Kendall County Board members voted to eliminate special stipends for two committee leaders Tuesday but gave future office-holders a small raise.
The board members voted, 5-3, to increase the $85 per diem to $90 in December 2016 and to $95 in December 2020. Per diem is the pay county board members receive for each day they attend county board meetings, county board committee meetings, or meetings of organizations to which they have been appointed.
Per diem pay – which county board members receive on top of health benefits, a $200 monthly salary and mileage reimbursement – lately.
Finance Committee Chair Anne Vickery is reviewing her colleagues’ pay vouchers from December 2010 through February 2012 after alleging a political opponent, County Board member Dan Koukol, was improperly paid for 49 meetings. Koukol, who chairs the board’s Economic Development Committee, has said County Board Chairman John Purcell for attending economic development functions.
County board members didn't take any action on their own health insurance at their meeting Tuesday morning.
“All those discussions are going to keep going,” Vickery said.
Vickery listed off the county’s cost for providing that insurance this fiscal year. Vickery said medical benefits cost $87,734 for eight board members; her calculations included $12,914 for John Purcell, whose family is covered by his wife, Jackie, who works for the county coroner’s office.
The cost, per official, for other board members are:
H.D. "Bob" Davidson $16,560 Jeff Wehrli $14,123 Anne Vickery $9,359 Jessie Hafenrichter $9,044 Dan Koukol $9,044 Suzanne Petrella $9,044 Elizabeth Flowers $7,647 Total $74,821The county board members voted, 6-2, to eliminate the $3,000 annual stipend for the chairmen of the Finance Committee and the Planning, Building and Zoning Committee in December. Voting against it were Koukol and Purcell. Board members Suzanne Petrella and John Shaw were absent.
When it came to increasing the per diem pay, Nancy Martin, Wehrli and Flowers voted against the raises.
Both those changes will have to be incorporated into the Board Rules of Order by a 2/3-majority vote, State’s Attorney Eric Weis said.
I brought this fact to Mr. Davidson's attention at yesterday's Kendall County Board Meeting during Citizen's Comments and told him that the federal government could be helping to pay his medical expenses (With no change of benefits to him) and we local taxpayers could see and reap some savings if he would consider enrolling in Medicare. He could have cared less, felt he was entitled not to enroll in Medicare and really did not respond to my suggestion to save us taxpayers some premium dollars.
The public remembers Mr. French for his recent 2012 Super Bowl Sunday behavior, where he pulled his gun in the cash register aisle of the Oswego Wal-Mart on a pregnant woman and her husband w/o identifying himself as law enforcement. This glowing public praise of Mr. French by Sheriff Randall may give the public its first clue on what actually happened with the promised KCSC internal investigation of this scary incident involving an Off-Duty and High Ranking KCSC Deputy who showed no restraint. Mr. French continues to be the Kendall County Sheriff's Department’s Media Officer.
The County's Group Health Insurance Company is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Mr. Davidson is enrolled in the County’s PPO program as a family; the deductible is $200 in Network/$500 Ded. Out of Network and it has 90% Co-Ins.(In Network) and 70% Co-Ins. (Out of Network) with a $5000 Stop Loss. Max. Out of Pocket is $500 (10% of $5000) In Network and $1500 (30% of $5000) Out of Network. There is also a $10 Doctor Office Co-Pay and $10/$20/$35 Co-Pay for Prescription Drugs. (Generic/ Formulary/True Brand) Preventive Care is included. Since it is BCBS of IL. it would be rare any one would incur any Out of Network Charges. How does this County PPO Plan compare to your current Medical Coverage?
What happened to all that talk about being fiscally conservative and being good stewards of the taxpayers' money? I applaud those who voted against the raises.
Most non-government employers do have some type of provision to have their employees who turn 65 or are over 65 take advantage of Medicare, after all, they too, as the employee’s employer have also had to contribute into the Medicare System and they too would like to obtain the advantage of having the federal government share in the health care expenses incurred by their age 65 or over employee, which then does have the additional mutual benefit of reducing that older employee's group health insurance premium for both that employer and his/her employee.
I will continue to do what I do, I will just keep working and helping Mr. Purcell, whether he wants my help or not, there currently is plenty of work to do regarding what goes on at the Kendall County Board. Some of you have your own opinions about Ms. Vickery, when people get religion they are always forgiven, I could care less what her motivation is and hope she keeps the faith and pray there is more she is willing to expose before she leaves office.