Atherton council unanimously approves joining Plan JPA for workers'compensation

The Atherton Town Council voted unanimously Nov. 5 to approve a resolution consenting to join the pooled liability assurance network known as Plan JPA as the town's workers'compensation provider.

City Manager (name not specified) told the council the town needs a new workers'compensation provider after the council approved dissolving the town's membership in Citi's JPA at its Oct. 15 meeting. The manager said staff reviewed available options, noting that California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA) had been costly in prior reviews and that Bay Cities JPA would require a higher buy'in and greater self'insured retention than Plan JPA.

"Staff recommending we go with plan JPA for our workers' compensation insurance pool liability," the City Manager said during the meeting.

The manager told the council Plan JPA would allow the town to sit on the JPA board in the same way the town currently participates with its general liability arrangement. A council member praised the staff analysis, saying a cost chart in the packet showed Plan JPA to be substantially less expensive than Bay Cities.

A council member moved to approve the resolution; the vice mayor seconded. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote with no recorded opposition or abstentions.

The resolution was described in the meeting packet as consenting to join the Plan JPA workers' compensation program. The council did not read the full text aloud at the meeting; the packet contains the resolution and accompanying staff report.