Peoria Standard

Village of Swansea Board of Trustees met June 1.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

In light of the current COVID-19 public health emergency, this meeting was held remotely only.

Attendees: Board President Leopold, Trustees Lanter, McDonald, McGuire, Parker & Wells, Treasurer John Walter, Building and Zoning (B&Z) Director Dallas Alley, Police Department (PD) Chief Steven Johnson, Fire Department (FD) Chief Chris Tell, Director of Public Works Rick Tucker, Administrator Benjamin Schloesser, Clerk Lauren O'Neill, Human Resource Manager Kristina Essenpreis, potentially other community members. Absent: Trustee Neumeyer.

Motions: Trustees are presented with the individual that made the motion, followed by the person seconding the motion. Votes: Unless noted otherwise, votes are obtained by voice vote (roll call vote involves each voter stating their name and vote) and all votes are aye. Content of meeting is presented within the marks “***”.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE - Held from 6:11 to 6:25 pm

Co-Chairs: Trustees Neumeyer & McDonald Members: Lanter, McGuire, Parker, Wells

1. Discussion 2021 Insurance Rates – Essenpreis reviewed the health/dental insurance pool that the Village of Swansea is part of until at least 2021. There are about 10 Swansea employees that have vision coverage. The Village might look into alternatives for insurance, especially if other communities leave the pool. If the Village were to plan to leave the pool, then notice would have to be provided in February 2021 and in late December 2020 or early January 2021 the Village would need to issue an RFP to obtain insurance rates. Care would have to be taken to review the impacts to future rates and avoid locking in unfavorable future rates. In 2020, Swansea’s health and dental insurance rates increased about 4.9% and 7.3% respectively. Without Collinsville in the pool, the increases to Swansea’s rates would have been more substantial. Some rate increases attributed to Collinsville were born by the Village to avoid Collinsville dropping out of the pool. Collinsville recently transitioned to HMO, and is the only pool member that offers HMO other than the limited use currently by the Village of Swansea. HMO plans are cheaper than PPO plans for the community and the employee, even for employees that have extreme medical conditions or needs. Savings were estimated at about 15%. Collinsville having transition to HMO only offerings could be a good resource to explain HMO advantages to Swansea’s workforce. Essenpreis indicated that there is no problem signing up new employees for HMO coverage. Existing employees want to maintain continuity of care with their current providers. Currently about 2 of 47 employees are considering changing to HMO coverage. An insurance/health fair might be offered to employees in the future should COVID-19 restrictions be lifted to allow for group presentations. Until then email is being used to share with employees the HMO advantages and the process of transitioning to HMO coverage.

2. Non-Agenda Item: A re-write of the Personnel Policy is being pursued. Leopold requested Wells be part of the team, including Essenpreis and Schloesser, to review the re-write. Wells accepted the request. McDonald said that he’d like to see a copy of the review before it is presented to the entire Committee/Board.

3. Motion to Adjourn – McDonald, Wells

FINANCE COMMITTEE- Meeting not held

Chairperson: Trustee Lanter Members: McGuire, McDonald, Neumeyer, Parker, Wells

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- Meeting not held

Chairperson: Trustee Wells Members: McGuire McDonald, McGuire, Neumeyer, Parker

COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Meeting not held

Chairperson: Trustee McDonald Members: Lanter, McGuire, Neumeyer, Parker, Wells

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE - Held from 6:04 to 6:11 pm

Chairperson: Trustee Parker Members: McGuire, McDonald, Neumeyer, Lanter, Wells

1. Discussion Burn Schedule: Trustees have heard positive comments to the yard waste burn ban instituted in Swansea. It was noted that continuing the yard waste burn ban continues to be appropriate. Restaurants are seating guests outdoors and following social distancing COVID-19 recommendations for serving guests. Residents are also encouraged to social distance meals with family gatherings in their yards and take walks in their neighborhoods. There was consensus that a majority of citizens desire to use alternative means, such as composing and/or removal of yard waste by Republic Services or other yard waste disposal services, rather than burning leaves and grass. It was noted that there remains a minority of residents that continue to want to burn yard waste, despite the resulting hazards, haze, smells, and pollutants that result from yard waste burning activities. Some communities, such as nearby Bellville and St. Louis have banned yard waste burning for years. Other communities are allowing the burning of yard waste. Trustees noted that now is not the time to allow yard waste burning. The Village might re-evaluate the situation in the Fall. The Village will post on the website and in the applicable future Swansea Report publications that burning is limited to recreational burning of dry seasoned wood and kindle and that there continues to be a ban on burning leaves, grass, and all yard waste. Code Red notice(s) could also be provided for citizens awareness of the yard waste burning ban, with burning limited to small recreational burn pits using seasoned wood and kindle. Alley will update the website in the morning.

2. Motion to Adjourn – McGuire, Wells

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE - Meeting not held

Chairperson: Trustee McGuire Members: Lanter, McDonald, Neumeyer, Parker, Wells

CULTURAL COMMITTEE - Meeting not held

Chairperson: Trustee Wells Members: Lanter, McGuire, Neumeyer, Parker, Wells

SWANSEA REPORT COMMITTEE - Meeting not held

Chairperson: Trustee Neumeyer Members: Lanter, McGuire, McDonald, Parker, Wells

https://www.swanseail.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1324