Delhi Township approves employee wellness program and 11 health-benefit agreements

Delhi Township trustees voted unanimously Aug. 27 to adopt a townshipwide wellness program and to authorize a series of contracts and insurance arrangements covering employee benefits for the coming plan year. The board approved 11 resolutions and an additional motion covering medical plan administration, stop-loss insurance, dental, vision, life, identity-theft protection, pet insurance, flexible spending administration, an orthopedic center-of-excellence agreement and enrollment and consulting services.

The wellness program approved covers August 2025 through July 2026 for employee engagement and links to the township’s health insurance plan year (described in the meeting as “October 26 through September 2027”). Under the program the board approved a 1% reduction in employee premium contributions for employees (and covered spouses) who complete an annual physical and biometric screening, and a separate 1% reduction for successful participation in program activities.

Township HR Director Melanie Hermes described the near-site clinic arrangement with Marathon Health as part of the package and called it “a great addition to our plan.” The board also authorized an administrative services agreement with Buying Benefits Inc.; excess-loss (stop-loss) insurance with ISU, a division of Companion Life Insurance Company; group dental and vision through Delta Dental and VSP; group life insurance through Standard Insurance Company; identity and legal protection through LegalShield; voluntary pet insurance through Independence American Insurance Company (doing business as Pet Partners); flexible spending account services through iSolved; enrollment/benefits consulting through Enrollment Management Services; and a direct orthopedic agreement with The Christ Hospital.

Trustees moved to dispense with second readings and then voted on each resolution. For each recorded roll call in the meeting, Trustee Davis and Trustee Seavey voted yes; the clerk recorded each resolution as passing. Trustees and staff said the flexible spending account would take effect Jan. 1 (passed now to allow three initial free months), and the Christ Hospital agreement was described as a bundled approach intended to provide pricing and coordinated care for orthopedic procedures common to physically demanding township jobs.

Discussion was brief for most items; HR and administration staff presented the package and answered procedural questions. Melanie Hermes and staff noted the identity-theft, pet-insurance and vision options are employee-optional coverages paid by participating employees, while core coverages (medical administration, stop-loss, dental, life) were authorized as township-provided benefits.

The board’s actions were procedural approvals to execute vendor contracts and implement the wellness incentives; no additional appropriations or tax changes were presented at the meeting.

Implementation steps mentioned: the township administrator was authorized to execute documents for each contract, and the board dispensed with second readings before each roll-call vote. Several resolutions carry multi‑year or guaranteed-rate provisions (for example, the vision agreement was described as having a four‑year rate guarantee). The flexible spending account start date and the FSA vendor promotion (three free months) were cited as reasons for passing that resolution at this meeting.

What remains unspecified in the meeting record: the total dollar cost to the township for each contract, the total change in township budget for benefits year-to-year, and whether any collective-bargaining or employee-consent steps remain before changes take effect. Those details were not provided in the meeting discussion.

The board adopted the full package by unanimous vote at the Aug. 27 meeting; trustees directed staff to finalize and execute documents as authorized.