LAKE DELTON EXTENDS DISABILITY COVERAGE VILLAGE EMPLOYEES ELIGIBLE TO OPT-IN TO DISABILITY PLAN

Village employees in Lake Delton will now have the ability to opt in to disability insurance for needed time off from work due to medical reasons.

At a village board meeting on Aug. 8, the board unanimously approved a resolution for including village workers under the Income Continuation Insurance plan via the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds. This will allow village employees the option of having disability insurance.

Village Administrator Tim McCumber explained at the meeting that employees will have options for coverage ranging from 30 to 180 days of missed work. The plan will also extend to family members of village employees.

"It is a wonderful program to offer our staff," said village trustee Tom Diehl.

"It is straight up, across the board, true disability insurance," said McCumber. "It pays for all disabilities and is really a good benefit."

The current Income Continuation Insurance is under a premium holiday, which means that employers and employees are receiving the coverage for free. McCumber explained that when the premium holiday is lifted, the village would be responsible for 0.25% of the cost for each employee who enrolls.

He and village president John Webb clarified that the maximum cost to the village, if 100% of employees enrolled, would be less than $9,000. McCumber said the coverage will pay 75% of an employee's total salary during the time it is active.

"Using the state's plan, where we buy our insurance, employees can now opt in, pay a premium, and if they need it for long-term disability, it pays that time off," said McCumber.

Comprehensive plan adopted

The village also unanimously approved a 20-year comprehensive plan at the Aug. 8 meeting.

Based on results from a small group of survey respondents, village residents want to address aesthetics and walkability along Wisconsin Dells Parkway, village parks, trail networks, the lack of single- and two-family homes, the need for a grocery store, and a shortage of youth and teen programs.

"In the village, it's nice because we do more of our own (comprehensive plan), but in the rural areas, the county handles it for them," said McCumber. "It's kind of looking into the crystal ball and saying, 'What do we think will be here in the next 20 years?'"

Residential concerns, along with a litany of plans to improve agricultural, cultural, and natural resources, as well as utilities and other facilities, intergovernmental relationships with nearby municipalities, as well as county and state government, economic development, housing, transportation, and land use were all addressed in the plan.

"The purpose of it is to make sure municipalities are going through the process of trying to understand where you're going to be 20 years out and what the needs are going to be," said Diehl. "I think that helps formulate DOT (Wisconsin Department of Transportation) policy and everything else."

Diehl and McCumber both said that while the plan is for 20 years, it is likely to be amended from time to time. These changes can happen due to market reasons, technology, and community preferences.

The full comprehensive plan can be found on the village's website.

Mackesey construction decision

Kraus-Anderson Construction Company was unanimously approved for a construction management contract for the upcoming renovations to the Kay C. Mackesey Administration Building. The initial amount for the contract is $208,000.

During a village meeting on July 11, the board discussed early plans for renovations to the building, particularly to make use of the now vacant former police station. The Lake Delton Police Department moved to its new facility on Miller Drive in June.