Village of Niles General Government / IT Committee Met March 9.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
The General Government / IT Committee meeting was held virtually. The meeting was called to order at 9:05 a.m. by Chairman Niedermaier.
Members Present:
Chairman Craig Niedermaier
Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos
IT Director Bill Shaw
Resident Jeff David
Staff Present:
Marlene Victorine, Village Clerk
Kathy Thake, Assistant to the Village Manager
Joana Ardelean, Sr. HR Manager
John Melaniphy, Economic Development Director
Kent Oliven, Finance Director
Katy Darr, HR Generalist
Katie Schneider, Community Engagement Coordinator
Margaret Keating
Approval of Minutes
IT Director Bill Shaw made a motion, seconded by Resident Jeff David, to approve the minutes of the February 9, 2021, Meeting; on voice vote all concurred.
New Business
a. Update on Union Negotiations presented by Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean
Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean provided an update on Union Contract Negotiations. Senior HR Manager Ardelean advised the Fire Union is moving forward and in the process of being scheduled for the first week in April for 1000 Civic Center Drive Niles, IL 60714 Phone (847) 588-8000 Fax (847) 588-8051 WWW.VNILES.COM
negotiations, and expects the remaining Union Negotiations to be scheduled shortly, as contracts expire on April 30.
b. Motion to Recommend Approval of a Contractual Agreement with RxBenefit presented by Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean
Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean and Finance Director, Kent Oliven, provided an overview of updates with the Village’s Health Insurance. The Village will see only a 0.5% increase in anticipated healthcare costs, which will be offset by anticipated savings in pharmacy benefits. The plan year will only be for eight months, from May 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, so that the plan year will coincide with the claim year going forward. There will be no premium increase for employees in the PPO and a slight decline for those in the HMO. Dental, life, and AD&D costs will remain the same. The Village pharmacy benefits are in consideration to be transitioned to RxBenefits, a new company that both the Village and the employees will interact with instead of Express Scripts – even though the underlying program will still be with Express Scripts. The change to RxBenefits will result in cost savings for the Village. Employees who wish to stay with their original plan, may be “grandfathered” in to the former pharmacy benefit program. IT Director, Bill Shaw, made a motion to bring to the Village Board for approval, seconded by Resident Jeff David. On voice vote, all concurred.
YEAS 4 Niedermaier, Skeffington-Vos, Shaw, David
NAYS 0
ABSENT 0
ABSTAIN 0
There being 4 affirmative votes, the MOTION CARRIED.
c. Discussion of the expiration of the FFCRA benefit on March 31st, 2021 presented by Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean
Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean and Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos led a discussion on Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) required certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The Village Board of Trustees approved an extension of the pandemic pay through March 31, 2021 at the January 2021 Board meeting. Since the extension, five employees have needed to use the benefit, and has come in significantly under expected costs. Many Village employees are on track to receive their COVID-19 vaccination. The Committee discussed advantages and repercussions to extending the benefit. As the extension is about to expire, the committee recommends consideration of the option to extend the benefit on a month to month basis, as some neighboring municipalities are. Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos made a motion to recommend to the Village Board to extend the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to April 30, 2021, seconded by It Director Bill Shaw. On voice vote, all concurred.
YEAS 4 Niedermaier, Skeffington-Vos, Shaw, David
NAYS 0
ABSENT 0
ABSTAIN 0
There being 4 affirmative votes, the MOTION CARRIED.
d. Munis Utility Billing System presented by IT Director Bill Shaw
IT Director Bill Shaw provided an update on the transition from the Village’s legacy system to Munis. Munis has accepted the Village’s data to convert and update into the new system, and following one more update next week, the Village should shortly be live with the new Munis system. Online bill pay will be available starting day one, as well as, registering for EFT. The first bills and checks are expected to be cut on March 15, and our vendors have been notified. This is a monumental change to the Village systems, and it going very well. Finance Director Kent Oliven, shared the experience of the Finance Department with the transition to the new system in partnership with IT.
e. Eligo Energy Green Partnership Presentation by guest John Loumbardias and Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos
Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos introduced John Loumbardias and Alexander Rozenblat of Eligo Energy who presented a Green Energy Partnership Proposal. The Village’s contract with Eligo Energy is set to expire in September of 2021. If the Village chose to enter in to a new contract with Eligo with the Green 2.0 Aggregation Partnership, Eligo can secure 100% green energy and EPA-certified community (EPA Green Power Partner), a civic grant, and a guarantee to never pay more than we already pay ComEd. Eligo signed up 25+ towns on such programs in 2020. With this partnership, the Village would increase demand and development for Green Energy.
Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos advised the committee that no decision is currently required at this time, and the Committee would be hearing further presentations from other Energy providers at upcoming General Government / IT Committee meetings.
Comments from the Public
Katy Darr, HR Generalist, advised her last day with the Village is Friday, and thanks Craig and Jeff for their service on the committee and advised it was a pleasure working with them both on this committee and for the Village.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn was made by Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos, seconded by Resident Jeff David; all concurred and the meeting adjourned at 10:08 a.m.
https://www.vniles.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03092021-2077
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