EPPJ discuss budget, insurance

The Evangeline Parish Police Jury, during a special meeting to approve its budgets on Monday, December 29, spent more time discussing whether the parish needs an insurance agent to manage the parish’s workman’s compensation insurance for parish employees.
First, the jurors approved the 2014 amended budget, the proposed 2015 budget, with a $3.063 million general fund, and the Acadiana Crime Lab budget. Juror Bryan Vidrine proposed adjustments in the 2015 budget to bring certain funds into balance, and proposed surplus funds be set aside for the construction of a dog pound if the police jury decides to fund that. The jurors approved of those proposals. Nobody had questions or comments for the police jury during the 15 minutes set aside for the public hearing before the special meeting began at 5:30 p.m.
When the issue of workman’s compensation insurance came up, near the end of the special meeting agenda, independent insurance agent Phil Lemoine was asked to address the police jury.
Lemoine -- who has provided advice regarding workman’s compensation to Donald Bergeron, police jury secretary/treasurer, at no charge in the past -- told the jurors about various discounts that the parish could receive. He said he was able to assist he parish in saving $8,000 on the parish’s workman’s compensation insurance during the past year. The parish paid about $200,000 for workman’s comp insurance last year
Then, Allan Farr, chief executive officer of Lemoine Insurance Company, which he acquired from Lemoine in 2012, spoke to the police jury. He summarized his experience in the insurance business and explained the service his company could provide to the parish.
Juror Lamar Johnson suggested the police jury wait for a couple of months to see if other insurance companies or agents could offer a better deal. Bergeron said four insurance agencies had been asked to submit bids and only two responded.
Juror Vidrine said police jury staff had learned how to avoid the mistakes made in past years and to take advantage of discounts to reduce the parish’s workman’s compensation insurance costs.
One way of minimizing those costs is to verify that people doing work for the parish provide their own workman’s compensation insurance. Juror Johnson said problems arises when people who don’t make enough to carry their own workers comp, such as grass cutters, are required to be covered.
Juror Rocky Rider said Lemoine, the independent insurance agent, offered to be “fully responsible” to ensure the parish would be in compliance with workers compensation requirements for an annual payment of $2,500, and that the jurors should take that into consideration.
Juror Eric Soileau said that in past years, he had believed that the parish didn’t need professional assistance in complying with workman’s compensation insurance requirements, but that because the parish had problems that caused the parish to “pay more than we should have,” he has revised his thinking.
Juror Ryan Williams moved to appoint Lemoine as the parish’s agent for workman’s compensation insurance, and Rider seconded the motion. The police jury voted to make Lemoine its agent over the negative vote of Vidrine.
In other police jury business:
•The jurors approved bids for pest control, providing different types of gravel, diesel fuel, grader blades, asphalt and pipes, but delayed the awarding of a bid for providing the parish with limestone until January 12.
•After the 2015 budget was approved without provision for raises for police jury staff or road crews, Vidrine said police jury staff would be directed to provide a financial assessment of possible salary increases to the parish’s budget.
•Jurors passed a resolution that identifies Bergeron as having responsibility for monitoring proper documentation and risk assessment performed by the parish’s administrative consultant regarding handling of disaster recovery funding provided by the Louisiana Office of Community Development.