Councilman Continues Push For Cheaper Health Care

The Borough Council did not reach a decision about the capital budget during Monday's special budget meeting.

Expenditures of $1.9 million were proposed, with the goal of reducing it by at least half. In working towards that goal, line items were reviewed and expenditures cut or postponed to a future date.

Councilman Austin Ashley continued to raise concerns regarding police and DPW expenditures, as well as requesting that the council pursue a lower-cost health care plan for borough employees.

Ashley requested that a comparison be done between State Health Benefits Plan (SHB) and the current plan that Art Caughlan, the borough's risk manager, negotiated. Caughlan is currently in the process of assessing the plan Ashley suggested in order to review any potential cost savings. 

Ashley requested Monday that a representative from SHB be invited to talk to the council to achieve a better understanding of how the borough is spending a significant portion of the budget and determine if there is a significant cost savings to be had by switching plans. 

For clarification, Mayor Subrizi asked Ashley if he wanted the health plans compared for a potential change in 2013 or for now. Ashley responded that if there were significant savings to be had, he would recommend switching the borough health plan now. 

The next special budget meeting will be on April 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room on the second floor of borough hall.