TRAVERSE CITY -- Garfield Township board members butted heads less than a week into their new jobs.
Township officials met Nov. 21, their first gathering since being voted into office Nov. 4. The meeting featured a discussion on how to cut the township budget, and included a heated discussion about trustees' health insurance benefits.
The township's four elected trustees, who attend two meetings a month, can receive full family health care worth more than $1,300 a month.
Most area townships provide health insurance for the supervisor, treasurer and clerk if those jobs are considered full time. Some townships allow trustees to purchase insurance, but a survey of area townships indicates Garfield stands alone in providing health insurance free to trustees.
"I don't know how can you justify $1,300 a month for four hours of work," said Garfield Clerk Kay Schumacher.
Schumacher is the lone hold-over from the previous board, and in past years had no success in efforts to eliminate the benefit for trustees. The new board's resistance to dropping the perk surprised her, considering they campaigned against the previous board's alleged status quo attitude.
"Essentially, during the campaign we talked about if it's a realistic benefit for a trustee," said Garfield Supervisor Chuck Korn. "I personally would like to see something different."
Trustee Molly Agostinelli, however, said the board shouldn't be in such a rush to drop the benefit.
"The compensation package for trustees was set before the election and we should stick with it," Agostinelli said. "I don't think they should be taking it away."
Agostinelli said she doesn't intend to take the insurance. She receives government-funded health insurance because Grand Traverse County officials appointed her to a board that oversees the Grand Traverse Pavilions.
Trustees Denise Schmuckal and Bob Featherstone also said they would decline the insurance.
Those not taking the insurance would receive a payment of about $400 a month.
Trustee Kit Wilson was absent from the Nov. 21 meeting and the board decided to wait before voting on the health benefit.
Wilson later called free health insurance for trustees "an outrageous" and "ridiculous" benefit for a few hours work each week.
"I think it is totally unfair to our taxpayers, and I am hoping we very early on make a resolution to have it removed," Wilson said.
The board will address the issue again when it meets on Dec. 11 to adopt a new budget.
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