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Frisco Town Council should eliminate its health benefits

Sandy Coulter - Silverthorne

I would like to address some of the comments and assumptions made by some Frisco Town Council members regarding Frisco employee benefits.

Bernie Zurbriggen contends that without the free health benefits, only retired or wealthy people will serve on the council.

You need only to look at the people serving on each of the neighboring town councils (none of whom receive health benefits) to see that this is a skewed assumption on Zurbriggen’s part.



Four Frisco councilmembers – a majority – voted to maintain benefits in spite of the fact they are not permitted to enjoy compensation improvements until after they are re-elected.

The council’s health insurance coverage costs the town about $102,000 a year. The council members are the only part-time employees the council deems worthy to receive these benefits.



Just months after reducing the health benefits for full-time employees, the council is now saying more benefits need to be cut.

Mr. Zurbriggen, the great majority of town employees also are “not wealthy.”

Not only does a mediocre benefit plan make it difficult to keep good employees, it also makes it close to impossible to attract quality replacements.

Responding to Councilmember David Amli’s remark: Other governments do not “grossly overspend” on benefits for their employees. They are simply addressing the reality of their workers trying to survive the high cost of mountain resort living.

Frisco’s hourly employees’ pay and benefits are below the average of local government employees, according to a recent survey done by the town.

Instead of short-changing the full-time employees, many of whom put their lives and well-being on the line daily, the council should eliminate its health benefits package.

Sandy Coulter

Silverthorne


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