Teachers and community sharply challenge wellness incentive and insurance increases at Hammond school-board meeting

The School City of Hammond board heard heated public opposition on Nov. 19 to a proposed wellness-incentive program and related health-insurance premium increases, with teachers, custodians and union representatives saying the changes were not negotiated and will impose significant financial strain.

At a public-comment session before the board discussed the item, Rena Horgan said the Hammond Teachers Federation (HTF) was excluded from planning and that the nine proposed insurance modifications “were imposed without our input.” Custodian Larry Hardy told trustees the family-plan premium increase would amount to “over $10,000 a year” for some employees and calculated the proposed higher costs would take as much as 24% of a support staff member’s paycheck. Michelle Avakian, who identified herself as a…