Votes at a glance: Lenoir City Council approves new health plan, paving contract, sanitation fee increase and retiree COLA; zoning and annexation advance

Lenoir City Council on multiple votes approved a package of operational and budget-related items, including a change in health insurance vendor, a paving contract, a sanitation fee increase for city customers, and a resolution to provide cost-of-living adjustments to employees in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS). The council also moved forward with a zoning change and an annexation request that drew discussion on traffic and state jurisdiction.

Health insurance: The council voted to accept a purchasing committee recommendation to move the city’s group health coverage to Cigna’s level-funded platform rather than renew with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Chris Waller, presenting the purchasing committee’s analysis, said Cigna offered a level-funded plan with a fixed city cost and a claims-funding layer of $1,100,000; the municipality would share 50% of any claims savings below that threshold. Waller said Cigna offered a $25,000 premium credit on the first bill and a $25,000 claims-funding guarantee, totaling $50,000 in one-time credits. He told council the net effect would reduce the…