Starkville aldermen and Mayor Parker Wiseman again find themselves preparing for a battle over health insurance after Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn attempted to end Starkville’s 18-year relationship with agent Tim Cox, of the Columbus-based Cox Consulting Services Inc., Tuesday.
The board delayed Wynn’s request until Feb. 17 after attempting to take the matter behind closed doors for discussion. Aldermen opted not to have executive session talks on the matter besides the closed-door debate to determine if it was needed after Wiseman labeled Wynn’s attempt an improper exercise.
Before Wynn motioned to postpone the matter, she targeted the city’s current plan — one that provides participants the opportunity to receive benefits on a pre-tax basis — and alluded that a change to the Starkville-based Integrity Group could produce a plan at no cost to employees or the city.
“The employees would be better served if a proactive approach was taken in the delivery of their employee benefits for them to understand what they have and have access to personal claims resolutions,” she said. “There is a need to streamline the benefits so employees are not bombarded with every product.”
Representatives for the Integrity Group were in attendance Tuesday, but Cox was absent. Wiseman said an alderman first attempted to place the change on the agenda last week, but a one-on-one discussion yielded that request’s removal.
The mayor took Wynn’s attempt and its overall nature to task, saying Cox should at least be afforded an opportunity to tell the city why he would like to remain as its insurance agent. Wiseman suggested the board ask for proposals from a variety of agents and examine the market, instead of moving to the Integrity Group without a proper study.
“There is a proper manner in which to go about changing health insurance agents, and this isn’t it,” Wiseman said. “It is absolutely appropriate and legitimate if you want to consider your options for an insurance agent, but there’s a proper time and proper context to do that, and this is absolutely not it.
“I called Mr. Cox and told him the agenda had been finalized and the matter wouldn’t be taken up tonight. Low and behold, this matter was added at the table,” he added. “If you pass this tonight, my next call will be … to tell him the board, at the table, has terminated its 18-year relationship with him. That’s absolutely no way to treat a person in any context. None of you would want to be treated that way, and our city should not treat someone that way.”
After aldermen emerged from the closed-door discussion on entering executive session, Wynn motioned to table the matter until two weeks.
“I welcome Mr. Cox to come any day before us because I can assure I have one interesting question that he will need to answer, and I know he will not be able to answer it in a manner that you would like him to answer it,” Wynn said to Wiseman at the table.
The Ward 2 alderman did not clarify or expand upon her comments at the table after the meeting.
Since September, insurance has been a topic of heated debate between the mayor, aldermen and public.
Then, aldermen unanimously approved a new, plus-one insurance tier that expanded coverage to an adult dependent of employees’ choosing, including same-sex partners.
The issue divided the community between advocates for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered rights and the city’s religious members, which boiled over into a month-long debate.
On Jan. 6, aldermen then amended the policy behind closed doors to only cover those under state-recognized marriages — heterosexual couples.
In response to claims that aldermen did not understand what they originally approved and allegations that the mayor and CAO hid the insurance ramifications, Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver instituted a policy that the board’s Tuesday agenda be finalized Friday, and that no further business be added to the document at the table.
Carver said Wednesday he still favors the approach, but he did not see an issue with Wynn’s attempt at the table Tuesday since the matter was originally added last week and intended for discussion.
“I think (the agenda policy) is fair. We want to talk about transparency, so no matter what side of an issue you’re on, it gives the other side an opportunity to prepare its case,” he said.
In regard to the insurance change attempt itself, Carver said he wants “to see if there’s a reason (Cox) has been given the job every year.”
“You hear a lot about no-bid contracts in government. It’s really a buzzword these days,” he said. “I don’t think he’s done a bad job, but I just want to hear why he’s gotten it each time.”
Ward 3 Alderman David Little backed Wiseman’s desire for Cox to receive an interview. The city, he said, is best served with due diligence studies, especially those that can produce cost savings.
“I didn’t really see the urgency (associated with Wynn’s push) since we’re not really set to discuss insurance again until late summer,” Little said. “I look forward to both parties coming forward, but I did like that the cafeteria plan would be at no cost to the employees. I think that does have the potential to help the city. I’m in favor of looking at all the options and putting them out there for a public vote.”
Community market finds new home
In other business, aldermen reached an agreement granting the Greater Starkville Development Partnership management duties of Fire Station No. 1’s public green space.
In turn, the Partnership will move Starkville Community Market to the location, which provides a permanent home for the growing entity.
Officials worried about the market’s current home since it was located on private property. Moving the ever-expanding market to the fire station park will also increase its capacity and allow the Partnership to further invest in its operation with grant funding.
Under the agreement, the GSDP will take over oversight, maintenance and liability of the under-utilized area. Fire officials have shown interest in assisting with its upkeep, and business owners in the nearby Russell Street corridor previously wrote letters of support backing the move and offering nearby parking for patrons.
Aldermen are still required to approve physical improvements to the park, and the space will remain open to the public for smaller events, including birthday parties.
SCM almost doubled its amount of vendors and maintained more than 1,000 visitors to each Saturday market last year. It also opened its first mid-week offering — a light produce market each Tuesday — as local demand increased.
The market was tapped with the Best Farmer’s Market designation last year by Mississippi Magazine.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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