Webster Parish police jurors found themselves on the receiving end of an early Christmas gift Thursday when quotes for the public body’s worker compensation insurance were announced.
For 2015, the jury will pay a premium of $121,838, about $13,600 less than last year’s premium, Secretary/Treasurer Ronda Carnahan told members during a special meeting called to approve end of year budget amendments.
In 2014, the police jury paid a $135,485 worker’s compensation premium, Carnahan said. Renewal price for 2015 from last year’s carrier was significantly higher than that figure, she added.
“If the dollars are pretty close from the previous year, we usually don’t go through all the study and bidding,” Carnahan said. “But this time, there was a significant difference and when we can save that much, we need to do it.”
Carnahan said the LWCC (Louisiana Worker’s Compensation Corporation) quote was lowest of three received. Stonetrust Insurance, the previous carrier of the jury’s worker’s compensation policy, submitted a quote of $182,005; CCMSI (Cannon Cochran Management Services Inc.) entered a $132,556 quote.
Quotes on worker’s compensation are determined by payroll, Carnahan explained.
“It’s contingent on an audit based on payroll from the past year,” she said. “There are different classifications such as road construction workers, clerical and others. Road workers are the highest rated employees with about $10.07 per $100.”
Those workers make up just over $106,000 of the total premium, Carnahan said.
Also at Thursday’s special called meeting, jury members:
Approved requests for reimbursement for materials from Springhill ($16,000), Doyline ($2,500) and Sibley ($2,500);
Approved $2,500 to purchase warning sirens for the town of Sarepta;
Agreed to pay engineering fees on the Port O’ Bistineau project from recreational funding;
Approved $400 for the Council on Aging to purchase a fax machine and supplies.