West Burlington council approves switch to EMC insurance, renews employee wellness program and confirms clerk appointments

The West Burlington City Council voted to move the city'9s property and casualty insurance to EMC'9s Iowa municipal pool ("EMC1") at the recommended premium of $150,814 and approved a renewed employee wellness program for 2026 at $4,925.

The council'9s decision followed a presentation by insurance agent Cody Vanfleet of World Insurance, who compared the city'9s current Provident MUN Plus renewal with an EMC pool offer. "EMC's quote is financially cheaper," Vanfleet said, describing EMC'9s dividend program and noting that the EMC option includes cyber coverage that the Provident quote did not. Vanfleet also discussed deductible structures (EMC'9s approach versus Provident's split coverages) and the cost to add fireworks coverage for the Fourth of July, saying a one‑day special policy would cost roughly the difference between carriers or about $300 depending on contract specifics.

Councilors asked staff several implementation questions during the exchange, including how EMC pools losses across participating municipal members and whether a severe negligent incident could lead to nonrenewal. Vanfleet answered that carriers can nonrenew any city if loss ratios are too high and that EMC and similar municipal pools have returned dividends in most years.

In other votes, the council approved a renewal of the employee wellness program after hearing from the program lead, Terry, who reported increased participation in 2025 ("we went from 13 people up to 17") and described the 2026 focus on glucose management and continued police fitness testing. The program'9s proposed cost for 2026 is $4,925, an increase of $520 from the prior year; the council approved the renewal by voice vote.

The meeting also included several personnel and administrative actions: council adopted a resolution appointing Kelly as city clerk (installation to occur later) and appointed Katie Wilford as deputy city clerk. The council designated the Burlington Beacon and the Hawkeye as the city'9s official newspapers and set a public hearing date for the January 2026 urban renewal plan amendment, which staff described as a preliminary list of potential capital projects and workforce housing work that must appear in the plan before a TIFF agreement can be finalized.

Council debated—but did not finalize—an ordinance to create a no‑parking zone at the end of Spring Street intended to improve snow‑plow turnaround. A motion to waive the second and final readings was defeated after members said they wanted affected residents to be consulted; staff volunteered to speak with the neighborhood and return with a final reading in January.

Votes at a glance - Insurance renewal: Motion to adopt EMC option one (EMC1) at $150,814 — outcome: approved (voice vote; motion carries). Presented by Cody Vanfleet, World Insurance. - Employee wellness program: Motion to renew 2026 wellness program at $4,925 — outcome: approved (voice vote). Program lead: Terry. - No‑parking ordinance at end of Spring Street (waive readings): Motion to waive second and final readings — outcome: defeated; council directed staff to solicit resident input and bring final reading in January. - Police union side letters (working hours/PTO and vacation/wage scale): Motions to approve side letters — outcome: approved. - Appointments: City clerk (Kelly) and deputy city clerk (Katie Wilford) — outcome: approved. - Official newspaper: Burlington Beacon and the Hawkeye designated — outcome: approved. - Urban renewal amendment: Motion to set public hearing date — outcome: approved.

What the council said and next steps Cody Vanfleet told the council the EMC option offered lower pricing and a potential dividend for good pooled performance; he also recommended evaluating supplemental cyber coverage if the council stayed with Provident. The council asked staff to finalize contract language for fireworks and to provide the underlying replacement‑value estimates for insured buildings (the Provident quote referenced roughly $4 million in covered property). Staff will circulate those figures and a detailed cost breakdown after the meeting.

On the Spring Street parking proposal, councilors agreed to give residents time to comment before final adoption. The urban renewal amendment will move forward with a staff‑led public hearing; any TIFF agreements or project approvals would come at later council actions.

The council adjourned after routine final items and scheduling.