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The Statham City Council added one item to its agenda Tuesday night: an expected increase in family insurance coverage for its employees.
Currently, Statham pays for individual insurance for its workers, but family coverage is paid for partially by the employee. There are four employees on the city payroll who take advantage of the family coverage.
As of right now, employees pay $65.88 a week for family coverage, and City Clerk Susan Gabriel told council members that as of Jan. 1, 2010, that she had received notice that premiums will go up $98 a month.
The council was faced with decided who should cover this increase — the city, or employees?
Council member Gayle Steed said she would like to see the city review its insurance carrier and see what else is out there.
"We haven’t done that in a really long time," she said. "Maybe we ought to review ... do some comparison shopping."
Steed asked if Gabriel if she thought she could get some information from other insurance companies by the next meeting — in a short amount of time.
"Oh yeah," Gabriel said. "They’ll be here in ten minutes if you call them."
The council voted to leave the insurance as is until they could research about other options.
Steed also brought up the city’s water, which has had a bad odor and taste recently.
The pipes have been flushed, Mayor Robert Bridges said, and the water at the treatment plant is not the same as the water it was producing weeks ago.
Bridges did say the water was still of fine quality.
Also at the meeting, the council tabled public hearings regarding annexation and rezoning due to improper advertisement.
It also tabled the Phillips Prison contract for another month, as the City is still waiting to receive confirmation that its contract will stay the same cost-wise.
The council approved a three way stop at Providence Road.
The council also approved the finishing up of the sewer project on Dooley Town Road.
In other business, the council also agreed to purchase a table at the Barrow County Parks and Recreation banquet, which is this Saturday.
They also voted to give $500 to the Literacy Ball.
The council closed the meeting by stepping into executive session to discuss possible land acquisition. No vote on the matter was taken.
