Water commission hero could lose benefits

When Rick Skiba began uncovering a series of accounting errors that caused the DuPage Water Commission to nearly bleed it's $69 million reserve fund dry, he didn't imagine the fallout from the discovery would lead to him losing his health insurance benefits.

But that's what could happen if proposed state legislation to dissolve the commission is approved. According to the Illinois Department of Insurance's Web site, Skiba's health care coverage would cease to exist if the commission does.

Skiba would be the only water commission retiree affected by the legislation proposed by state Sen. Dan Cronin and state Rep. Randy Ramey, both DuPage Republicans.

"One of the iterations of the bill had the phrase 'abolish the commission' and that's the one that caused me concern," Skiba said. "I spoke with someone from the state's department of insurance and they said if the commission were dissolved I'd lose my coverage."

Cronin's version of the legislation was approved by the Senate last week. The senator and Republican DuPage County Board chairman nominee said he was unaware of Skiba's plight, but would work with House officials on an amendment to help Skiba before it's voted on in that chamber.

"It was not my intent, nor do I believe it is the House sponsor's intent, to have this man adversely affected by this reform bill," Cronin said. "We appreciate his service and I apologize and will try to fix it as soon as possible."

Cronin said since he only recently discovered Skiba's problem, he was unsure of what the solution would be. However, he believes a simple language amendment would fix the issue and it won't affect the future of the bill. No date has been set for the House to vote on the bill.

The insurance department's Web site indicates benefits for retirees can be cut off when a taxing agency "terminates coverage for all employees." Skiba said he was told that applies to when such agencies are shuttered.

Skiba is hailed as the man who discovered the commission's reserve fund misspending. He retired from the commission in 2004 after 16 years as the agency's financial administrator. He was brought back in September when the now-former financial administrator Max Richter went on personal leave. A few days into the job, Skiba discovered accounting anomalies that revealed the commission was spending its reserves on operations and had about $40 million less in the bank than commissioners believed. Richter was fired, while General Manager Bob Martin and Treasurer Rod Thorn resigned in the wake of a forensic audit that pointed to ineptitude on Richter's part and mismanagement on Martin's.

Skiba pays $1,327 a month to keep the insurance coverage he had when he was employed at the water commission. He has kept that insurance since his retirement because his wife of 39 years Peggy, 58, has all of her medical care tied into their current insurer. She underwent a transplant operation several years ago and he planned to pay for the coverage until she could be covered by Medicare when she's 65.

"I haven't looked for other insurance coverage because up until this point, the plan had been working for us and it gives us everything we need," he said. "My own experience tells me it would be very unlikely that there would be anything available at this rate that we're paying now because of the pre-existing conditions."