Water Board Cuts Retiree Health Benefits

The Board of Directors of the Tri-Cities Municipal Water District voted this week to stop providing health benefits for retired directors who served for more than 12 years.

The five-member board voted unanimously Wednesday to delete future retired directors from the district’s health benefits package. But two retired board members who are currently collecting such benefits at district expense--and another who soon will be eligible--will not be affected by the new policy.

The board stopped short of eliminating its own benefits, which in some cases amount to nearly $6,000 a year in medical, vision and dental insurance.

Three directors, however, voluntarily agreed not to collect the benefits. Although they are still eligible, Directors Ray Benedicktus, Jim Lawson and Mark Sloate will no longer receive the district health benefits package.

Director Bill Meacham and director Craig Strickland refused to take their names off the health benefits list and will continue as subscribers to the district insurance plan. Strickland, who has another insurance coverage plan on his own, collects his benefit pay in cash, up to more than $4,000 a year.

District directors are paid $125 a month for each board meeting they attend and $50 for each committee meeting, including seminars at conferences.

“What this district does is really very, very generous,” said Benedicktus, who has led the movement to end insurance benefits. “The whole concept is feeding at the public trough. It will continue to be that way until the electorate decides to vote these guys out. The constituency ought to pick up the shovel and clean out the barn.”

Tri-Cities Municipal Water District sells water to two other water districts in the South County, including Capistrano Beach County Water District and the city of San Clemente.