City creates new position [The High Point Enterprise, N.C.]

Nov. 30—HIGH POINT — The city says it needs an internal risk manager staff position to handle insurance claims.

Once filled, it will be funded by vacancy savings in the current budget and will be added as a permanent item in future budgets.

"This is a very common position that many other jurisdictions our size have," said Financial Services Director Bobby Fitzjohn. "It will improve efficiency with our claims management process."

The position will bring certain roles in-house that the city now pays third-party insurance adjusters for, such as workers compensation and general auto and liability claims.

"Our risk management program is very decentralized," said Fitzjohn, explaining that several city departments, such as Legal, Human Resources and Finance handle various aspects of the work.

"It is being split up," he said. "There is no one individual responsible for the overview and enterprise-wide risk management. This position will be able to provide that dedicated support, that main point of contact for citizens, staff and third-party administrators regarding claims. They will also be able to help out on city-wide training, whether that's on safety, risk, insurance matters, and they'll serve as our (Americans with Disabilities Act) coordinator, which has become more important in recent years."

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