12/01/11 - City Council Newsletter (2)

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Risk Services Recovers Costs for the City In FY11, the Central Services Risk Services Division returned a total of $879,350 to the organization through recoveries, cost containment strategies and grants in the following program areas: Damage to City Property In FY11, Risk Services staff recovered $134,832 in damages to City property caused by third parties. Common types of City property damaged include: vehicles, fire hydrants, trees, street lights, traffic signals and traffic signs. The funds collected are returned directly to the affected City work units to offset expenses for the damage. Over $2 million dollars has been recovered since the program began in 1981. Workers’ Compensation Program Medical Bill Audit Medical billings received for workers’ compensation claims are audited to insure that payment for medical services does not exceed the allowable state fee schedule. In FY11, the City saved $321,259 through the bill audits. A total of $1.2 million has been saved through bill audits over the past five years. Employer at Injury Program (EAIP) The City is eligible for reimbursement of 50 percent of injured workers’ wages paid for temporary modified work assignments through the State of Oregon’s Employer at Injury Program. In FY11, $97,041 was recovered. A total of $369,445 has been recovered over the past five years. All reimbursements are returned to the departments employing the injured workers. Health Insurance Program - Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP) The City is participating in the federal Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP), which reimburses employers for some of the costs of health care benefits paid on behalf of early retirees and their dependents. In FY11, the City received an ERRP reimbursement of $175,660. Emergency Management Program Grant (EMPG) The City of Eugene has been awarded an Emergency Management Program Grant (EMPG) through the Department of Homeland Security. The grant reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible Emergency Management Program expenses. The City received $150,558 from this program for FY11. For more information, contact Risk Services Claims Coordinator Jan Bergquist at 541-682-5662. First Bike-Only Signal Phase Activated on Alder Street Eugene’s first bike-only traffic signal is scheduled to be activated Thursday, Dec. 1, at the intersection of Alder Street th and 18 Avenue. Alder Street is a main route for cyclists, and more than 16,000 vehicles travel through the intersection on an average day, so the City has been focusing on ways to improve traffic safety and reduce conflicts for all modes of transportation in that area. The new signal displays red, yellow or green bicycle symbols that give cyclists on Alder Street the th exclusive right-of-way to cross 18 Avenue. When the bicycle signal turns red, cyclists must stop, and cars get a standard green signal that gives them the right-of-way, including making left turns from southbound Alder Street to thth eastbound 18 Avenue. When traffic on 18 Avenue has a green light, cars and bicycles on Alder Street have red lights. “The new signal is designed to prevent the conflicts that can occur when a car turns left across the path of a cyclist th crossing 18 at Alder,” said Tom Larsen, the City’s traffic engineer. “The key to success is that everyone takes their turn. That includes cyclists and pedestrians stopping when their signals are red to allow cars to make their turns safely.” While fully functional, the new traffic signal is considered temporary until a new, yellow signal housing and permanent mast are installed. Other recent changes designed to increase safety for cyclists in the area include converting the thth block of Alder Street between 19 and 18 avenues to one-way southbound for motor vehicles to allow for striped two- ththth way bike lanes from 18 to 19, and creating a two-way buffered bike lane on Alder Street from 18 Avenue to Franklin Boulevard. Work is currently underway to install a new signal at Alder and Broadway /Franklin to provide a safer crossing for bicycles and pedestrians at that location. For more information, contact Tom Larsen at 541-682-4959. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 December 1, 2011