CHAFFEE IN POOL FOR INSURANCE

CHAFFEE -- The city of Chaffee has shaved thousands of dollars of its workmen's compensation coverage cost.

Council members at their regular meeting Monday night approved the payment of $21,526 for the city to join Missouri Rural Services, a new self-insurance pool. The pool of entities includes members such as cities Jackson being one of them and ambulance and road districts, said the city's insurance agent, Hal Rice.

As of April 1, Rice said, the pool had 26 entities and nearly $1 million in premiums.

The council opted to join the pool, which has a member population cap of 15,000, over Aetna. Rice said the cost to renew the city's workmen's compensation coverage with Aetna was $25,000.

"The only drawback I see is it's new," Rice said of the pool. "With any new venture you're going to have some kinks."

Rice said he thought the city was basically just cutting out company overhead, whether it be with Aetna or another carrier. But he said with four or five bad claims as a pool member, the city opens itself up to "assessments."

Rice also highlighted the $4,000 break the city was getting. He said Aetna would be asking the city for more money and had confused the city's claims in the past. Also, Rice said the people involved with the pool are caring people.

As an insurance agent, he said, he would recommend the city join the pool. Though he said the city was going "out on a limb," he added: "But I think our past experience speaks for itself. We've got to do something."

Mayor Ron Moyers called the city's workmen's compensa tion coverage a "piece of trash."

"Throughout most all of the states you can see that. If I was voting, I would have to vote for it," Moyers said, referring to the pool.

Councilmen Jerry Wolsey of Ward 1 and Tom Cunningham of Ward 4 voiced support Monday for the pool. Wolsey pointed to the pool being from Missouri.

"One thing about this here is we're bringing it closer to home," he said.

According to city officials, the city must stay a member of the pool for at least three years after joining it.

Rice said a meeting in connection with the pool will be held Wednesday in Jefferson City. Nine individuals from the member entities will be elected to serve on the pool's board of directors. The board will have 13 members, with the remaining four being from the pool company.

In other action, the council accepted municipal Judge David Mann's recommendation to hire Kathy Enderle as city court clerk. Enderle replaces Debbie Graviett, who resigned as court clerk near the first of the month. In conjunction with hiring Enderle, the council approved one month pay for Graviett to train Enderle.

City Clerk Diane Eftink Monday swore in the council's newly elected members. The members, elected in the city's April 7 election, are Wolsey; Marlene Creech of Ward 2; Ron Eskew of Ward 3; and Brad Bader of Ward 4.

All are incumbents with the exception of Creech, who defeated former Ward 2 councilwoman Irmgard Chronister 129 votes to 95.

The council held a closed session Monday after its regular meeting to discuss real estate and personnel.