Haddon Heights Gets Healthy Insurance Rebate

A very good year of few medical insurance claims by Haddon Heights employees resulted in both a decrease of premium rates for 2022, and a large dividend check back to the borough, Heights council heard Wednesday night last week.

At a meeting held the night after Election Day, barely a quorum was on hand to approve scant new business, but a quick review of the borough's medical insurance coverage for its employees by the fund insurer provided an unexpected bit of good news as the council now heads into its typical transition period until its reorganization on January 8, 2022.

Sherry Conklin, a representative from Hardenbergh Insurance company, said the borough's returned divided of $106,375 was "one of the higher checks" cut to towns participating in the Southern New Jersey Regional Health Insurance Fund (or HIF).

"The average dividend is more like $7,000," Conklin said. "I congratulate you (your employees) for doing such good work (staying healthy)."

Chief financial officer Debra DiMattia, reached later, said the divided is applied against the line item for employee group health insurance, budgeted at $1.3 million for 2021. The dividend is generated through the analysis of borough employee claims paid out versus expected claims over a twelve-month period right before the renewal rates are set. Heights also earned a $77,000 return of premium from its 2019 claims history, "so the town is on a good trend," said Conklin.

In addition to the large refund, the borough's rates also decreased by 2.5 percent, unusual this year, Conklin said, because many towns were hit with COVID-19 related claims in 2020. "The low claims you had in Heights were certainly surprising to us. Your claims were very diminished in 2021."

The council will soon formalize the newly decreased rates. Conklin presented the information to four council members during the work caucus Wednesday night. Absent were council president Scott Schreiber, soon to be stepping down from his council responsibilities after four years, mayor Zachary Houck, and council member Asiyah Kurtz, presumably because the usual Tuesday night meeting was held on a Wednesday.

Christopher Morgan, who successfully ran for re-election, presided over a meeting for the first time. Planning-zoning board member Kathryn Russo ran on the Democratic ticket with Morgan and won her first three-year term on council. She will be sworn in on January 8.

In other business, the council continued its exploration of sharing some of its costs with neighboring towns to run and maintain its fire department. Under a "temporary" arrangement struck with Audubon, that town will pay $7,500 to offset Heights' cost of supplying an additional per-diem career firefighter to complete an additional crew, and in turn the Heights Fire Department will provide as-needed firefighting services to Audubon.

The extra career personnel are needed because Heights, like many other towns in the area, is experiencing the same dearth of volunteer firefighters and same low level of interest in training to become a volunteer firefighter. Previously, Heights had been in conversations for the same type of agreement with Barrington. There was no mention of any progress toward also sharing services with that town. The Audubon arrangement runs through the end of the year.

For those wishing to see new bicycle racks installed in convenient locations around town, there is now a dedicated fund set up for anyone who wants to donate for the purchase and installation. "A portion of the bike rack project in Heights has been initiated but remains incomplete," reads the resolution.

A town topic since before the pandemic, the council now proposes to reach out to individuals and businesses to purchase the racks which cost $329 each if the town buys 25. The resolution sets up the mechanism to receive the donations. The racks' design has been refined to include a decorative plate showing the train station and trees in the center, with iron attachments flanking the plate that enable two bicycles to lock up to each. A current location rendering shows 14 bicycle rack placements on or close to Station Ave., including two in front of the library and five at the patio area near Carole's Candy Shop.

The next council meeting is also on an atypical evening - Monday, November 15 - because the annual New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference for elected officials and borough employees in leadership roles is Tuesday through Thursday that week in Atlantic City. Regular meetings for every town organization and commission are expected to remain virtual through the end of 2021.