04/29/1992 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e Saying the City is about five percent above markets in benefits, Ms. Norris described the City's benefit package and outlined the following ways under study in which it is trying to reduce costs: * employee premium co-payments; * hospital contracts locally; * mental health preferred provider organizations; * chronic care management programs; * dental plan cost review; and * investigate charging retirees for the full cost of their monthly insurance premium since their usage is higher than that of City employees. Ms. Norris reminded the council that its current policy is that employee compensation will be comparable to the public and private sector compensation paid in a relevant recruitment area. She asked for council direction in pursuing the issue. Citing time constraints, the council decided to defer further discussion of the issue. V. SOLID WASTE TASK TEAM REPORT Greta Utecht, Planning Development Department, said this was a response to the council's request to develop a long-range waste reduction strategy to meet local and State goals and to define a way of reviewing the City's collection system in light of those goals and strategies. She noted that both Councilors Green and Nicholson are on the task team and Chair Craig Starr was present to answer questions. Ms. Utecht noted that the team has not conducted a comprehensive overview of universal collection systems. She said, however, that with council's approval, the department has the staff and time to conduct a study this summer. Ms. Utecht said that with recent ordinance changes, the program can be initiated with little cost to the General Fund (approximately $15,000). Mr. MacDonald reviewed the council's charge to the task team and said he did not see why the survey was required to pursue the City's solid waste reduction goals. He said he was also willing to look at the equity issue around rates but questioned the need to redesign the City's solid waste collection system. Mr. Starr said the survey was not a rate study, although it would look at the different regulatory roles that cities play. The intent is to examine other communities' choices in terms of how providing collection services can facilitate better waste reduction and whether Eugene can take components of those systems and mesh them with what is done now to accomplish waste reduction goals. He noted that Goal A is the driving force behind the rest of the effort in the work program and was supported by the task team 5:1, with one abstention. MINUTES--Eugene City Council 11:30 a.m. April 29, 1992 Page 6