LETTER: Trinity health insurance move questioned

Trinity health insurance move questioned
As a resident and taxpayer of the Trinity Area School District and a retired employee, I was a bit alarmed to see a brief newspaper story indicating that the district would be changing its employee health care plan and essentially, self-insuring.
Several things about this million-dollar change cause me concern. First, there was no public discussion of the pros and cons of the change … just a vote. Employees in the audience requested that the board temporarily table the change to allow time for discussion/information to occur. The board did not agree and voted to enter into the new arrangement.
Secondly, to my knowledge, there are no local districts currently self-insuring. Several have tried it in the past and have abandoned it to return to a traditional plan. If this is such a good idea, why is no one else doing it? If there are other districts self-insuring, what has their experience been? Why did those that abandoned it change their mind on its effectiveness? Did some board members argue against the change, and what doubts influenced their hesitancy to embrace this sea change?
I’m assuming these discussions occurred behind closed doors. However, like most school boards, public meetings have become places to go watch people vote. Rarely is any discussion held on any policy in public, having all been worked out behind closed doors away from the eyes and ears of the public. I’m pretty sure that violates the spirit, if not the letter, of the law. I quit attending board meetings for just that reason.
In a decision this huge, with millions of taxpayer dollars hanging in the balance, any school board owes it residents transparency and full disclosure. Clearly that’s not what is happening here.
Tom Trettel
South Strabane Township