THE COUNCIL COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE AND MAKE AMENDMENTS APPROPRIATE TO THE SITUATION.
COUNCILMAN NOURY STATED THAT HE HAS NO PROBLEM WITH SELF INSURANCE AND BOTH COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IN FAVOR OF PASSAGE OF THIS ORDNANCE AND WOULD MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 10:21 A.M.
______________________________
ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY, CMC
ACTING CITY CLERK