Baldwin Council tackles insurance, infrastructure

BALDWIN, Ga. — Baldwin city employees could collectively save more than $26,000 in health insurance premiums next year after the City Council approved a change in the city’s health insurance plan Tuesday night.

The council also approved a $17,265 repair to a raw water pump, adopted a revised purchasing policy, approved a radio maintenance agreement with Habersham County and formally accepted several months of previously unpublished council meeting minutes.

All of the measures were approved without objection.

Health insurance change must be finalized this week

Finance Director Angela Adams said the city received proposed renewal rates from the Georgia Municipal Association about three weeks ago that would have significantly increased costs for employees.

The city then asked brokers to explore other options.

Baldwin currently has 40 benefited positions eligible for health insurance.

Adams said one broker found a proposal that would lower employee costs while providing broader coverage and a more traditional copay structure.
“If we go with the new proposed, which came in last Thursday, … it would save our employees over $26,000 in totality,” Adams said.

The proposed plan would use Aetna rather than the city’s current Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage and would operate similarly to an HMO while maintaining in-network and out-of-network benefits.

Adams said the plan would also be structured differently from the current arrangement.

“It would also be more of a self-funded [plan],” she said. “Next year, if our employees are healthy and our costs are lower, our rates go down.”

City Manager Tiera Morrison said the change was particularly important for employees covering spouses and children.

While an individual employee currently pays about $51 per paycheck, Morrison said family coverage can become significantly more expensive.
“A person who puts their family on our insurance pays about $2,200 a month out of their paycheck,” she said.

Morrison said one employee brings home approximately $700 per paycheck after deductions.

The city plans to continue discussing how it structures its employee contribution toward insurance in the future, potentially moving from a flat contribution toward a tiered approach based on the type of coverage employees select.

The new coverage would take effect Jan. 1.

However, Morrison said the council needed to act quickly because the city must notify GMA of its decision by Friday.

City approves raw water pump repair

The council also approved spending $17,265 to rebuild an inoperable raw water pump at the city’s water system.

City Engineer Fletcher Holiday said Baldwin has three raw water pumps that move water from the Chattahoochee River to the reservoir at the water treatment plant.

One 400-horsepower pump and two 300-horsepower pumps are used at the station.

Raw water pump No. 1 is currently inoperable and has been removed and evaluated by a pump company.

Holiday said the pump needs a new impeller and bowl wearings before it can be reinstalled.

The repair will be paid through the city’s operating and maintenance budget.

Mayor Doug Faust asked whether rebuilding the pump was the best option.

Holiday said the other two pumps have recently been replaced or rebuilt and repairing the third pump would bring all three units up to current operating standards.

“This will actually give us up to having all three pumps that have either been replaced or recently rebuilt,” Holiday said.

Purchasing policy revised

The council approved revisions to Baldwin’s purchasing policy designed to streamline smaller purchases while maintaining additional oversight for larger expenditures.

Under the new policy, department heads will no longer be required to complete purchase orders for purchases under $1,000, although invoices will continue to be reviewed.

Adams said the previous system required purchase orders for even very small purchases.

“I did sign one for $2.58 this week, and signed many that were for $10 and $12,” she said.

The revised policy establishes different purchasing requirements based on the amount of the expenditure.

Purchases between $1,000 and $5,000 require the best available price and approval from the city manager. Purchases from $5,001 to $10,000 generally require at least three quotes or proposals when applicable.

Purchases exceeding $10,000 require written quotes, bids or proposals and City Council approval. Purchases over $100,000 will continue to use a sealed bid process.

The policy also changes references to the city’s “chief administrative officer” to “city manager.”

Radio agreement approved

The council approved a radio maintenance intergovernmental agreement with Habersham County after receiving clarification about concerns raised during a previous meeting.

Morrison said council members had questioned whether Baldwin could be removed from the county’s radio system if the city failed to make payments under the agreement.

After speaking with Habersham County Manager Tim Sims, Morrison said that would not occur.

Instead, the county could discontinue providing maintenance, upgrades and other services associated with the radio equipment.
“We won’t be cut off,” Morrison said. “That’s obviously a safety concern, so that won’t take place.”

Councilman Joe Elam said the cost remains difficult to accept but said the city had received additional time to review the agreement.

“I did have the benefit of being mayor when it was first being presented to the community,” Elam said. “It’s still just a really hard pill to swallow when you’re forced into an expense of this magnitude.”

Council accepts meeting minutes

The council also approved meeting minutes from January through March 2026.

Morrison explained that staffing shortages had prevented the city from keeping its meeting minutes typed and published on schedule, although records of the meetings were maintained.

She said staff members hired by the city had worked to bring the minutes up to date.

However, the city has been unable to locate a complete record of the Feb. 3 meeting.

Morrison said Police Chief Chris Jones may have recorded that meeting using a body camera, and the city is attempting to locate the footage. Councilwoman Leeman may also have notes from the meeting.

The council also approved meeting minutes from October through December 2025.