Des Plaines aldermen vote to keep health coverage, release leak probe
Des Plaines aldermen turned down Mayor Matt Bogusz's call Monday to decrease insurance benefits for city council members, but they approved releasing the results of an internal investigation into who leaked documents to the Daily Herald.
Both issues have come to the forefront of the local election in two weeks - and aldermen took up the measures in separate votes on Monday, the first day of early voting.
Aldermen voted 6-2 against Bogusz's resolution recommending city council members choose a health insurance plan with a higher deductible. Two city unions recently agreed to cut the lowest-deductible plan, and nonunion employees will also have a reduced health insurance plan starting in 2018.
Dissenting aldermen decried Bogusz's resolution as politically motivated and unnecessary, because they had agreed previously to change plans. Bogusz has tried to remove health insurance for city council members the past two years, and the resolution recounted efforts aldermen have taken to keep the perk.
Fifth Ward Alderman Jim Brookman objected to statements in the resolution and Bogusz's characterization of city council members who accept insurance benefits. On the campaign trail, the mayor has argued the health insurance perk attracts the wrong type of people to public office.
"That insults all of us sitting up here tonight, and it insults all of the candidates running for public office," Brookman said.
Elected officials contribute 12 percent of premium costs, and the city pays the remainder. The health plan costs taxpayers about $90,000 annually.
Bogusz said he was disappointed and stood by his argument that removing health insurance will improve the city council.
"The self-interest is pretty rampant," Bogusz said. "You've got to change the incentives."
Aldermen Brookman, Patti Haugeberg, John Robinson, Dick Sayad, Malcolm Chester and Mike Charewicz voted against the resolution. Aldermen Denise Rodd and Don Smith, who don't accept insurance, supported it.
Earlier in the meeting, aldermen voted unanimously to release results of a $30,000 investigation by Chicago firm Hillard Heintze. The city hired the firm to investigate who leaked documents marked as confidential to the Daily Herald.
Aldermen later attempted to spend an additional $10,000 for polygraph testing at the request of Hillard Heintze. Bogusz vetoed the spending, upsetting political foes on the city council.
Results of the investigation will be released through public records requests and were not available Monday night.