HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/17/2002 B A K E R S F I E L D
~ ~ Harold Hanson, Chair
Alan Tandy, City Manager Irma Carson
Staff: Alan Christensen Mark Salvaggio
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
SPECIAL MEETING · PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, September 17, 2002, 4:00 p.m.
City Manager's Conference Room, Suite 201
Second Floor, City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA
1. ROLL CALL
Called to Order at 4:04 p.m.
Present: Councilmembers Harold Hanson, Chair; Irma Carson and
Mark Salvaggio
2. ADOPT JULY 30, 2002 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
Adopted as submitted.
3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
4. DEFERRED BUSINESS
A. Staff update on City Physician RFP (Request for Proposals)
(Committee Chair Hanson absent this item due to potential conflict of interest.)
At the Personnel Committee meeting on July 30, 2002, the Committee reviewed
the list of those who would serve on the oral board and approved staff sending
out the RFP for City Physician. The Committee requested a memo covering the
physician selection process and an update prior to a recommendation being
forwarded to the 'City Council. The memo was included in the Committee packet.
Risk Manager Pat Flaherty stated oral interviews for City Physician were held on
September 12, 2002. Five medical providers submitted responses to the RFP.
Four were selected to participate in the interview process based on occupational
medicine experience.
Agenda Summary Report
Personnel Committee Meeting
September 17, 2002
Page - 2 -
The oral interview board included Fire Chief Ron Fraze, Police Captain Allen
Brown, Human Resources Manager Carroll Hayden, Jeff McHale (AIMS), and
Risk Manager Pat Flaherty.
The four medical providers interviewed were Dr. Christiansen; Central Valley
Occupational Medical Group; Bakersfield Occupational Medical Center; and
Southwest Urgent Care Center.
Based on the results from the oral interviews and input from Fire and Police, Risk
Manager Flaherty said the oral board recommended the following:
· Police utilize Central Valley Occupational Medical Group
· Fire utilize Southwest Urgent Care Center
· Miscellaneous employees utilize Bakersfield Occupational Medical Center
The Committee unanimously approved the oral board's recommendation. Staff
will forward an administrative report to the City Council. (Committee Chair
Hanson absent for this item)
Due to questions from union representatives, the Committee requested staff to
meet with union representatives regarding the issue of employees who pre-
selected a different City Physician for workers' comp injuries being able to be
released to return to work by that same City Physician rather than being required
to go to the assigned medical provider for their group to be released for return to
work.
B. Staff report, discussion and Committee recommendation on Foundation
for Medical Care of Kern County; and
C. Staff report, review and Committee recommendation on health
insurance plans projected 2003 rates
At the last Committee meeting, the Committee reviewed the health insurance
projected 2003 rates. There was also a review of savings if the City changed
administrators for the Blue Cross Fee for Service from the Foundation for
Medical Care of Kern County (Foundation) to Blue Cross Prudent Buyer plan.
The Committee did not take action, pending a recommendation from the
Insurance Committee. At that time, the Insurance Committee had not made a
recommendation because they wanted to know how much disruption there would
be moving from the Foundation to Prudent Buyer (employees having to change
doctors/dentists because their current doctors were not listed with Prudent
Buyer).
Buck Consultants did an analysis for comparison of doctors/dentists being used
by employees and found there would be very little disruption. Copies of the
Agenda Summary Report
Personnel Committee Meeting
September 17, 2002
Page - 3-
analysis were sent to the Insurance Committee and the Mayor and
Councilmembers on August 28, 2002.
If the City makes the change to Prudent Buyer, Blue Cross is willing to contact
the doctors/dentists not listed to add to the list of available doctors. It was noted,
there are oral surgeons and hospitals on Prudent Buyer not listed with the
Foundation, for example Kern Medical Center, San Joaquin Hospital and oral
surgeons. Currently the Foundation processes claims using Blue Cross
software, so processing/administration would be much the same.
Earlier today the Insurance Committee met and recommended to change from
the Foundation to Blue Cross Prudent Buyer for administrative services, due to
cost savings on premiums. However, they also voted to recommend an increase
in the dental maximum allowable per year on the Dental PPO from $1,500 to
$2,500 per year, as there are significant savings if the change is made to Prudent
Buyer. The cost of increasing the dental plan maximum for all employees will be
between $40,000 to $70,000 (8% to no more than 13.5% depending on the quote
from Blue Cross). The deductibles will stay the same. The increase of the yearly
maximum to $2,500 was requested as a couple of dental procedures can quickly
add up to the current yearly maximum of $1,500 causing some employees to wait
until the next year for needed dental work. It was noted that every employee
group is represented on the Insurance Committee.
Premium rates are increasing for 2003. The Foundation is raising overall
premiums by 20.1% and Prudent Buyer is raising overall premiums by 14.1%.
Changing' to Prudent Buyer instead of using the Foundation will save
approximately $429,000 for 2003. The City pays 80% of health insurance
premiums and that translates to a savings of $343,000.
The Committee unanimously voted to forward a recommendation to the City
Council to: 1) approve the health insurance plans projected 2003 rates with the
change of administrators for the Blue Cross Fee for Service from the Foundation
to Blue Cross Prudent Buyer plan; and 2), raise the dental maximum allowable
per year on the Dental PPO from $1,500 to $2,500. Committee Member
Salvaggio requested the enhancements of changing to Prudent Buyer be
summarized in the administrative report.
5. NEW BUSINESS
A. Staff report, review and Committee recommendation on Information
Technology Reorganization
Assistant City Manager Alan Christensen explained staff has reviewed the MIS
division as a whole. MIS has been renamed to Information Technology (IT) to be
Agenda Summary Report
Personnel Committee Meeting
September 17, 2002
Page - 4-
consistent with current terms used in this field. A study was done on job titles,
descriptions and pay, using the 10 survey cities. County salary and job title
information was compared; however, it is difficult to quantify as the County has
different job duties for similar titles.
The City haS a growing daily reliance upon computer technology. The number of
PCs has tripled, along with that added printers and MDCs (laptops). GIS
technology is new. Networking of computers (email, internet, file sharing) has
increased the complexity of systems and our reliance upon network specialists
has grown. There is a rising demand for high tech employees and expertise in IT
technology and to be able to be competitive and retain current employees, staff
would like the Committee/Council to considering pay increases and updated job
descriptions based on the recent study.
Human Resources Manager Carroll Hayden provided an overview on six
positions and one new position that was approved in the budget process, which
are being recommending for salary increases. A survey was done on these
positions. These salaries were 7 to 12% below survey average, which is the
guideline used in the past. The seven positions are: GIS Technician; GIS
Analyst; GIS Supervisor; Senior Office Systems Analyst; Information Systems
Analyst; Data Processing Supervisor; and Technology Services Supervisor.
There are nine positions being recommended for title changes.
This study was brought to the Personnel Committee for comment and
recommendation and has not been before the Civil Service Board or reviewed by
the union.
Committee Member Salvaggio made a motion to refer the issue back to staff to
proceed with the Civil Service process and union review prior to forwarding to the
City Council. The Committee unanimously approved the motion.
6. ADJOURNMENT ~
The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
Staff attendance: City Manager Alan Tandy, City Attomey Bart Thiltgen, Assistant City Manager Alan
Christensen, Risk Manager Patrick Flaherty; Human Resources Manager Carroll Hayden; Human Resources
Supervisor Janet McCrea; Fire Chief Ron Fraze; Police Officer Harry Scott; and Bob Trammell.
Others: Chuck Waide, CCAPE; Denny Haynes, CCAPE; Tom Watkins, BFMC; Ralph Fimbres, BOMC; Margaret
Ursin; and Buck Consultants Tim Beck and Michael Schionning.
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