BYLAWS
OF THE
ST. LOUIS COUNTY
HEALTH INSURANCE COMMITTEE
ARTICLE I. INTRODUCTION
Section 1. Purpose
The St. Louis County Health Insurance Committee desires to conduct its business and perform all of its responsibilities and duties in an orderly, efficient, uniform, fair and lawful manner. These Bylaws are established for that purpose.
Section 2. Mission Statement
The St. Louis County Health Insurance Committee will work to understand health insurance issues and trends, understand the County self-insured fund, recommend annual rates to the County Board, and provide education, advice and information on health insurance-related issues to the St. Louis County Board, its employees and members of the self-insured plan.
Section 3. Committee Action
All actions of the committee will be by consensus.
Definition: Consensus – Having the agreement and consent of all.
Section 4. Responsibilities
In order to fulfill its mission, the St. Louis County Health Insurance Committee shall undertake the following responsibilities:
4.01 To act in an advisory role to their constituents regarding coverages and the performance of the plan, i.e. claims experience, cost increases, adequate coverage, quality of care, etc;
4.02 To understand cost implications of the existing plan features;
4.03 To become informed on general health care issues that impact the current plan and considered changes;
4.04 To communicate to their constituencies the benefit and cost implication of the current plan and any considered benefit changes;
4.05 To review information and make recommendations to the County Board relating to premiums for health and dental coverages and plan design in a timely manner;
4.06 To review all recommendations to the County Board relating to the award of bids for insurance coverages or plan administration, and to advise the County Board in
a timely manner.
Section 5. Application of Bylaws
Unless otherwise specifically indicated, these Bylaws shall apply to the transaction and administration of all meetings.
Section 6. Adoption, Amendments
These Bylaws may be amended by consensus of the members. All proposed Bylaws and amendments thereto shall be presented in writing to all members. All members shall have a minimum of ten (10) days to review the proposed Bylaws and amendments thereto. These Bylaws shall become effective immediately after a meeting and approval by the Committee.
ARTICLE II. MEETING BYLAWS
Section 1. Time of Meetings
The St. Louis County Health Insurance Committee shall meet, at a minimum, on the third Wednesday of February, May, July, September, October and December at 9:00 a.m. in the County Board Conference Room, Courthouse, Duluth, Minnesota. Additional meetings may be scheduled at the discretion of the co-chairs, with five days’ notice to the members.
Section 2. Agenda
2.01 General
Items for the agenda for each meeting may be determined by consensus at the preceding meeting, with co-chairs finalizing the agendas, as well as the processes and methods for facilitating the meetings. The agenda will be prepared and transmitted to the Committee ten days prior to the meeting. Agenda items will be presented in order. After presentation to the Committee, items will be discussed by the members. Items about which a member indicates s/he requires further information shall be placed on the Committee agenda of the next scheduled meeting.
Any matter not included on the agenda may be considered by the Committee if it is presented in writing and agreed to by consensus of committee members present.
Section 3. Term of Office
Officers of the Committee shall be determined at the December meeting. Members selected as officers of the Committee shall hold office for a term of two years.
Section 4. Committee Officers
The officers of the Committee shall be co-chairs. The presiding co-chair will rotate annually, being selected by management in the odd-numbered years and by labor in the even-numbered years. Management and labor will select the respective co-chairs. The co-chairs will be responsible to lead their respective delegations and seek positions on matters on the agenda, develop items for the agenda, and assure that requested information is available for subsequent meetings.
Section 5. Presiding Officer Absence
In the case of absence of the presiding co-chair the other co-chair shall preside.
Section 6. Clerk
The Clerk shall be provided by the County and will be a nonvoting participant of the Committee.
Section 7. Executive Committee
The co-chairs shall constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be responsible to undertake any activity necessary to further the mission of the Committee.
Section 8. Members
There shall be one representative from each bargaining unit, one retiree representative, the County Administrator, the County Auditor, the County Attorney, the Employee Relations Director, and in an ex officio capacity, the Employee Relations Manager (a/k/a Benefits Manager). One additional department head may be added as a management representative. Committee members may designate an alternate with full membership rights.
Section 9. Quorum
At all meetings of the Committee, at least eight (8) members of the Committee, five (5) members of labor and three (3) members of management shall be present to constitute a quorum. Individual members of the Committee may attend meetings by means of a speaker phone system. Members attending by speaker phone will, for all purposes, be considered a part of the assembled Committee and be allowed to participate in all matters before the Committee.
Section 10. Roll Call
At the hour appointed for any meeting, the presiding co-chair shall call the meeting to order, and the Clerk shall take roll, and announce if a quorum is present. The Clerk shall note in the minutes when any member absent for roll call takes a seat or when any member leaves prior to adjournment.
Section 11. Correspondence and Communications
The Clerk shall furnish the Committee members with all petitions and communications received since the last Committee meeting.
Section 12. Order of Business
Upon the appearance of a quorum, the Committee shall then proceed to the business before it in the following order:
1. Roll Call
2. Approval of minutes of previous meeting by motion
3. Reports of officers, special committees and others
4. Other agenda matters
Section 13. Duties of the presiding co-chair
The presiding co-chair shall preserve order and decorum, and shall decide questions of order, subject, however, to consensus of the Committee. The presiding co-chair shall declare a recess of the meeting as necessary.
Section 14. Norms of Behavior
1. Members will treat each other politely and with respect.
2. Members will stay on the subject.
3. Members will be expected and encouraged to honestly express their viewpoints, explanations and opinions.
4. Side conversations are not allowed (see #1).
5. Members will strive for consensus in decisions.
6. Members will be prompt; meetings will start on time.
7. Members will strive to understand others as opposed to convincing.
8. Members will follow through with agreed upon tasks and will communicate with people they represent.
9. Members will be hard on the problem; soft on the people.
Section 15. Precedence of Items
The proposals under consideration shall have precedence in the following order:
1. To lay on the table
2. To postpone
3. To commit, that is, to refer to committee
4. To amend
15.01 Adjournment
A motion to adjourn shall be entertained only after the completion of the formal agenda and shall be decided by consensus.
Section 16. Special Committees
The co-chairs shall appoint members from labor and management to serve on special committees and the co-chairs shall determine the Chair for the Special Committee. A committee formed under this section shall meet at least quarterly.
Section 17. Reports
Special committees shall in all cases report to the Committee. All reports by committees shall be presented in writing at a regular or special meeting. Matters referred to committees shall be acted upon without undue delay.
Section 18. Recommendations to County Board
Items may be referred from the Committee to the St. Louis County Board, with an accompanying explanation of its purpose. The Committee may recommend, by consensus, the annual premium for the health insurance fund. This item will annually be on the agenda of the Committee no later than August.
Revised 05/19/2010 |