Flags fly above Ashland metropolis places of work. [Mail Tribune/file photo]
Ashland metropolis councilors and the mayor will lose their metropolis paid medical health insurance in December. The lack of the profit has sown confusion, nervousness and for some a way of disrespect.
In August, councilors had been informed — per a call from Metropolis Supervisor Joe Lessard — they must begin paying for his or her medical health insurance, which was beforehand supplied for gratis, Councilor Stefani Seffinger defined.
In October, Lessard informed them they’d lose their advantages totally come December.
There’s a frequent false impression in Ashland that Metropolis Council is a paid place, Councilor Gina DuQuenne mentioned. However councilors obtain solely a yearly stipend of $350, earlier than taxes. However with that small verify comes an worker quantity for every councilor, and all the opposite staff of Ashland have well being advantages.
Mayor Julie Akins mentioned she didn’t know service on council got here with well being care till she first served in that physique 4 years in the past.
“It made me really feel a modicum of respect. It was a part of the contract, it says we will’t pay you however we respect you, you do that work and that is what you’ll get in return,” she mentioned.
Seffinger mentioned she was informed she can be shedding her well being care the identical day she discovered her husband had a critical medical situation. All their preparations for his or her medicine had been via her insurance coverage. She mentioned the shock and confusion round this case has been traumatic.
“I’ve given every thing I needed to the town of Ashland for 11 years. I used to be on the Parks Fee, on council, it form of feels in a approach like a slap within the face,” she mentioned.
As a result of she didn’t run for reelection, she would have misplaced her advantages in January, so for her the ache was a second, however the loss is larger than herself.
“It’s not nearly me, this is a matter that results who continues to be serving and who could serve. This might change the inhabitants of who serves sooner or later,” Seffinger mentioned.
DuQuenne echoed that sentiment, saying she believes that council has too lengthy been populated by retirees and other people of Medicare age.
“It’s people who find themselves getting ready to exit life. This isn’t why I’m right here. I’m right here to open the door. We have to carry younger minds and expertise to council. I might hope this may go to the voters, let the folks of Ashland determine,” DuQuenne mentioned.
Akins categorised the issue as a dilemma for the group to contemplate. The lack of this profit could make it tough to draw younger, working household voices to council when the workload required of both mayor or council already makes it tough to serve and make a residing.
DuQuenne mentioned she works in her out there time exterior council. For her, the workload of council is about 20 to 25 hours per week, nevertheless it all relies upon as a result of the hours could be erratic. There are 4 council conferences monthly, however the occasional government session can imply conferences that final hours, and regular council conferences are sometimes prolonged to 9:30 p.m.
Councilors and the mayor could have to spend time finding out earlier than conferences to organize for the proposals and resolutions they focus on and vote on, such because the lately handed Wastewater Grasp Plan. Councilors additionally reply emails and telephone calls from Ashland residents. In a couple of months, councilors will put in further hours crafting the town’s finances.
Akins estimated she spends about 30 hours per week in her function as mayor. She freelances and works with purchasers mornings and evenings to make ends meet. Normally, she mentioned, it’s full-time jobs that provide advantages, jobs which can be unattainable for councilors already donating half their waking hours.
“To be requested to work and not using a wage, with out advantages, that’s an actual hardship,” Akins mentioned.
The choice to revoke well being care advantages from metropolis councilors comes after months of re-examination and reinterpretation of Ashland’s typically arcane Metropolis Constitution by interim Metropolis Lawyer Doug McGeary and Metropolis Supervisor Joe Lessard. What began as an try and unravel the problems of authority associated to Ashland’s Parks Fee has expanded, Seffinger mentioned.
The constitution has raised questions earlier than, she mentioned, from the authority of APRC to the standing of the town recorder as an elected official. Makes an attempt to determine the constitution’s true which means are, as within the case, typically stymied by the town’s imperfect file protecting.
Courting again to a while within the Nineteen Sixties, there was a doc codifying fringe advantages for council. Akins mentioned she has already performed some work trying to grasp the legality of revoking council’s advantages based mostly on that doc. However although the existence of the doc is understood and referenced in different places, the supply doc itself is lacking.
Metropolis Recorder Melissa Huhtula has been looking for it for weeks, Seffinger mentioned, however she wonders if it would ever be discovered.
Lessard was not instantly out there for remark.
Attain Mail Tribune reporter Morgan Rothborne at mrothborne@rosebudmedia.com or 541-776-4487. Observe her on Twitter @MRothborne.
