Page last updated: March 24, 2010 -- Eileen Gloster
The NORTH ADAMS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
Health Insurance Shocker
See a portion of our girevance presentation to the school committee
The Medical Insurance Trust (MIT) document Barrett released to the press.    The documents are placed on the same page so you can use the scroll bars on the sides to compare number in the two charts. But  Click here if you want to see this document on its own page.
Our document -- using the same numbers from the document the mayor released -- but just showing what happens when you add everything up.  OUR CALCULATIONS are in fonts of various colors.  The yellow highlights just point you to the employee portions of the chart. (All numbers are rounded to the nearest dollar to save room.) 
The documents are placed on the same page so you can use the scroll bars on the sides to compare number in the two charts. But Click here to see this chart on its own page.
Report Authorized by Mayor Alcombright Confirms Unions' Fears About Trust Fund:

Scanlon & Assoc. Report Shows City Underfunded the Health Insurance Trust Fund $1.1 Million in the Past 2 Years Alone

For more details, check out the links below:

See the accountant's official report

Read the article by iberkshires. 

Read Greg Roach's Blog full comments on the report He begins: "About a year and a half ago, the North Adams Teacher's Association became suspicious that the city was underpaying its share of the premiums for health insurance. Yesterday it was independently confirmed that their accusations were 100% true. The city did not pay its share, and in doing so, grossly underfunded the Health Insurance Trust Fund to the tune of $1.1 million over just the past two years. When other years, including the current one are examined, it is expected that the number will grow dramatically." Go to his blog for the full update.

See the Mass. Dept of Revenue letter sent to Wareham who were in the same pickle as North Adams

Or Read the state's  brief summary of the Wareham legal opinion 2009-943 here

Click here to see the Union's 2009 Presentation to the School Committee

Friday's Transcript article is misleading at best.  Employees don't owe a thing.  The report explains that the apparent $30,000/yr employee shortfall is actually a reconciliation error made by the CITY. No employee owes any money. The report clearly shows that this $1.1 million problem is a direct result of the city's failure to pay its fair share of the premiums.   

Openness about the health of the Trust Fund has been an important goal of union members from the start.  We are pleased to see that this administration is actively looking into the problem and is being open with its results.
We look forward to seeking a fair and workable resolution to this problem.