McHenry Co. (ECWd) –
We previously covered the insurance benefits being provided in Algonquin Township to past officials and dependents in this article.
As we explained in the prior article, Bob Miller, former Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner was having his health insurance benefits paid for by the Township and we sought additional records to pin down what was taking place.
It turns out the Township is using Township resources to pay Miller’s COBRA qualified insurance and having Miller provide the Township a payment to cover the amount….and then some?
Looking at some of the records available online, it appears the math is not adding up as it relates to the actual expenses related to Miller’s insurance coverage.
For example, April 2018 reimbursement from Miller totaled $1,553.19
Actual invoices for April 2018 to the Township are as follows.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield – $1404.29 (see page 7 of 56)
- VSP Vision Care – $12.76 (see page 4 of 56)
- Euclid Managers- Dental – $61.76 (see page 2 of 56)
- TOTAL – $1,478.65
- The difference of Reimbursement vs. actual expense – $74.38
We have been unable to identify why Miller’s payment exceeds the amount showing up on the records by $74.38. It may turn out the Township will be cutting more checks back to the Millers.
How many knew Life Insurance was not a COBRA qualified coverage for ex-employees? Apparently, the Township did not know either as they notified the Millers that such coverage is not offered under COBRA and they will be reimbursed $148.50 each. Considering the letters went out in January of 2018 it appears the improper coverage/payments were being made by the Township for eight moths. You can read the letters to Bob and Anna May Miller here and here.
This is yet another example as to why the employee should be making their payments directly to the providers, not to the public body. We believe the public body using public resources to manage the payments for ex-employees violates Article VIII section 1 of our State constitution which clearly states: Public Funds, property, and Credit shall be used only for Public purpose. There is no public purpose for the Township to be managing the insurance coverage for the Miller’s or any other former employee.
Also exposed in our past article were dependents of elected officials getting health insurance coverage at the taxpayer’s expense.
According to the records, the Township Assessor Richard Alexander has two dependents receiving health insurance at the expense of the taxpayers. There is nothing in the compensation setting resolution that permits elected officials to simply place family members on their policy and have the taxpayers pick up the expense, yet that is what is happening, based on the records provided to date.
The Township had no record of reimbursement for his dependent coverage which appears to cost the taxpayers $527.70 every month which equates to $6,332.40 a year. Not a bad benifit never authorized as required by law.
Of all the units of local government we have looked into, all indications are Algonquin Township is the most disfunctional and out of control unit of government we have ever come across.
To date, not a single board member has been willing to provide any answers to the questions raised.
Stay tuned for another major exposure tied to Algonquin Township and their legal counsel James Kelly.
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