COBB Countryside 12 Theatre Now Open Friday December 16th!
  
 Search
  9911 Seminole Blvd. Seminole, FL 33772       Ph. 727-397-5563   View TBN's FREE e-Edition today!  
Click here to learn more
Largo Leader
Largo commissioners seek raises
Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008
  Print E-Mail Share
 
LARGO – A public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16 when city commissioners will consider giving themselves a raise for the first time in two years.

If the 4 percent increase is approved, the mayor’s annual salary will go up to $19,688 and each commissioner would earn $13,125.

Two of the city’s persistent spending watchdogs, Curtis Holmes and John Atanasio supported the increase.

“Take it,” insisted Holmes. He said the increase was insignificant in the face of 2009 budget increases of $20 million and that the elected officials had earned an increase.

Atanasio, a former city official in New Jersey, agreed saying “you deserve it, it’s a token.”

Commissioners offered no comments in approving the increase with only Commissioner Mary Gray Black voting against it without saying why. Later she pointed to her comments last month when she suggested the commissioners should forgo any salary increase this year. She said the city had eliminated jobs and city residents were facing hard economic times.

Mayor Pat Gerard, who proposed the increase, noted this would be only the third increase for commissioners in the past five years. In her memo to fellow commissioners supporting the increase, Gerard listed the following increases: 7 percent in 2003, 3 percent in 2005 and 4 percent in 2007. No increases were approved in 2004 and 2006.

In the past the part-time commissioners have justified their salaries as important as they are expected to attend – and pay full price – events of local service organizations and nonprofit organizations.

Gerard assured residents that the proposed increase does not include any benefits such as health insurance costs paid by the city. The ordinance was amended before being approved to more clearly indicate the increase applied only to salaries. The elected officials receive insurance coverage and retirement benefits in addition to the salaries.

In other business, the commission approved moving the city’s contract for medical insurance coverage from Aetna to Cigna. The new contract, for $6.1 million, represents a 6 percent increase from the current year, according to Susan Sinz, human resources director.

“Cigna’s proposal represents the most competitive cost for matching our current plan design coverage across all plans,” Sinz told commissioners. She noted that the insurance company’s first proposal would have cost a 15 percent increase over this year’s budget.

Sinz said a major reduction was obtained by agreeing to require employees to take advantage of the insurance company’s mandatory health condition survey taken of employees during the enrollment period. She said this is done by computer and employees are not required to give specific details of any medical conditions if they choose not to. They are only required to participate in the survey.

Another significant benefit of the new plan, Sinz said, is that employees would no longer need referral by their primary care physician to see a specialist.
Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008
Copyright © Tampa Bay Newspapers: All rights reserved.
Printable Version E-mail article Share
  Print E-Mail Share
Prehistoric FloridaNuSmile
Featured Print Advertisers
NuSmile Dental
13611 Park Blvd., Suite G
Seminole
(727) 369-8299

Web site        View Ad
:)
Flooring America of Seminole
9012 Seminole Blvd.
Seminole
(727) 397-5509

Web site        View Ad
:)
Abbey Carpet & Floor of Largo
13120 66th St. N.
Largo
(727) 524-1445

Web site        View Ad
:)
Oakhurst & East Bay Medical
13020 Park Blvd., Seminole
(727) 393-3404
3800 East Bay Dr., Largo
(727) 539-0505

Web site        View Ad
:)
Custom Couture of Clearwater
(727) 735-8407
By appointment please.

Web site        View Ad
:)
Finn Law Group
(855) FINN LAW
(727) 214-0700

Web site        View Ad
:)
Florida Center for Back & Neck Pain
Dr. Greg Hollstrom
11444 Seminole Blvd.
Largo
(727) 393-6100

Web site        View Ad
:)
Herbs By Merlin
18117 Gulf Blvd.
Redington Shores
(727) 575-9952

Web site        View Ad
:)
Tampa Bay Newspapers
Online Advertising
For information, e-mail
webmaster@tbnweekly.com
:)
Online Services Directory
2011 MEDICAL DIRECTORY ONLINE DINING GUIDE
AUTOMOTIVE GUIDE REAL ESTATE GUIDE
Don Minie
Tampa Bay Newspapers
9911 Seminole Blvd.,
Seminole, FL 33772
(727) 397-5563