Board of Aldermen 3-24-2020 Page 16
have some faith in our experts that have looked at this and come up with a plan for the City, in support.
And thank you Madam President for letting me say it now because when the motion comes to the table it is
a non-debatable motion. So thank you.
Alderwoman Kelly
Hi yeah thank you. So | appreciate all the comments that have been brought forward. | still am very
uncomfortable and | think Alderman Lopez brings up a really good point of, “yes this is a situation that is an
emergency, we are doing remote meetings in order to keep everybody safe” but | would not like to see us
set a precedent where we don’t talk through something that is going to affect all the employees in the City.
And | personally know from being on the Personnel Committee for 2 years that there are things that | hadn’t
thought of until someone comes up and is able to at least speak on it. So unless somebody knew it was on
the agenda tonight, we are not even giving them an opportunity to speak. And | really think that we need to
make sure to not make that precedent.
Alderman Klee
Thank you. | am going to actually address Alderwoman Kelly if that’s OK. Alderwoman Kelly, | think that
we were told if we suspend the rules, table it and then bring it up for discussion at the next meeting, making
notice to the public that it would be discussed, they could either attend or as we addressed, they could
send an e-mail with their discussion and so on. | don’t know if that makes it more palatable for people as
well as the public, that we are trying to take everything into consideration.
Alderwoman Kelly
Thank you for the clarification. | am fine with that. | would like to make sure that Kim Kleiner or whoever
would be heading this up in the City does give us a full overview of what the changes are as well. Thanks.
Alderman Harriott-Gathright
| am just curious and | think my question is to the Mayor, has there been any discussion about this process
with the AFLCIO or SCIU whichever group is involved with this, as far as unaffiliated.
Mayor Donchess
Alderwoman Gathright, the unaffiliated workers are not represented by any union. So instead of talking to
the representatives we held a group meeting here in the Auditorium a couple of weeks ago. There were, |
don’t know, 75, 80, 90 people present, and we talked through all of the details. Ms. Kleiner was here, Mr.
Griffin, | think Mr. Budreau, all of the people involved. We had a handout sheet where we explained what is
explained all of it, in addition to our verbal explanation. And then to questions, but there really weren't any.
Before that, we had talked to the Division Directors and got their input on it. So we have addressed the
employees and offered to discuss it with them or explain it to them. And at least my perception is we have
not really had any objections. | mean | think a lot of people like the idea that the weekly contributions
would go down.
Now you know, under certain circumstances they would be more, but | think another thing that is beginning
to sink in with the employees to whom this has been properly explained and in the School Department I’m
not sure that has happened, but that the high deductible plan is one that can really benefit most people.
And as we explain it and discuss it more and more, it is being adopted by more employees and this change
as we explained it they, in the — up here in the audience in the Auditorium to the employees, encourages if
you don’t like the changes, they encourage you to move to the high deductible plan.
Alderman Harriott-Gathright
OK thank you.
