Um, what's the thing I can do? I can just make it bigger, >> right? Do that. Oh, yeah. Okay. Okay. So, um, looking at this first slide in here, I want to point out a couple numbers. Let's, um, see what 150 does. That's better. Okay. So, um, our prior year cost was, uh, for the district total estimated was 5 million. Uh, with the renewal and a 13.4% increase, it would, uh, bring the district's total cost to 5.7 million. Um, it then shows the different increases and how many people are on the different choices that we have. So obviously the biggest um insurance bucket is the choice base. This is the the one that most of us get like the single 100% pay. You don't uh or Yeah. Um and it's 100% covered by the district. So then it goes into the cost of each one of those plans and what they would increase to.
>> You guys have been such a m >> Thank you for that, Claudia. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Remember that comp plan discussion that That's true. >> So, we'll take a vote seeing that the two recipients aren't saying no. So, let's >> I'm happy to I'm happy to do it again. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All those in favor? >> I I That's 5 Z. Thank you again. >> Get a second. >> I'll I'll be the second. Okay. >> So, the So, the grant the community grant round is now open for the spring. >> Open. >> Okay. Le um liaison updates. Ashlin Cultural Council >> do not have any updates for my committees this time around. So, >> okay. >> Yeah, >> you will have one pretty soon because they're going to be meeting with the uh roadway traffic study committee regarding the paintings of all the traffic boxes in town.
So this plan where those increased dollars sit in each one of the plans. Does that make sense? So that's with the 13.4% increase. Uh and this is just what was coming. And we knew this was coming. We talked about this last year. When we got the little bit of 4% increase, uh we said, "Wow, we were expecting a little bit more." And they said, "Don't worry, that's coming." And we are slated to see increases for the next four to five years of some upper level. um they they can't obviously tell us. Uh but this year when I went back to them and said, "Hey, I'm budget planning for a 15% increase. I think I'm going to be like really crazy." And he said, "That's a good job." And I went, "Oh no." So when they came back with 13.4, I went, "Oh." Um so we were in the ballpark there based on uh what insurance trends.
>> Yes. Well, that is very exciting, but I'm not sure what it depends on what time the meeting is. It will drive whether I can attend or not. >> That'll be on it'll be a topic of discussion when we have our uh traffic study meeting which was cancelled because of the blizzard. >> Yes. >> So, >> but just the boxes not like other >> Oh, no. No. It's just it's just the box. >> I mean, we we've seen other you've probably seen this in other communities, >> you know. So, something that Yeah. >> What we were told they were going to be of a historical nature of Ashland. Hey, cool. >> That sounds delightful. I can't wait to hear the discuss about the same thing. So, once we made a decision, >> we would come to the board to vote to approve it. >> Okay.
There's a lot that goes into this. We go to um a session every year to talk about in a deep level how this occurs in a self-insured. These are our dollars and our dollars working for us. We do put dollars in here. Anything um uh we do a prepaid so that we can maximize that when we put that $5 million in there. Um we put it in first so that it'll earn some in interest over the years. And we've been maximizing that. that also allows us to try to mitigate our increases. Okay. Um so those were the renewals. Then they came back and they said um we were like, "Wow, that's a really big hit." And they took a look at some options. They said one of the things that they've been talking to some of their other uh clients about was that the um and that's just like the detail that he shared on his presentation.
>> And and Makita, it sounds like it will be a nice little >> like mesh of both the Ashlin Cultural Council and your historic. >> I know. It's just it's like it's it's all coming together. >> It's coming together. >> It's all coming together. >> Next conservation commission. So I um I was at the meeting on on Monday as well um with 10 to 60 Maine the opening and I just want to say you know um you know I think the the way that the conservation commission structures that that meeting um you know hopefully they'll they'll allow you know the applicant to actually do his presentation but um but other than that I think it was very it it like it's it was very structured. So, um >> it was structured, that's for sure. >> So, you know, they run a tight meeting. So, just >> just uh that is all I have to say on that.
and I just kind of want to continue moving on on the the impact to the district and the staff. So then they came back and said, "Well, one of the choices is that you can start doing plan adjustments." Um they we have discussions with them and we're like, "Well, what's the biggest um bang?" As opposed to really going in fine detail. We rely on their expertise to give us the best plan, uh the most current information, the best options for our staff when it comes to co-pays and what's covered and what's not covered. And um so that's what we use them for. And what they came back as a recommendation is they said the thing that could probably impact the cost to your district and staff the most is to increase your maximum out of pocket. And I don't know if his explanation I don't know it just seemed like it got a little wonky.
So, um and then while I'm talking just because sustainability's on here, y >> I did not go to yesterday's sustainability committee meeting. Um, I had another engagement that I had to had another commitment, but um, I do know that they are submitting um, a warrant article for town meeting on the skip the stuff stuff. >> Um, so I'm sure that they'll be coming before us and I'll I'll talk >> I'm sorry, what are they submitting? I didn't hear it. >> I'm sorry. A a a warrant article >> for um the skip the stuff which has to do with the um, take Yeah. >> So, the default would be to not have >> not have it, but upon request. >> Upon request. Yes. So, I'm sure they'll be coming to us to to discuss that. >> Yep. Thank you. >> That's all. Yeah. >> Appreciate that.
So I want to try to explain it in my words. When you have an insurance you have um a premium that you pay every month and that's what we're talking about that would increase for staff. And then within your plan you have things that are covered and not covered. So your wellch check when you go for an annual is 100% covered. You don't have to pay it. But when you go and do other things or you're sick or you go to the hospital or you have specialty services, it starts incurring what's called your deductible. And depending upon what your deductible is, let's say it's 500. Um once that means you're 100% paying for whatever those services are, 100%'s coming out of your pocket up into the deductible. So if it's 500, you pay it all until you get to 500. Once you get to 500, your co- insurance kicks in and we have an 8020 plan, which means everything you have done at that point.
Thank you. Um, let's see. Town forest committee. >> Storm water. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Storm water. >> Storm water. Let's meet. >> That'll be you. >> Storm water had a meeting last evening that I attended. Um and they uh a lot of the conversation last night was um they are requesting I don't know if they've already spoken to you Joe >> spoke to Rob Y and we had to cancel it because April 1st by the way is Passover >> so we have to change that date we will not be meeting >> on April 1st okay >> okay >> so um in any case they are going to come before us and they talked a lot about um what the presentation Rob I think had created a draft and they talked a lot about um things that they would you know be discussing before us um including basically they're waiting for um I'll let them explain it all because it's was this has all been a learning curve for me but um you know the type of criteria that storm water is that we have to function under and things that um right now the MS4 which is what dictates it has um lapsed and it's we're waiting for the or the state is going to create a new one, but uh until they do so, we're just trying to keep up with what we're supposed to be doing and hopefully we'll be in good shape by the time they they come out come through with that.
Insurance covers 80%, you pay 20% out of your pocket. So when we talk about maximum out of pocket, that's the distance that you pay the 820. So you pay 8020 until you reach maximum out of pocket for the year and then after that insurance covers 100% of it after that. So, the adjustment that they recommended to help have cost savings of how much the insurance plan costs us to have in general was to increase the maximum out of pocket, which means increasing how long you pay 8020 up until a certain threshold and then you would pay they would pay 100% after that. Does that make sense? Which number we're talking about? We're not talking about the deductible. So, the deductible affects pretty much every person. If you go and get any medical services outside your well checks, you're probably going to be paying deductible. So when we talked about deductible, that's the most impactful to the most people when it comes to insurance.
So, anyways, I'll let them explain all that. Um and uh that's it for for that for that. Should we do um since we're doing should we just if we if there's something else we wanted to >> Well, I'm not but is this where we might do our updates too? >> Just in general. You know how Yeah, we just go around the room and do that this that. Well, we still have a few other things left to do. Uh, we have the Upper Child's Trail Committee. >> Oh. Oh, you know what? I Sorry, I jumped ahead. I was just thinking while I was talking, I kept going, but >> that's okay. >> All right, I'm good. >> Thank you. Upper Charles Trail Committee. So, I had a meeting with the Upper Charles Trail Committee and Diane Mortonson and we are working we have some grant we have some funding available to do some work for engineering and design of the trail and we are working to get we're waiting to get a um quote back from a company called Fuss and O'Neal.
Maximum out of pocket, that's not typically most people. That's a handful of situations. So it is the least impact to the most amount of people to do a change in your maximum out of pocket. And what that does changing that maximum out of pocket from and that's what I'm trying to find Joel do you remember here it was maximum out of pocket here it is plan year 2526 it was 5,000 uh and 8,000 for the buyup and um that that is an individual versus a family amount deductible was 500 to a,000 deductible is another way that you can manage your insurance cost to make it cheaper if you do your car insurance you can play with all those numbers your deductible, what they cover. Um, so again, not touching the deductible, that stays the same. Uh, the choice base, which is where most of our staff uh live on their insurance choices, the maximum is 5,000 and 10,000.
They've done a lot of different trails. We had a great meeting with them three or four weeks ago and then we had a followup then I had a follow-up with the trip with the trails committee. So, we're waiting for that proposal to come back and the goal is that they will design they will lay out a route from Hopkin to to Framingham Townline and also potentially work on 25% design for the first portion from Framingham to the public safety building and the funds that we have we have to use by the end of the year. So that's why we're working on >> Oh, so it's a mark. I mean, that's I'm sorry, there's a sunset date for that. >> Y Okay. >> Yeah. And then as part of that there, we also have a grant that we received almost two years ago to purchase the land on 126 and we're evaluating those different properties because we might try to do a different property.
So that is the 13 uh.4% increase and it it's um we've talked about that number a few times. Okay. Then if you take a look at the other option, it was to move from the 4,000 and 8,000 and increase that to uh 6,000 and 12,000. It looks like they're doing it for buyup and for choice base. I wonder if that's a typo. I don't know. Let me go back up here real quick. I didn't dig in as close. Yeah. 4,000 8,000 5,000 10,000. So their recommendation is to increase that maximum out of pocket to 6,000 and 12,000. So $1,000 increase and a $2,000 increase. And what that means is then you pay an extra 1,000 of the 8020. And then what that did was brought us down to a 9.99% increase. Uh and so that change went from the and 77,000 over to 505. So it's a percentage 9.99%.
>> Okay. The other the other property owner backed out of the discussion. >> Um well, just made it difficult for you. part partly was the discussion of the owner, but also looking at the parcel. Yeah, it has a lot of wetlands. Yep. >> So, it would be hard. I mean, it would be you could put something through there, but it could be difficult and it could be expensive. >> We could put a bike path in, but we couldn't put or condos in >> because that was part of the that was part of the pro uh property that was on the uh comprehensive. >> No, this is the the parcel that we're talking that I'm talking about was not on >> Oh, it wasn't on >> on the housing affordable housing project. >> Okay. All right. I thought it looked like the same location. >> No.
So that's the first kind of topic is uh talking with this group about whether we should move that maximum out of pocket. um it makes a really big difference to the district's amount that we have to pay and makes a difference to what employees have to pay. So all of this information is in there. You can dig into um the so let's say it's an choice base and it's an employee with family. You can see the difference of change of how much it would change uh an increase an increase of $97 and an increase of $109 for the district. ER is employer cost E is employee cost when you look at the chart. >> Bless you. The dollar amount is an increase for 9.99% of 505,711 versus $677,856. And then you can see the individual plan effect on these charts that look like this. So the cost to the employee on an employee child cho choice base um monthly was 356 for the employee would then go to 404 for the employee.
>> Okay. >> No. So, uh, yeah. So, things are moving forward. Hopefully, we'll have some more information >> at the end of March. >> The zoning board of appeals. >> That would be me and I have no updates from them. Um, I am I'll go to their meeting next week. >> Okay. >> So, who has who has Town Forest? Does anybody >> I'm not sure. >> They don't need a liazison. >> They're on their own. If not, I'd be willing to take that one. >> I'll take town forests unless someone else wanted unless it's yours. >> Town for Yolanda. >> It's you. I thought I thought you signed up for it. I thought you did sign up for it. >> Thank you, Claudia. >> Thanks for checking that. >> Thanks for checking the spreadsheet that we >> people without filling out. >> You're welcome to do it because I signed up for it already.
It was 8.29 for the district. It goes to 9.40 for the district. That's a monthly a monthly contribution, not the annual. >> This is that insurance packet that's in the link. >> It's right here on the meet and confer 2627. Plan your renewal. Okay. is that the first um decision they need to make is about the max out of pocket increase. >> And um yes, and this is I went ahead and put that on a spreadsheet because we love us a spreadsheet. Let's make that bigger. Let's get rid of this. Okay. So the district cost in that scenario is um 458,000 and change on the 9.9. If we choose to not change the maximum out of pocket, it's 615. The employees increase portion of that would be 46,000. This is a total. Again, you'd have to refer back to that um is it there? here to see the actual changes for employees.
>> You signed up for community preservation committee, but that's wasn't on here. I I been to the meeting. >> You can update that. You can update the spreadsheet. >> No, the spreadsheet is saying it wasn't on our agenda as of >> No, as of now items, >> list of committees. >> I should probably add that working group that I'm >> lazing to as well on that spreadsheet. >> I move that we approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. And in doing so, I would like to thank uh >> Charles Litz for his work over the years. >> Yes. >> On the sustainability committee. >> Um >> we appreciate all your effort and your uh your wisdom on that on that committee as well. So, thank you very much. >> And and Chuck was also the representative on the comprehensive plan.