Albion hit with health insurance hike

ALBION — The rising cost of health care.

During Tuesday's regularly scheduled Albion Town Council meeting, the council voted to keep PHP as its health insurance provider.

While the provider will remain the same, the town was hit with a rate increase that will see employees and the town itself paying an additional 18% in premiums.

Faced with that increase, the town's insurance committee, which includes Councilmen John Morr and Don Shultz and Clerk-Treasurer Carol Selby, researched alternatives. But the committee found the PHP proposal to still be the cheapest option available.

The committee is scheduled to meet Friday to discuss ways to keep costs down.

Monthly premiums for employees, effective Oct. 1, will be:

employee only — $871.28;

employee and spouse — $1,908.54;

Employee and children — $1,726.75; and

family — $2,762.88.

According to Selby, the town puts up $24,000 a month to offset the cost of the insurance, or $288,000 per year, and provides assistance on deductible and health savings account contributions.

The town's total outlay if predicted to be approximately $325,000 for health care.

Last month, the Avilla Town Council learned that its health insurance costs for 2024 had jumped 17%, costing the town an extra $72,000 in the coming year.

Avilla has traditionally charged its employees $1 per year to join the plan, what the council and other town officials call a big perk to employees whose wages may not be as high as elsewhere.

To fund that $1 insurance, Avilla spends approximately $51,000 per month, or $612,000 annually.

Also at Tuesday's meeting:

The council approved on first reading its budget for 2024.

The town's budget estimate is $5.02 million, an increase of 5.3% over the $4.77 million advertised a year ago.

The town received guidance from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance on advertising for a larger increase than the 4% growth quotient the DLGF had recommended earlier this summer.

Shultz pointed out that the only budget category that fell was the town's share of cigarette tax monies. The town anticipated receiving $43,500 in 2023, but reduced that expectation to $36,000 for 2024.

"Maybe that's a good thing," Selby said.

A second reading of the budget is required before it is formally advertised. That vote could come at the Sept. 26 council meeting.

The council approved spending $12,300 to have 22 new trees planted in the town this fall at various locations. The low bid was turned in by Bojrab Landscape Management.

The company will be planting seven Armstrong maples, and five each of Sunbrust honey locusts, Linden green spires and Frontier elms.

Street Department Superintendent Corey Miller said he has been in negotiations with the Indiana Department of Transportation regarding INDOT's plan to remove two poles as it swtiches how stop lights are placed at the intersection of Orange and Main streets.

If the state removes the two poles, the town may have to erect two to allow for street lamps to be placed on them.

The town has had an arrangement with INDOT since 1988 which allows the town to place street lights on the poles INDOT uses for stop lights.

The town won't be given that option when new traffic lights are installed in the next year or so.

"I would really like to keep the poles there," Miller told the council.

The town would still have to install new lighting fixtures regardless, as it seeks to keep the area well illuminated due to heavy pedestrian traffic.

Morr asked Town Manager Jacob Ihrie to contact the CSX Railroad regarding the rough crossing on South Orange Street.

CSX addressed the issue a few years ago.

"It was a terrible job," Morr said. "I think they need to do something now."

Noble County Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Melanie Kellogg provided the council with an update regarding EDC activities, including the information it is providing industry expressing an interest in coming to Noble County.

As for the housing market, it remains robust, Kellogg said, despite rising interest rates.

"It's not slowing down yet," Kellogg said. "It's very unlikely (a house) will stay on (the market) long. People are looking into moving into rural communities."

Town Council President Vicki Jellison announced that the annual Scare on the Square event will be held on Friday, Oct. 27, and reminded citizens that official Trick-or-Treat hours will be from 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 31. Jellison also announced that the town will begin to pick up leaves beginning Oct. 16 and hopes to have that finished up by Dec. 7.