At the Plattekill Town Board’s February 6th meeting, the town’s insurance and liability policies, both set to renew in the next few months, were discussed at length.

Information provided by the town’s current insurance carrier, MVP, was used to assess how cost increases, plan changes and rider options would affect both the town employees and the taxpayers of Plattekill during the upcoming year. While the basic benefits provided by MVP were unchanged, employees who utilize the health insurance would see a cost increase. The maximum age of dependents covered under the town health insurance will be adjusted in 2019. Currently, dependents up to age 30 can receive health insurance though the MVP plan. Starting in April, the age cut-off for dependents will be 26, the minimum age mandated by law.

Councilman Dean DePew stressed that the board strives to give Plattekill town employees the best health insurance possible. However, the board must remain mindful of the cost to the people of Plattekill. Members of the board felt that the cost of the rider was underutilized by the town employees, therefore the extra cost to taxpayers could not be justified. A motion was carried to amend the maximum age of dependents starting April 1.

Liability insurance for the Town of Plattekill also saw a cost increase. Despite building renovations and the purchase of new cars and equipment over the last year, the town will only incur a $900 increase in the price of liability insurance. Services provided to Plattekill through the liability insurance carrier, including snow plow training and mandatory annual sexual harassment training for all town employees, helps to justify the increase in cost. Members of the town board also discussed the purchase of supplemental insurance that would protect against breeches in cybersecurity.

While the board acknowledged that the Town of Plattekill does possess sensitive information about its citizens, they are reluctant to commit to the increase in cost without additional information about the coverage. The issue was tabled till next year after more details of the cybersecurity policy could be obtained.

Master Plan Volunteers Still Needed
As planning for the Town of Plattekill Master plan continues, community volunteers are still needed. Supervisor Joseph Croce urged his fellow board members to continue looking for people who may be interested in providing input for the Master Plan. It is the town board’s intention to include as many Plattekill residents as possible. Residents who are interested in assisting with the town’s Master Plan should contact the Plattekill Town Hall for more information.

K-9 Demonstration February 20
The next Plattekill Town Board Meeting, scheduled for February 20th, will feature Cruz, the Plattekill Police Department’s new K-9 police dog. Cruz will demonstrate narcotics location techniques, and show how he interacts with his human partner. All community members are welcome to attend.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Plattekill Town Hall.