WSD budget cuts benefit costs

By Patricia Bogumil

Editor

Members of the Town of Waterford Sanitary District (WSD) board unanimously approved their proposed 2013 budget at a public hearing held Dec. 12.

The budget features sharp cuts in employee insurance and retirement costs for the District, two issues that were prominent in an August 2012 recall election that saw Dan Dickinson replace Bill Gerard as WSD board president.

• For 2013, employee insurance will again be provided – at least until April – by United Healthcare through a less costly plan than in the past. It features new $250/$750 annual single/family deductibles, with a 20 percent employee co-pay. Previously, the employee co-pay was zero.

Beginning in April 2013, WSD employee insurance may be switched to coverage provided through a state plan, which could provide comparable benefits at an even lower cost to the District, according to Dickinson.

• Retirement benefits for the District’s three full-time employees have also been reduced.

In the past, two employees received $22,000 annually in retirement fund contributions from the District; a third employee received $16,500 – monies paid by WSD in addition to the employees’ wages.

For 2013, WSD will begin matching employee contributions of up to 4.5 percent of gross pay.

In comparison, the Town of Waterford matches up to 5.9 percent of gross income for employee retirement benefit.

An exception to that occurs with full-time town police officers, who receive 17.3 percent of gross pay in retirement benefits, with no employee match.

That arrangement is determined by the State of Wisconsin, which exempts police officers from compensation requirements the state set forth in the 2011 Budget Repair Bill (commonly called Act 10), according to Town Clerk Tina Mayer.

• Budget work is continuing into the new year to determine the exact amount of cuts to quarterly user fees that Dickinson said he plans will take effect in 2013.