Council advances first passage of ordinance to require spousal carve‑out; staff to poll employees

The Bedford Common Council on June 16 advanced ordinance 10‑2026 — an amendment to municipal employment policy 33.50 that would change a spousal carve‑out from discretionary language ('may') to mandatory language ('shall') — but agreed to gather more employee input before taking final action.

Denise, staff member responsible for benefits information, said the proposed change was tabled at a prior meeting and that her rough estimate is the policy could affect about 20 employees. Using April premium billing as a reference, she estimated the city’s premium savings at roughly $250,000–$290,000 if the carve‑out were implemented as drafted. Denise provided sample monthly premium numbers during the discussion: a total premium for an employee‑plus‑spouse plan of $2,677.50, of which she said the city currently pays about $2,133 and the employee about $543 before wellness credits.

Council members pressed for more precise counts and for an employee poll. The council confirmed the total number of full‑time eligible employees is 157 and asked staff to send a short poll to employees to determine who would be affected and whether employees would choose to keep spouses on the city plan if required to pay the difference. Denise said staff could create a simple opt‑in/checkbox poll and that contacting carriers directly would take longer.

A motion to pass ordinance 10‑2026 carried on the record (first passage). Councilors said they would return with poll results and additional data before the second and third passages; staff and the medical trust will discuss open enrollment timing later this summer.

Next step: staff will distribute the employee poll and present results at the next meeting before final action.