Members present: Mr. Fontaine, Mr. Garrett, Ms. Joswiak, Mr. Kante, and Ms. McKinzie
Absent:
Staff present: Ms. Huntley-Cooper, Mr. Krueger, Mr. Moreth and Mr. Tomsyck
Call to order. The meeting was called to order at 9:30 A.M. in conformance with Wisconsin’s open meeting law.
Open session
Introduction of new Council members. Staff and continuing Council members welcomed Mr. Mike Fontaine and Mr. Keith Garrett to the Council. Mr. Fontaine, V-P Finance-Treasurer at STI Holdings is filling the position vacated by Mr. John Wittry. Mr. Garrett, Director of Financial Management at Dairyland Power Cooperative, succeeds Ms. Dawn Neuman.
Mr. Moreth reminded Council members of their rights to request reimbursement for certain expenses of attending Council meetings. Travel voucher forms were distributed.
Review and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. Minutes of
the May 22, 2008 regular meeting were reviewed, and approved as written.
Closed session review reports of self-insured employers.
In accordance with s. 19.85(1)(f) the council convened in closed session to
review financial, loss experience, safety and other information of employers
presently or previously exempt from the duty to insure. Some of the
companies’ specific financial or other business information may be confidential
and not subject to public disclosure.
Open session. The Council returned to open session, and made the following recommendations:
Changes to specific excess insurance and/or security requirements. Albertson’s – denied request to reduce bond due to brief period out of the program. ConAgra – postponed decision on request to lower bond pending additional claim information. Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society – denied request to release bond, but approved reduction from $500,000 to $250,000.
Miscellaneous
Ms. Joswiak reported that the excess insurance market for utilities remains
stable, but that licensed excess coverage remains unavailable.
Mr. Moreth gave an update of the previously discussed WCAC loggers committee.
Work continues on efforts to assist the industry, but the department
still opposes creation of group self-insurance.
Mr. Moreth reported that the Atchison escrow account has grown to nearly $131,000, and remains available solely for Atchison claims.
Mr. Moreth reported a hearing loss claim was received against bankrupt former self-insurer Pope & Talbot. That company left the program prior to mandatory surety bonds, so no security is available. The claim, in the amount of $20,392.34 was paid from the funds remaining in the Self-Insured Employers Liability Fund.
Next meeting.
Mr. Moreth will poll the members in the summer for
acceptable dates for a fall 2008 meeting, as applications or conditions warrant.
Mr. Wittry, who is retiring from his position with Rockwell, was presented with
a plaque in appreciation for his nearly 18 year service to the Self-Insurers
Council. Ms. Neuman was also presented with a plaque in appreciation for her 9.5
year tenure on the Council. DWD staff and the other Council members expressed
their gratitude for the collective wisdom and experience that these experts
generously brought to the Council, in betterment of the self-insurance program.
Messrs. Krueger and Moreth also presented Mr. Wittry and Ms. Neuman with framed
drawings of the Wisconsin State Capitol, as reminders of their time in volunteer
service of the people of Wisconsin while serving on the Self-Insurers Council.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:45 PM