A special budget workshop will begin at 5 p.m. with the regular meeting to follow at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda and supporting staff reports are posted online at www.cityoflakeport.com/departments/docs.aspx?deptID=88&catID=102 .
The council has agendized a discussion on retiree health insurance under city council communications.
The item, which does not have an accompanying staff report, calls for “discussion and possible action” regarding the health insurance benefits current city retirees have.
The retiree health insurance issue seems to come up annually, as retired Police Chief Tom Engstrom told the council in June of 2008. “I don't know why we discuss it every year,” he said.
Since his 2005 retirement, Engstrom – accompanied by numerous other city retirees – has made the annual trip to speak against changes to the benefits.
Last year, the council considered having retirees pay a 15 percent surcharge – amounting to $59.51 for a single person or $124 for two people, as Lake County News has reported.
Because retirees cost more to cover, the Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund (REMIF) – which oversees health care coverage for member cities including Lakeport – added the surcharge on retirees' premiums beginning in the 2006-07 fiscal year. As of last year, the surcharge for 36 city retirees cost Lakeport $25,000.
Retirees before 1998 said they were guaranteed 100-percent health care coverage until Medicare starts. That changed with an updated memorandum of understanding in 1998, according to City Attorney Steve Brookes.
At the end of last year's discussion, the council decided to continue paying the surcharge.
In other business, the council will approve a change order for $202.92 for work regarding an electrical box that is part of the South Main Street Drainage Project. With that adjustment, the total project cost will be $245,793.14.
Council members also will convene jointly as the Lakeport Redevelopment Agency and consider adopting a resolution committing housing money for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application approving the expenditure of low to moderate-income housing set aside funds as leverage for the 2009 CDBG application, if awarded.
During public presentations, the council will hear a presentation by Pete MacRae regarding the Measure I/J Committee's recommendations and consider approving the Lake County Arts Council's application for its annual Art in the Park event to be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19.
The council also will hold a closed session to discuss employee negotiations, a case of anticipated litigation and negotiations regarding Green Ranch.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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