Your statement that a small town should not pay for health insurance for the council members is spot-on. However, the comment that employees should pay all the cost of family coverage and 50% of individual coverage is somewhat miss-guided.

The salary of employees of small local governments is considerably lower than that of the private sector. The only way that the governments can attract and keep quality employees is through offering better benefits (i.e. good insurance, a good retirement program, etc.). Even then the agencies have difficulty in keeping quality staff.

I know that many will say that local government employees are not “quality employees”, however, as a long time employee of a small local government, let me assure you that most of the employees try very hard to provide good service to the citizens. Yes, there are some that may not deliver first class work and those should be dealt with accordingly by their supervisor (which by the way, in a small municipality is the Mayor and not the Council). When a citizen passes a work crew and states that the workers were “propped up on the shovels” or were “all sitting in the shade”, no consideration was given to the fact that the citizen only saw the workers for a moment in their workday. Everyone deserves a break now and then. No one sees the workers when they are working all night in cold or stormy weather in waste deep water or wastewater making repairs to the system so that when the citizens start their day they will have the essential utilities they need. They do not see the workers that get called from their personal duties or sleep to clear roadways of fallen trees from a storm so that the motoring public can travel safely. When a customer enters City Hall to register a complaint and does not receive the response that they want, the first thing that is said is that the employee was unhelpful or rude. No thought is given to the fact that the rules and procedures are set by the governing body, not the employee. No thought is given to how the employee is spoken to by the customer. Customers come in all day with problems and are upset (sometimes understandably), but the employee is limited by the rules and procedures and cannot fix everything, however, the employee still receives the wrath of the customer.

Are the employees perfect? Certainly not, they are human, but give credit where credit is due. Each year the governing body faces the monumental task of trying to balance a budget. Each year the subject of employee pay and benefits is discussed. Each year some elected official suggests lowering benefits, not allowing cost of living raises, or even cutting salary to the employees. In Century’s case, there are approximately 1700 citizens and 15 – 20 employees. It is not a reasonable thought that the budget issues be solved for 1700 citizens at the expense of 20 employees.

Many words to say that the employee (not Council) benefits should be protected.