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Lawrenceburg council votes 3–2 to end post‑office health insurance for elected officials
Summary
After a lengthy debate about a 2007 resolution and city practice, the Lawrenceburg City Council voted 3–2 on April 6 to eliminate health insurance coverage for elected officials once they leave office; the clerk‑treasurer will review historical documents for record‑keeping.
The Lawrenceburg City Council voted 3–2 on April 6 to end health insurance coverage for elected officials after they leave office, a measure a council member described as closing an out‑of‑date benefit.
Councilmember (speaker 8), who moved the measure, said during debate: "I don't think elected officials should have health insurance after they're voted out of office." The motion was seconded by the mayor (speaker 2) and carried after a roll call vote of 3 in favor and 2 opposed.
City Attorney (speaker 9) told the council the matter required a direct vote if members wanted to change current policy, and explained that prior records showed an irregular process in the early documents that engendered the controversy. The attorney summarized his review of older material and said the action taken decades earlier left ambiguous documentation about who was eligible for post‑office benefits.
Clerk‑Treasurer (speaker 3) said he wanted staff time to verify whether specific resolutions or ordinances existed in the records before the vote and asked for the council to confirm the administrative record. The motion to remove post‑office coverage nonetheless proceeded after discussion about the intent of resolutions from 2007 and earlier.
Roll call on the motion recorded the following: Tony Abbott — Aye; Dillon Little — Aye; Tom Burlet — Aye; Lenny Bridal — Nay; Brett Bondurant — Nay. The motion passed, 3–2.
Public commenters reacted during public comment. Resident Mike Lawrence praised the action, saying the council had "saved the citizens of Lawrenceburg millions and millions of dollars over time." A separate speaker noted concerns about political motivations but council discussion focused on policy and documentary records. The clerk‑treasurer said he would search for and present any relevant resolutions or ordinances that bear on implementation and effective dates.
The council vote removes the paragraph in the city health‑plan language that had allowed elected‑official coverage to continue after leaving office; other retirement‑related benefits were not changed in the motion. Council members who opposed the change said they wanted clearer documentation and more complete records before making a permanent policy change; supporters said the change corrects a long‑standing practice that was not correctly authorized.
Next steps: the clerk‑treasurer will look for and report on the historical resolutions and plan documents referenced in the discussion; no additional implementation date was announced during the meeting.
