The Committee reviewed the PVPA Health/HRA Cost Analysis.  The initial rate increase quoted to PVPA was 16.71%.  In an attempt to keep the rates as low as possible we asked for additional options to the current plan design.  Any changes in plan design need to be negotiated with the PVPA Union per our collectively bargained agreement.  By increasing the deductibles and the HRA benefit to employees the rate increase would be only 5.67% with no additional out of pocket expenses to employees.  All other options reduced the coverage area and increased co-pays having a bigger effect on employees.  The increased risk to PVPA for the HRA expense is less than the total would have been for the 16.71% rate increase.

 Negotiations with BCBS are on-going with the hope of decreasing the 5.67%.  A memorandum of agreement has been signed by management and the Union.  The FY23 budget currently reflects the 5.67% increase.

The FY23 budget presentation was reviewed.  The budget is level funded with adjustments made where known changes will occur and items such as revenue and capital that have been previously voted by the Finance Committee.   In the presentation there are highlighted footnotes with explanations for the adjustments.  

Salaries were discussed at length as the numbers seem to vary a great deal between years.  FY22 has been a difficult year for hiring; several positions were not filled, some were left vacant for some time and some newly hired employees replaced more veteran employees with higher salaries.  This all made the projected end of year numbers lower than the FY22 budget.  The flip side is that the FY23 budget appears to be significantly more than the FY22 projected numbers as all positions are fully funded with current employees, new positions, positions that are no longer grant funded and the restoration of the mentor stipends.  A comparison of the FY22 vs FY23 budgets show totals that are more in line with past history.  FY22 has been an anomaly in terms of comparing salaries due to changing demographics.

There is the potential need to have a June meeting of the Finance Committee.  A possible date and time to be June 9th at 5:00pm.  Items to consider at this meeting include possible staff bonuses and a request for an increase in appropriated capital expenditure.  

The sealed bid on the CC TV System Upgrade was opened on May 4, 2022.  All of the bids came in higher than the $80,000 that was appropriated in the FY22 budget.  In order to move this project forward and award the bid, an additional $57,047 would need to be appropriated.

All capital projects have been on hold for various reasons including the COVID school closure and the uncertainty of our needs and funding.  Bids are coming in higher than when the original plans were developed also due to COVID and supply chains.   Moving these projects forward is an important step in keeping our facility up to date and making needed upgrades in security and functionality.