And that's going to be this box right here, E change. And you'd look on this side for the 9.9. And then up here is the Oh, that was 13.4 there. So for uh again this is really I think this is what really speaks to employees is that last year I paid what I paid and this next year under 13.4% 4% I pay $89 more, $47 more, $130 more. And then the district side over there is um what the district covers of that portion for that employees choice. Down here, when you go back to that chart again, again, it's the EE change that's important when you're thinking about employees cost. And here when we go to the 9.9% instead, which they rolled to 10, um it's 66, 35, and 97. So those are the comparisons 66 3597 or 8947130. >> So no change to the deductible.
So, >> I'm got a lot of free time. We must be able to find something for him. >> We definitely >> So, thanks Jack for all your work. And one thing I'd like to note is that um Michael has appointed uh uh an additional uh local building inspector. I'm assuming he's a part-time inspector or >> That is the plan. Okay. So, this will help um ease some of the burden of a full-time employee if you want to talk about it. >> No, if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. So, unfortunately, he has turned the position down. >> Oh, no. >> Oh, okay. >> Oh, we should have we should have removed that from our consent agenda. >> Yeah. Sorry about that. Uh, >> it just happened. >> Okay. Okay. >> Oh, okay. >> And I was going to say this this this was a a a position that had been vacant.
The rate goes up for the employee. Did I is that correct? >> No change to the maximum out of pocket. >> Right. >> I want to be really careful because deductible is something totally different. >> No change to the max out of pocket. If you don't change anything, the cost to the employee >> does everybody. >> It's going up no matter what. >> It's going up. It's just a matter of how much. >> Okay. Does everybody understand that? >> So, if you go to the 9.9, the increase for the employee is less. Is that correct? Is that an accurate statement? And if you take all of those dollars and add them up to be an an annual total versus the individual plan totals, I just want to make sure you know where the individual plan totals are because you guys would be the ones talking about the change.
Like, it wasn't it's not created. It's >> not a new position. No. So, just just to clarify for folks. >> But but that's sad news. >> It is sad news. And I just I mean we should mention again, I know it was brought up last time, but um we got that >> $500,000 complete street award. Um >> which is huge for the the intersection of Union and Fountain Streets. And who should we give special thanks to? >> Uh Becca Navaro. >> Yeah. She's she's done a great job >> did a great job with that. >> Very nice. Well, please um >> Yep. >> Thank her for us. And uh >> you know, that's certainly some, you know, that's one of those things that >> the community will notice, right? >> Yeah. >> Yep. For sure. >> Yeah. And as a person that's at that intersection on a daily basis.
And so when somebody says, I'm I'm you know, I have I'm an employee. I pay for this and I have children or I have a spouse or have a family, the employee single non buyup would still say no change. Well, wait, no, it doesn't. Wait, let me look at it. I don't want to say that. Let's go back. Yes, it is still zero for the employee single coverage that we cover 100% if you don't do the buyup and you're a single employee with no no dependence. We also cover a larger amount and we showed you guys that on that benefit comparison to the other districts. we showed that we cover a bigger percentage of some of these buckets. So, we cover more dollars of the dependent care than we do the single. Um, one of the mechanisms that other districts use is that like if it if the district pays $700 for the single for them to have a 100% covered, then they take that 700 and they apply it equally to every category.
>> Yes. >> Um thank you, Becca. And also, I'm sure all the kids at the high school will thank you, too. They're very >> Well, it is very popular and it's especially with the snow has mounted in that area, it's narrowed it even more so. So, it's people need to be aware of that. So, hopefully this new revision will make it a little bit safer. So, that's good. >> Very good to go. >> Yeah. >> All right. Are we ready? >> Yeah. Turn it over to Katherine. >> Yep. We're ready. >> Thank you. So, the community center improvement project update. The organizers are continuing work this week. They are working on um finishing up the wreck storage area and then they'll move on to the art room and it looks amazing. The bins are very organized, clear, labeled, all shelved in a really nice, neat order.
Um, we don't do that here because we're self-funded and we're trying to increase the people that make our insurance less, which is kids. We want kids to be in our program. We want younger families to be in our program. It helps reduce our cost. So, that's why we cover more. >> Children on their account, >> be an increase. And >> it would either be an increase of 9.99%, let's just say 10. Can we all agree to just say 10? Thank you. 10 or 13.4%. So that's the first question. Is >> they pay for patient or how much paying? >> It's for their premium, which is the monthly payment that they make to have insurance. So you pay a premium to have insurance and then you pay a different premium depending upon your choice whether you cover a spouse children and that's the monthly amount. They they do them in monthly instead of the whole annual cost.
It looks really great. >> Excellent. >> Um so they'll continue work there. The the bids came in, so we're working through that. We started a little working group, so we'll meet weekly just to make sure that we're staying on target with everything. Um, so that's moving along.
So you can see that that is a monthly change. So right now an employee pays >> 754. If you're an employee with a spouse, um you would you pay $665.78 right now. That's the E column there in 2526. Next year with no changes and no decisions, you would pay $754.97. That's an in monthly increase cost of $89 monthly. You can extrapulate that over the 24 pays. I think we take it out 24 pays >> our single parents in this district and their cancer on this insurance and >> do not bring home enough of their salary. >> Well, right now I'm sharing information and then I think we'll show share the stories to help us make the decisions. Exactly. I will point out for the last I believe it's 5 years we have not put any of the cost of insurance increases onto staff. So the district has absorbed the cost.
And then, um, any questions there? >> No. >> Okay. And then the next thing I want to talk about was Katie Cool. So, I think most of you have met Katie. She's our assistant HR director. And so, she was just accepted into the MMA's uh, HR certificate program. So, the MMA partners with SUFFK University. Nice. >> And uh, we included the syllabus in the pack. Saw that. >> Yeah. And so just from my own personal experience, I can say that working in um HR in the private sector and switching over to the public sector is just a completely different animal. At times I felt like I was starting a new career and so um I wish I had this opportunity. Katie is very lucky um that this came up at the right time and we're able to do it. So, she's going to spend, I believe, at six days, two half days, um, and then four full days coming up in April.
So let's think about that. So, if the insurance cost $5 million, that's how much the district is paying, $5 million, and our budget was $48 million, that was5 million out of 48. Our budget is now $43 million. The 5 million hasn't changed because the costs have gone up. So, we're still paying $5 million and now we only have a budget of 43. So, it is very impactful. I don't see any way around that. We do navigate that cost, but it might not be responsible to continue to 100% cover employees portion of this when we see that we're going to have these increases in the near future to the at least the next four to five years. It's something to think about. I agree with you. Insurance is not affordable. It's not. I agree with you 100%. It is what happens though. Um, so anyways, and the cost is going up for the district, which means less dollars on the table for salaries.
And it's going to go over, you know, some basics, um, and then sort of build from there. So, contract negotiations, um, how health insurance is just a completely different um, game when you enter the municipal world. um amongst other things, policy updates, case law updates, things that are are really important that we continue working on and and making sure that we're up to speed. >> Very good. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Y that's awesome. That's great news. >> Thank you for the update. >> One quick question. How's the food pantry going at the new location? >> Uh it's actually going really well. Um I've heard I haven't heard any complaints. The only thing I have heard is that um and I think I shared this last time that residents who didn't know we had a food pantry um now aware of it and along with your uh WACA uh airing, I watched it the other night when >> you had nothing else to watch.
I mean, you have to navigate it. It's a conversation. Okay. So, the facts are it goes up 9 10% or 13.4. That's the first decision on the table. Do we want to go up 10% or do we want to go up 13.4%. When we do that, it changes these numbers, right? So, increase the maximum out of pocket or don't. maximum out of pocket we felt was the least uh impactful on most staff and it was the biggest percentage discount when we asked them to give us a scenario of some way to get this cost down. Um that was what they brought back. Other things they looked at did not bring us as many much savings. So this was the least impactful and the most savings. That's why we brought this one forward. Okay then. Oh no, thing went away. Hang on one second. Okay, that is so not true.
>> Well, it was it well, you know, it's it's it's 2:00. >> He wasn't going to say he wasn't, but >> it was it was 2:00 in the morning. What can I say? >> Okay. I kept you awake for half hour. All right. Okay. >> For those folks who need to know >> laughing at Claudia after almost >> Yeah. Almost out. Yeah. >> Okay. Those are my sleep habits. What can I tell you? What can I tell? I'm glad you guys are getting a kick out of it because >> not giving me a kick. That's for sure. >> Lost three jobs. >> Okay. Michael is there. We have uh town manager reports. Are you are you good to go? Oh, that was it. That was the town manager with one. Never mind. Okay. I'm telling you, my eyes are getting tired. Sorry about that. Board reports.
Okay, so that's that's just information and I wanted you to understand which portion of the insurance we're talking about changing. So that's on the table for you guys to decide to go with the 13.4 or go with the nine knowing that the way to make that happen is to increase that by a th00and and by 2,000. So it's a longer time that somebody would be in the 8020 situation. Uh but they would still get to a maximum out of pocket and then insurance kicks in 100%. It doesn't change the deductible. Deductible is still 500 and whatever it was. Okay, everybody clear on that one? Okay, so then when it comes to dollars, uh, let's see. All right, I have that up here. So this equals the 505711. This equals the 67785. This is the district cost. This is the employee cost for five years. Has it been five, Joel?
Okay. >> I think we should let Katherine do it all the time. >> Okay. >> Wow. Wow. >> Just got it from uh who do we'll start with you >> on board reports. Um, so I have the up I have been invited to be the chair again for the Mass Municipal Association's regional policy committee. So surprised I'm like a third year. I was like really? She's like yeah. I'm like okay. Um, >> so that was good >> I guess. And so on Monday what's what's cool is they're bringing all the policy committee members together and so I'm going to be going into the MMA offices in Boston for that. Uh, and then I know I've been a little not as involved with stuff, especially on Tuesdays. I will unfortunately be missing the tri board meeting even though it's one of the things that I know, I know.
I think when I did a history look back, I think it was five years. We have not put a portion of this on the district and we've actually made some changes. Changed our insurance, changed the way we do insurance so that we could make sure that we kept that for our employees as long as possible with the knowledge we knew increases were coming. Okay. So, I wanted to put something out there. There's employee medical cost. You see what that cost's going to be. We can just do it this year. and we tell employees it's either 10% or it's 13.4% increase. We could be thinking forward that we might not be in a situation to 100% cover um staff uh or that it would be fiscally prudent. But the thing that I'm kind of falling back on this year is that I budgeted for the 15% out of the budget.
Um, but I am in rehearsal and next week is tech week. I am performing as part of uh Hopington Centers for the Arts adult musical review called Children Will Listen and that is going to be the 13th and 14th and 2021st at Hopington Center for the Arts. That's awesome. So, getting myself out doing some different things just to take away some of the stress of of work right now. >> And then just a reminder, we put our clocks back or ahead >> ahead this weekend. So, >> spring, >> be aware of that spring ahead. So, >> and that's all I got for tonight. >> That means summer's near is is approaching. >> Days are getting longer. >> That means you'll be up at 32, too. You know what? >> It'll be on at 3. >> You're right. You're right. But what a better way to to watch and pay attention to everything that's being said because there's nothing else going on.
Now, obviously, every dollar we put back into it is going to rebuild our fund balance that we had to use this year for the staffing. So, it's not free money on the table, but there is some opportunity this year to make a decision. When I talked to the board, the board has all this information, too. I told you before lunch, I'm not seeing a lot of support for just 100% covering again this year. I'm not saying that there isn't and that's just a couple of voices. It is what you decide in this room. So, I need to know if you're going to make it the bigger number or the smaller number. And then I need to know if it's being covered or not being covered or shared. These are the types of things for you to talk about and decide and let me know so that then I can take those numbers.
>> Shout out to WACA for all the night owls out there. >> That's right. So, what would we do? >> What What would we do? Uh very quickly just uh other than my upcoming committee meetings, you caught me off cycle a little bit folks. Uh I will be at select board office hours at the bagel table uh with Brandy on the 3rd of on the on the uh 20th of March from 11 to 1. That's Friday, Friday afternoon. So that's um and I know there's a Saturday one coming up. So um >> that's right, you and I. >> But I will not I will not be there. I've switched with >> Saturdays. Oh, it's Saturday, you and I. Okay, cool. >> So, couple of other things. Um, Ashlin Music Association spring concerts are underway. I had a chance to take in a delightful concert last night uh with the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders down at the high school.