BERNE — According to Supervisor Kevin Crosier, Berne has few tricks left to fight the rising cost of health insurance.
"We’re running out of rabbits to pull out of our hat," he told the town board at its monthly meeting last Wednesday.

But, for the next year at least, Berne seems to have reached down and found a rabbit. While other towns are seeing percentage increases in the double digits, Crosier said, Berne will not have to increase the health-care line in next year’s budget at all.

At the meeting, the town board voted unanimously to switch its employees to a health-care plan with lower premiums. The town will put the savings into health-care reimbursement accounts, maintained by Blue Cross, the insurance provider, which employees can use to help pay for deductibles on their health care.

So, the new plan carries higher deductibles, but the town will pick up the cost: up to $2,200 for an employee with a family plan, and up to $1,100 for an employee who is single.

Employees will be issued debit cards they can use to access their accounts. Crosier told The Enterprise the employees will have to submit their receipts so the town can make sure the money is spent only on health care.
"You go into CVS and you buy your Nexium for your stomach and you buy a Coke and a candy bar," Crosier said. "You can’t swipe your card for a Coke and a candy bar."

Under the old plan, Crosier said, the health care for an employee with a family costs $913.16 per month. Now, it will cost $726.73 per month. The town will save even more if the employees do not drain their accounts.
"We’re kind of banking on the fact that these employees are pretty healthy people," Crosier said.

Even though the town has to pay deductibles, Crosier said, it will spend less money than if it had to pay higher premiums.

As health care costs across the country continue to increase exponentially, Crosier anticipates other towns’ switching to a plan like Berne’s.
"No municipality, that I know of, in the county does such a thing," he told The Enterprise. "I think you’re going to see a lot more of this coming out."

Crosier said he submitted the plan to the Operating Engineers Union, of which most of the town employees are members, and has received no objections.

Other business

In other business at the Aug. 10 meeting, the Berne Town Board:

—Announced that the company constructing the new transfer station estimates it will complete work by Sept. 30.
"They’re pretty ambitious," Crosier said;

—Announced that the town’s tennis courts have been resurfaced.
"We still have the basketball courts to do, which will be next year’s project," Crosier said;

—Considered adopting a local law that would allow people who add an apartment for parents or in-laws to their house an exemption on their property taxes.

Councilman James Hamilton researched the exemption with the state and Albany County.
"There are only 43 exemptions in the state, so far," Hamilton said. "I don’t believe anybody in Albany County has it."

Building and Zoning Administrator Peter Schaming said he would look into whether the exemption would be allowed under the town’s zoning ordinance; and

—Discussed, at Hamilton’s request, appointing a town ethics committee. The first duty of the committee would be to update the code of ethics in the employee handbook, Hamilton said.

He suggested Guilderland’s code as a starting point.
"They have a very good code. It’s very extensive," Hamilton said.

Some at the meeting said an ethics committee was unnecessary.
"I’ve been here 25 years. There has not been one ethics problem in 25 years," said town clerk Patricia Favreau. "So, why do we need one""

Crosier said the town board should first look at Guilderland’s ethics code before deciding if any changes were needed to Berne’s.