MANCHESTER, NH – An attempt to remove the healthcare benefits of the city’s aldermen in exchange for raising their annual stipend was defeated on Tuesday, with another vote prohibiting the concept from returning for another vote before 2025.
The motion, made by Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza, sought to emulate a change made by the Manchester Board of School Committee or BOSC. There, it had been discovered that several members of the BOSC could save money on their health insurance through not obtaining it through the Manchester School District but were ineligible to do so due to the fact that they were obtaining health insurance from the Manchester School District.
Due to the need to change the city charter to address this issue, the matter went before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) in late 2022, receiving unanimous support from the BMA Committee on Human Resources before passing the full board on March 7, 2023. In that change, BOSC Members saw their stipend rise from $2,000 to $5,000 per term in exchange for the removal of their health and dental benefits. It was estimated that the change would save the school district approximately $29,000 per year once it became effective in 2024.
While no members of the BMA cited the same concerns as the BOSC members regarding incompatibility with their health insurance, Sapienza believed that savings to taxpayers was worth introducing a comparable move for the BMA, eliminating health insurance for BMA members while simultaneously increasing their annual stipend from $5,000 to $8,000 per year. This proposal was not recommended by the BMA Committee on Human Resources in August, with Sapienza the only member of that committee voting against a recommendation to receive and file the proposal, which would advise the full board to kill the idea.
On Tuesday, Ward 5 Alderman Anthony Sapienza – Ed Sapienza’s brother – reiterated his statement made during the committee that he would not vote to take away someone’s healthcare.
Ward 3 Alderman Pat Long stated that being an Alderman was a volunteer job and that healthcare was optional, stating that perks such as health insurance helped entice candidates for the position given the long hours and responsibilities.
Ward 10 Alderman Bill Barry echoed that it was a choice, calling the move “shady,” which drew the ire of At-Large Alderman Joseph Kelly Levasseur.
At this point Levasseur asked how much money the city could save from this move, with Ed Sapienza stating that the savings could not be calculated given the unpredictability of future costs and HIPAA restrictions.
The motion to overturn the committee’s recommendation and pass the measure failed, 9-5. Ed Sapienza was joined by Levasseur, Ward 1 Alderman Chris Morgan, Ward 6 Alderman Crissy Kantor and Ward 7 Alderman Ross Terrio.
Long, being in the majority on the vote, then moved to reconsider the motion and advised his colleagues to join him in voting no, thus preventing any further discussion on the motion or anything comparable for the rest of the term. That motion failed 9-5, with all 14 aldermen voting the same way as they did on the first vote.
Ed Sapienza attempted to reintroduce the concept in new business without providing a higher stipend to the Aldermen, believing that this was different enough to warrant discussion, but Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais said that he would discuss the matter at a later date with Sapienza and no further action was taken.
As of August 2024, according to a report obtained by Richard Girard, health insurance benefits on the board are taken by Tony Sapienza, Crissy Kantor, Bill Barry, Joe Levasseur, Norm Vincent and Dan O’Neil. Dental insurance is taken by those aldermen as well as Chris Morgan and Kelly Thomas. Every alderman except for Ross Terrio is covered by the city’s group life insurance for employees, according to the report.