School board to pick up more than 10% hike in health insurance pricing – YourGV.com

Halifax County School Board decided to absorb a more than 10% increase to their employee health insurance when they met Monday evening.

The board had previously earmarked $500,000 for the insurance increase, but when Pierce Group Benefits consultant Gray Hooker’s approached the board on Monday, they found out they were $179,000 short.

The total cost for health insurance for 2022-23 will be $7,127,568, which is $679,944 above the cost for 2021-22 representing a 10.5% increase.

Board members then had to decide whether or not to absorb the additional $179,000 or pass the increase to the employees through an increase to their health insurance rates.

If they would have passed the health insurance increase on to employees, an employee who receives the employee only rate would have seen an increase of a little over $11 from $82 to $93.48.

The employee and child insurance rate would have increased from $436 to $497 and the employee and children rate would have increased from $615 to $701.

Interim superintendent Valdivia Hall also reminded board members that they did not see an increase in health insurance last year and they received help from a COVID-discount.

But, ED-6 trustee Lacey Shotwell said, “If we can find a way to do it, I think we should. It’s a real bad time to increase health insurance.”

She said the increase was bad timing with the board facing issues with compensation and working to rectify salary increases that left some staff with a half of a percent increase.

She then made a motion that they pay the health insurance increase, leaving health insurance rates as is for employees, which was seconded by ED-3 trustee Melissa Hicks.

ED-2 trustee Jay Camp called the decision to pay for the health insurance increase “tough” with them facing other budget needs like security.

Whereas, ED-5 trustee Freddie Edmunds told Hooker that he was giving them a “short notice.” But, Hooker explained that he was “restrained” by their carrier. He said the school board has one more year with Local Choice and then they could shop around.

Vice chairman Roy Keith Lloyd also reminded the board, prior to making their decision, that they are looking to receive level funding from Halifax County Board of Supervisors.

Shotwell added, “We’re in a really tough spot” with not having a director of finance.

Hicks then chimed in reminding the board that they had heard from paraprofessional Lori East during citizen comments who said some paraprofessionals do not even make minimum wage.

East also told the board that she had to borrow money to be able to put gas in her car to be able to attend the meeting.

“Did any of you have to borrow money to be able to be here tonight,” she asked the board.

Also during citizen comment, a bus driver asked them to reconsider pay for bus drivers.

Former Halifax County High School English teacher Devin Hall also called the recent salary adjustments a real “kick in the teeth” to educators. He said some educators received a $5 pay increase.

Other directors, principals and coordinators received pay increases in the thousands.

“People are mad. They’re frustrated, and we shouldn’t be afraid to speak out,” said Hall. He also asked the board to reconsider’s its leadership.

Later in the meeting, Hicks said, “We need to take better care of our people.”

Lloyd then asked if they were to cover the health insurance costs, what would they cut? No one responded.

When the board voted on Shotwell’s motion, it passed five to three with Lloyd, Camp and ED-7 trustee Keith Mcdowell voting in opposition.

As far as the salary adjustments, the board plans to hold a work session at 9 a.m. on March 21 to review and revise salaries as needed.