To: Board of Supervisors
From: Human Resources
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Willow Creek Fire Safe Council to Add them as an Additional Named Covered Party (ANCP) to the County’s Primary Compensation Program (PWC) and Excess Workers Compensation Program (EWC)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve, and authorize the Chair of the Board to sign the attached MOU (Attachment A) with the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council regarding adding them as an additional named covered party to the county’s PWC and EWC programs in the amount of $200 per volunteer per fiscal year for the period of a minimum of 3 years; and
2. Approve the attached Resolution (Attachment B) for adding Willow Creek Fire Safe Council to the county’s PWC and EWC policies as an ANCP; and
3. Allow the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council to withdraw from the ANCP program at the end of a fiscal year with a 12-month notice unless the Board of Supervisors authorizes an earlier withdrawal date; and
4. Adopt the current $200 per fiscal year rate per volunteer for Willow Creek for FY 2025-2026; and
5. Approve and sign the attached Office of Self-Insured Plans (OSIP) application (Attachment C) and return executed copy to Risk Management for processing; and
6. Authorize the Risk Manager to send out notice to the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council that it is eligible to participate in the county’s PWC and EWC policies; and
7. Authorize the Human Resources Director to execute any and all subsequent amendments to the attached MOU with Willow Creek Fire Safe Council, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office; and
8. Direct the Clerk of the Board to return one fully executed original copy of the attached Memorandum of Understating with Willow Creek Fire Safe Council to the Risk Management Division for further processing.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Safe & Healthy Communities
Strategic Plan Category: 1001 -Support and sustain partnerships between public safety and partner agencies to enhance public safety in our communities
DISCUSSION:
Local fire districts and councils have sustained significant increases in their workers’ compensation insurance coverage. The county continues to be able to offer a less expensive insurance option to local fire councils, fire districts, and fire departments through the county’s Public Risk Innovation, Solutions, and Management (PRISM) insurance plan. Currently the County of Humboldt is partnered with eight different fire departments, nine fire districts and one JPA (Joint Power Authority).
Staff have continued to follow previous Board direction from the Aug. 2, 2005, agenda item F-2, to add fire districts, departments and JPA’s to the county’s insurance plan, and recently staff, after working with the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council, have determined it is possible to add the fire safe council to the county’s insurance policy. To provide coverage, the Board of Supervisors must agree to add Willow Creek Fire Safe Council to the county’s primary and excess workers’ compensation policies. In this arrangement, each entity is considered a separate public entity. Staff recommends that the Board authorize Willow Creek Fire Safe Council be added to the county’s insurance policies as an additionally named covered party (ANCP) upon the adoption of the attached resolution and execution of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Rate Determination
Based upon previous Board direction staff is recommending that the county continue to charge $200 per volunteer to the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council, when a district has no workers’ compensation claims and minimal salary. Staff is currently working with the county’s insurance carrier (PRISM) to determine if this rate should be adjusted. The number of volunteers or employees are determined on July 1 of each year. The Risk Management Division invoices each district on or around July 1 with a due date of Aug. 1 each year.
To participate in the county’s workers compensation programs, the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council will be required to provide training to their volunteers and employees through an approved safety program. The Willow Creek Fire Safe Council will also need to adopt an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) if it has not already done so.
The attached MOU and resolution will need to be approved and executed by both parties to add Willow Creek Fire Safe Council to the county plan.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Operating revenue & Contributions - Non-County Agencies (3523353-682130) Willow Creek Fire Safe Council will be charged for its participation in the workers’ compensation plan with the county
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (3523353-2110) |
FY24-25 |
FY25-26 Projected* |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$0 |
$200 |
$200 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$0 |
$200 |
$200 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
|
Funding Sources (3523353-682130)FY24-25FY25-26 Projected*FY26-27 Projected* |
|
|
|
|
General Fund |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal Funds |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$0 |
$200 |
$200 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Funding Sources |
$0 |
$200 |
$200 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
Willow Creek Fire Safe Council will be charged based upon the number of staff per FY payroll. Currently this charge is $200 per staff member.
STAFFING IMPACT
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
There is a cost for the Risk Management Division’s time and resources expended to obtain information from the fire districts and work with the county’s insurer to obtain necessary quotes for adding the fire districts. The fire districts pay costs associated with their coverage for being added to the county’s workers’ compensation programs to the Workers Compensation Fund (3523353)
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
PRISM, Board of Supervisors and Humboldt County Fire Chiefs Association
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The Board can elect not to add the fire council to the insurance policies.
2. The Board could elect to modify the requirements and terms for a fire district or council to participate in the county’s insurance programs.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Attachment A - Memorandum of Understanding
2. Attachment B - Resolution
3. Attachment C - OSIP Application
4. Attachment D - BOS Item F-2
5. Attachment E - BOS Item C-12
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: F-2, C-12
Meeting of: August 2, 2005; June 5, 2007; December 6, 2011
File No.: F-2, 07-42, 07-43, C-12