ORDER-2020-107 : A Transfer from Temporary Debt, account number 017522-549100, in the amount of $42,000.00 to various Workers' Compensation accounts as set forth herein.

Transcript (~6 min @ 52:55)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 52:54 Speaker 1: you good luck with your budget deliberations

▶ 52:58 Christopher Cinella: next order this evening order 2020-107 transfer from temporary debt count number zero one seven five two two dash five four nine one zero zero the amount of forty two thousand dollars to various workers compensation accounts as set forth herein I believe we have long with us this evening can you hear me I can

▶ 53:28 Speaker 1: hear you I'm here we just can't see you I don't know if you have video

▶ 53:32 Speaker 6: capability I should I have with other WebEx meetings I'm not sure why bottom

▶ 53:42 Speaker 6: the mutant audio it says start my video click on that I am okay thank you

▶ 53:55 Speaker 6: everyone my name is Marianne long I'm the director of human resources for the City of Melrose and this order that is before you is a transfer in fiscal year 2020 the existing fiscal year into our workers compensation budget, which I'll give you a brief background. It is a self funded budget. It is for injuries on duty for policemen and firefighters as as well as workers' compensation for the rest of the employees. And this $42,000 will go into three different accounts within the workers' compensation budget. Benefits, which is the compensation that someone would receive in the event that they are injured and unable to work, and we're requesting a transfer of $10,000 into that account. workers comp medical expenses, just as it says, it's for medical expenses incurred by the employee. We're asking for $27,000 into that account. And then workers comp expenses $5,000. And I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about this transfer.

▶ 55:20 Speaker 8: Council McMaster.

▶ 55:24 Shawn M. MacMaster: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good evening, Ms. Long. Thank you for being here. Hi there. Just for the public at home, it's not unusual at this time of year for a department head to come before us to request a transfer because there are certain costs that are unexpected, unanticipated, that are really impossible to forecast. and that we're able to have money transferred from other areas of the budget that is not used to allow us to cover costs across departments that are needed for various issues. Is that fair?

▶ 56:02 Speaker 6: Yes, that is correct. This is what I would refer to as a normal transfer of funds into the existing

▶ 56:11 Shawn M. MacMaster: budget yes great and my only question miss long is just with respect to the 5 000 expenses what what is covered for expenses what does that typically involve so the expense line item

▶ 56:19 Speaker 6: it includes any attorney's fees that we may have it also includes the cost of doing business so the city of melrose has a contract with future comp which is our third party administrator and thank goodness for them. They are the experts in the field of workers' compensation and injured on duty responsibilities. And some of these expenses are utilization review. We have nurse managers who work with our employees who are out injured. So it's a variety of expenses is related to the running of the workers comp program for the third-party administrator.

▶ 57:10 Shawn M. MacMaster: Thank you very much, Ms. Long.

▶ 57:12 Christopher Cinella: Thank you, Ms. Long. Welcome. Councilor Stewart and Hieu. I didn't see any of the hands go up. Just want to make sure. Is there anybody else so I can add you?

▶ 57:20 Speaker 8: Councilor Stewart.

▶ 57:22 Robb Stewart: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Ms. Long, for being here tonight. Certainly. Just a real quick question for the public as well as my edification. you say it's self-funded could you uh elaborate on that a little bit i guess i didn't know sure

▶ 57:39 Speaker 6: yes so the city of melrose does not have um an insurance policy that covers the cost instead we self-fund we fund these accounts the city council will be approving hopefully my workers compensation budget later this evening for fiscal year 21 um and we base our budgets on previous year utilization etc so we have money placed into these accounts as opposed to hiring an insurance company to cover the city of melrose which is often much more expensive great that's very

▶ 58:26 Speaker 8: helpful thank you ms long thank you mr chair anybody else seeing none what is the will of

▶ 58:35 Speaker 5: the committee on 2020-107 for passage second motion for passage made by councillor mcnaught

▶ 58:39 Christopher Cinella: seconded by councillor stewart madam clerk please call the roll

▶ 58:47 Speaker 1: yes councillor Tramontozzi yes councillor mcmaster yes councillor mcnaught yes Councilor Eccles? Yes. Councilor Garipay? Yes. Councilor Stewart? Yes. Councilor Thomas? Yes.

▶ 59:09 Speaker 1: Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Grigoraitis? Yes. Chairman Sinella? Yes. 11 yes. Great. Thank you.

▶ 59:21 Christopher Cinella: Thank you and I guess you'll be with us for a little while longer so continuing on to order 2020-89, which is the continuation of our budget hearing for fiscal 2021, the amount of $88,397,961.08. First up, 152, human resources.