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Gautier council signs off on insurance, health-plan renewals, infrastructure bids and a grant application
Summary
Council approved FY2026 property/casualty and liability insurance renewals, renewed a self-funded employee health plan (to be revisited in six months), authorized advertising for water/sewer replacement bids (Army Corps-funded) and approved submitting an MDOT transportation alternatives grant application for sidewalks.
At its Sept. 16 meeting the Gautier City Council approved multiple administrative items: commercial insurance renewals for FY2026, renewal of the city's self-funded employee health insurance plan, authorization to advertise for bids on a waterline replacement project funded through an Army Corps program, and authorization to apply to MDOT for a transportation alternatives set‑aside grant for sidewalks at Towne Commons Park.
Teresa Montgomery told the council the city had a favorable insurance year: property insurance decreased while liability increased (primarily driven by auto claims). "So we're actually gonna be under budget in this line item," she said. Councilman George noted the city likely switched carriers and that the inspection fee was a nonnegotiable element of the new carrier's process.
On the health plan, Montgomery said the city had several high-cost claims and was approaching stop-loss thresholds; she recommended revisiting the premiums in six months if claims continue to trend high. The council voted to renew the self-funded plan for FY2026.
Staff requested authorization to advertise for bids on the Water and Sewer Improvement Section 5.92 chemical building waterline replacement project; Miss Yancey said the project is paid for with "5.92 funds" and has been approved by the Army Corps of Engineers, so the council authorized going to bid.
Council also authorized staff to submit an MDOT Transportation Alternatives set-aside grant application for the Towne Commons Park sidewalk project, describing the request as complementary to prior grant efforts.
In consent-item discussion the council approved removing obsolete equipment from city inventory (including a 1999 fire engine) but asked staff to confirm secure wiping of hard drives on surplus computers before disposal.
