Could vote on health perks lead to Des Plaines mayoral veto?
Des Plaines aldermen Monday are expected to put into writing what has been the policy and practice of the city for at least three decades: health insurance benefits for themselves and other elected officials.
The council's vote could set the stage for a veto by Mayor Matt Bogusz, who unilaterally decided last month to discontinue the perks starting in 2017.
On Wednesday, Bogusz left open the door to a possible veto.
"I eliminated this personal perk for elected officials and will continue to use the tools available to me to keep it that way," he said.
It would mark Bogusz's second veto since his election in April 2013. Months after taking office, he vetoed changes the council approved to the city's so-called responsible bidder ordinance, and the council didn't have the required six votes to overturn his veto.
At the last council meeting Feb. 17, aldermen voted 5-2 to direct the city's staff to prepare an ordinance that formally lists the benefits within city code, since officials say they haven't been able to locate an ordinance that does so.
At a previous council debate, a crucial sixth vote, Alderman Patti Haugeberg, declared support for keeping the benefits.
In the council packet released Wednesday, the proposed ordinance calls for the section of city code dealing with salaries and compensation to include "additional compensation," allowing the mayor, aldermen and city clerk and their families to participate in city health, dental and life insurance programs.
Bogusz told aldermen Feb. 12 he was ending the benefits after the city's general counsel, Peter Friedman, provided a legal opinion saying the perks could be "discontinued administratively," in the absence of language certifying them within city code.
Some aldermen disagreed with that position, including Malcolm Chester, who said he believes the city's annual appropriation ordinance - which includes funding for the benefits - shows the council has voted to certify them for many years.
Nonetheless, the council is poised to consider an ordinance at the next meeting Monday that codifies the benefits.
The mayor and Aldermen Denise Rodd and Don Smith don't accept city-provided health and dental coverage. The six aldermen who support keeping the benefits, along with the city clerk, accept the coverage themselves.
They pay 12 percent of premium costs, while the city picks up the remainder. The benefits cost the city $92,692 last year.
Bogusz's decision to terminate the benefits was to have affected current and future elected officials at the end of their respective terms.
If aldermen adopt the ordinance Monday, the mayor could decide to return the vetoed ordinance at the following meeting March 21. The council could then decide to take a vote to override his veto as early as April 4.