Friendswood City Council on Monday voted unanimously to create the City of Friendswood Employee Benefit Trust.
“The adoption of the single nonprofit trust will remove the approximate 1.75 percent of state tax embedded in the premiums of Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, and Long Term Disability insurance,” Director of Administrative Services Cindy Edge said. “This creates a financial savings for the city and its’ employees by reducing premiums. We estimate the creation of the trust will save the city about $25,000 to $30,000 annually at current premium rates.”
The funds for insurance premiums were transferred from the city to the trust. The city council then met as the employee benefit trust and approved receipt of the transfer of funds on a monthly basis.
The city council voted unanimously to appoint J.J. Stanford to the West Ranch Management District Board. Stanford will serve an unexpired term left by the resignation of Michael Snyder, which ends June 2013.
The city council voted unanimously to appoint Sara Eakin to the Keep Friendswood Beautiful Committee. Eakin will fill the unexpired term of Gail Rodgers, which ends November 2013.
The city council voted 5-2, with Deirdre Carey Brown and Patrick McGinnis opposed, to approve the use of parkland dedication funds as directed by the city council.
The city council voted 5-2, with Mayor Kevin Holland and Jim Hill opposed, to approve improvements at Lake Friendswood.
The city council voted 6-1, with Brown opposed, to approve items on the city council’s consent agenda. Items on the consent agenda included:
- Authorization of a contract with the Texas Department of Public Safety for the Failure to Appear Program in municipal court
- Approval of a $5,000 contract with the Galveston County Economic Alliance for regional economic development services
- Approval of a new license agreement for buyout property located at 509 Clearview
- Approval of a banner permit application for Friendswood Independent School District
- Acceptance of the July 2012 property tax report
- Approval of the minutes of the July 2 city council meeting
All other items were approved by unanimous vote. All members were present. Agenda