Cassville Council debates insurance issues
September 10, 2014
Charlea Mills
At Monday night’s Cassville City Council meeting, health insurance premiums were a hot topic with the City’s policy up for renewal. Other important topics included changes at the Cassville Municipal Airport and community concern over the city Police Department’s sovereign citizen training.
Council members heard from Shawn Mayr, of Connell Insurance, regarding changes for the city’s policies. Health insurance is expected to go up significantly because of changes to health insurance requirements. Mayr said that it is possible that this is the last year that the City will be able to stay with their current plan with Anthem Blue Cross because of changing requirements. Mayr stated, “This could be the last year to continue with Anthem, but we won’t know until next year when the new regulations come out.”
Alderman Terry Heinz was concerned about accepting the insurance quote because he didn’t feel the City had gone out for bids properly. Heinz stated, “It’s a violation of our policies. We are excluding any insurance agent in Cassville or anyone else from bidding.”
Council member Ann Hennigan stated, “This resolution is not related to the insurance agent, it is just whether or not to accept Anthem.” After an initial tied vote with Hennigan and Jan Anthony voting in favor of accepting the insurance bid and Heinz and Jerry Marple in opposition, Mayor Bill Shiveley broke the tie with a nay vote.
City Clerk Darelyn Cooper and Deputy City Clerk Jennifer Evans brought it to the council’s attention that if they did not accept the bid for insurance, it would cause the employees’ insurance to lapse and would require them to pay a double premium from their checks in November. At that point, Heinz made a motion to approve the resolution to accept the insurance bid with an amendment to seek a Request for Qualification from various insurance agencies in the future. The amendment passed with yea votes from Heinz and Marple and nays form Hennigan and Anthony with Shiveley breaking the tie. Finally, the council approved the health insurance resolution with Heinz’s amendment.
Two other guests addressed the council members after being introduced by Steve Walkensky, Director of Public Works. Danny Hendricks and Doug Rands of Southwest Missouri Aviation, wanted to meet the council and discuss their plans at the City Airport.
The two men have a flight school as well as a the beginnings of a flight club. Hendricks stated, “A flight club is basically a partnership between 15 people who share two airplanes. They fly at cost and everyone shares in the expenses. It’s so much more affordable than owning a plane.” The men currently rent a hangar for maintenance at the airport with plans to expand in the future.”
Rands stated, “We want to grow our business as the need is there.” Hendricks added, “We like Cassville. That’s why we’re here. We want a slow, small growth. We’re not here to change anything, just a slow, incremental growth for people who want to fly. We want to retire here.”
The plans to bring the flight club will bring new interest to aviation in Cassville. In the last month, the fuel sales at the airport have nearly doubled, according to Walensky.
Hendricks concluded, “You’re about to see a lot of interest come to the airport. We wanted you to know who we are before any rumors start about our plans here.”
Finally, the council heard from Tracy Lannum, of Cassville, questioning the decision to host training by the Police Department on sovereign citizens. Lannum began by asking the council how much the city paid for the training. The training event was just over $600, according to Police Chief Dana Kammerlohr.
Lannum stated, “It’s a political belief, just like Republicans, Democrats, Socialists... It isn’t against the law to have a political belief. I’m a sovereign, are you going to arrest me?”
Lannum went on to comment about the nature of the trainer, former West Memphis, Arkansas, Police Chief Bob Paudert He stated, “He is making money off of his son dying, and the City paid for it.”
Hennigan asked Lannum, “Are you asking that every time the departments have training that it goes before the public to see if they agree with it?” Lannum replied that he didn’t, but stated, “Political belief is protected by the First Amendment.”
Mayor Bill Shiveley stated, “Our officers need to know what is out there.” No action was made at the meeting regarding the training that was hosted by the City’s Police Department last month.
Charlea Mills
At Monday night’s Cassville City Council meeting, health insurance premiums were a hot topic with the City’s policy up for renewal. Other important topics included changes at the Cassville Municipal Airport and community concern over the city Police Department’s sovereign citizen training.
Council members heard from Shawn Mayr, of Connell Insurance, regarding changes for the city’s policies. Health insurance is expected to go up significantly because of changes to health insurance requirements. Mayr said that it is possible that this is the last year that the City will be able to stay with their current plan with Anthem Blue Cross because of changing requirements. Mayr stated, “This could be the last year to continue with Anthem, but we won’t know until next year when the new regulations come out.”
Alderman Terry Heinz was concerned about accepting the insurance quote because he didn’t feel the City had gone out for bids properly. Heinz stated, “It’s a violation of our policies. We are excluding any insurance agent in Cassville or anyone else from bidding.”
Council member Ann Hennigan stated, “This resolution is not related to the insurance agent, it is just whether or not to accept Anthem.” After an initial tied vote with Hennigan and Jan Anthony voting in favor of accepting the insurance bid and Heinz and Jerry Marple in opposition, Mayor Bill Shiveley broke the tie with a nay vote.
City Clerk Darelyn Cooper and Deputy City Clerk Jennifer Evans brought it to the council’s attention that if they did not accept the bid for insurance, it would cause the employees’ insurance to lapse and would require them to pay a double premium from their checks in November. At that point, Heinz made a motion to approve the resolution to accept the insurance bid with an amendment to seek a Request for Qualification from various insurance agencies in the future. The amendment passed with yea votes from Heinz and Marple and nays form Hennigan and Anthony with Shiveley breaking the tie. Finally, the council approved the health insurance resolution with Heinz’s amendment.
Two other guests addressed the council members after being introduced by Steve Walkensky, Director of Public Works. Danny Hendricks and Doug Rands of Southwest Missouri Aviation, wanted to meet the council and discuss their plans at the City Airport.
The two men have a flight school as well as a the beginnings of a flight club. Hendricks stated, “A flight club is basically a partnership between 15 people who share two airplanes. They fly at cost and everyone shares in the expenses. It’s so much more affordable than owning a plane.” The men currently rent a hangar for maintenance at the airport with plans to expand in the future.”
Rands stated, “We want to grow our business as the need is there.” Hendricks added, “We like Cassville. That’s why we’re here. We want a slow, small growth. We’re not here to change anything, just a slow, incremental growth for people who want to fly. We want to retire here.”
The plans to bring the flight club will bring new interest to aviation in Cassville. In the last month, the fuel sales at the airport have nearly doubled, according to Walensky.
Hendricks concluded, “You’re about to see a lot of interest come to the airport. We wanted you to know who we are before any rumors start about our plans here.”
Finally, the council heard from Tracy Lannum, of Cassville, questioning the decision to host training by the Police Department on sovereign citizens. Lannum began by asking the council how much the city paid for the training. The training event was just over $600, according to Police Chief Dana Kammerlohr.
Lannum stated, “It’s a political belief, just like Republicans, Democrats, Socialists... It isn’t against the law to have a political belief. I’m a sovereign, are you going to arrest me?”
Lannum went on to comment about the nature of the trainer, former West Memphis, Arkansas, Police Chief Bob Paudert He stated, “He is making money off of his son dying, and the City paid for it.”
Hennigan asked Lannum, “Are you asking that every time the departments have training that it goes before the public to see if they agree with it?” Lannum replied that he didn’t, but stated, “Political belief is protected by the First Amendment.”
Mayor Bill Shiveley stated, “Our officers need to know what is out there.” No action was made at the meeting regarding the training that was hosted by the City’s Police Department last month.
