Avilla facing hefty health insurance increase

AVILLA — Not a horse pill like last year, but the Avilla Town Council is facing another hefty increase in its health insurance costs.

The council learned Wednesday from Town Manager Adam Dunlap that its health insurance costs for 2024 had jumped 17%, costing the town an extra $72,000 in the coming year.

The town 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.

Last year, the council ate a 23% increase without passing on any additional costs to its employees.

The council voted Wednesday to stick with its insurance provider, PGP, without making a decision on exactly how it will fund the increase.

Dunlap said the town's insurance agent told Dunlap that its future increases would not be as steep.

The town could decide on its funding mechanism for the health insurance at its September meeting.

Also at Wednesday's meeting:

The council approved the purchase of 10 new radios at a cost of $25,000 for its Town Marshal's Office.

According to Town Marshal Glen Wills, by purchasing the used radios, the town would be saving $65,000.

The purchase will include five car radios and five portable units.

State requirements for emergency radios make some of the department's current inventory obsolete as of Jan. 1, 2024, Wills said.

The fire department will also need to upgrade some of its radios.

Wills said the money to pay from the radio will comes from two funds in his budget: radios ($2,000) and public safety ($23,000).

The council approved Utility Department Superintendent Brian Carroll's request to spend $3,460 to purchase a pair of remote water testing devices.

The devices will allow the town to do state-required water testing without going into residences.

At least a part of the testing is to help insure chlorination levels are set properly at its water treatment plan.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has set eight testing sights for the town, but officials have only been testing six due to accessibility issues.

The purchase of the new equipment will ease some of those accessibility issues.

The council officially appointed Dunlap, who was introduced at the July meeting of the town council, to its Board of Zoning Appeals, Redevelopment Commission and Plan Commission.