Great Bend City Council meeting at a glance
Here is a quick look at what the Great Bend City Council did Monday night:
The agenda includes:
• Held a review of the city’s health insurance plan and approved a 10% increase in employee premiums.
• Approved a Freedom Claims bid for group dental coverage for 2024 at a cost to the city of $48,774.60.
• Heard a report from report from City Administrator Brandon Anderson. He focused on the ribbon cutting for the new Justice Center set for 10 a.m. Friday and an update on the new splash pad at Veterans Memorial Park.
• Approved a tree trimmers license for Keylin Phelps, DBA Phelps Tree Service, out of Great Bend.
• Approved a cereal malt beverage license for N-Stant Convenience due to change in management.
• Approved abatements for garbage and refuse violations at 317 Walnut, 321 Fruit and 1622 19th.
• Held a work session to discuss proposals to lease city vehicles from Fleet Enterprise Management. There was a consensus to continue looking into the idea.
• Heard comments from Teri Barr and Jared Chancellor who both operate Airbnbs and were concerned about new city guidelines governing the operation and zoning for such temporary lodging establishments.
• Heard comments in support of the Sunflower Rod and Custom Association and its dragstrip.
The Great Bend City Council Monday night took action on two items dealing with health insurance for city employees.
First was a decision to increase the employee monthly premium by 10%. This comes as the city continues working with Gallagher/Freedom Claims of Great Bend to review the plan, City Administrator Brandon Anderson said.
“From last year, our insurance went up substantially, but we absorbed quite a bit of that. We actually absorbed more of that than we probably should have from a fiscal standpoint,” Anderson said. This involved a 26% jump.
Although the city does have a health reserve fund,it was recommended internally that the city do a 15% increase. However, by the time the budget was approved, the figure was 7%.
“So if we did 10 this year, that would help us claw by 5%,” he said. Any increase impacts both the city and the employees.
Anderson said they need to recover some of those funds so they are not as dependent the reserves. This in case there is a year where there are a lot of insurance claims filed.
Next, the council OKed approved a Freedom Claims dental bid for group dental coverage for 2024 at a cost to the city of $48,774.60. “So on the dental insurance we do have some final numbers and kind of excited to make a recommendation,” he said.
The city currently offers group dental insurance with Delta Dental. However, several large dental offices in Great Bend no longer accept Delta, which causes increased out-of-pocket expenses for staff, Anderson said.
“They have offered us a self-funded model,” he said. After reaching out to employees and their dental providers, this plan was tailored so that most providers would accept it.
The cost is a little higher than Delta Dental, about $5 per staff member. “But if it’s better insurance and it’s more widely accepted, we believe it will be better for our employees.”
On another insurance note, Anderson said they are continuing to work with Freedom Claims to iron out a new insurance package. Hopefully we’ll be finalized on this for our next council meeting.”
