Sangamon Sun

Mayor Langfelder called the October 25, 2016 special meeting of the Springfield City Council to order at 5:00 PM. He invited everyone to join with him in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Clerk Lesko took the roll call of members.

PRESENT: Alderman Redpath , Alderman Senor , Alderman Turner , Alderman Fulgenzi , Alderman Proctor , Alderman Jobe , Alderman McMenamin , Alderman Theilen , Alderman Donelan , Alderman Hanauer , and Mayor Langfelder

Clerk Lesko announced that there is a quorum to conduct the City Council meeting.

Next, 2016-417 an ordinance authorizing the execution of a contract with HSHS Medical Group, Inc. to provide certain near site clinic services for the City of Springfield’s health insurance program for employees covered by collective bargaining agreements and for all employees not covered by collective barging agreements and retirees participating in the City of Springfield health plan from March 1, 2017, through February 28, 2021, in an amount not to exceed $4,067,490.00 for the Office of Human Resources

Mayor Langfelder asked for a motion to reconsider the vote taken at the regular City Council meeting on October 18, 2016. Alderman Turner made a motion to reconsider the vote. Alderman Jobe seconded the motion. The motion passed on a voice vote 10-0.

Next, Sandy Robinson Purchasing Agent for the City of Springfield went over the RFP again for the Aldermen. The timeline is as follows; summer of 2013 an RFP for an on or near site health clinic is developed with the assistance of the city’s health consultant Assurance Agency. All the proposals were rejected and the city chose not to pursue a clinic at that time. Spring 2016 a new RFP was developed for a clinic using the previous RFP specifications as a starting bases with a few tweaks and improvements. June 10, 2016 RFP number HR 17-10 is released to the public and advertised in the State Journal-Resister; posted on the Purchasing Department’s bid board, and placed on the City of Springfield’s website, with a purposed deadline of July 14, 2016. There were four additional informational documents provided which included the point of service summary of benefits, the basic select summary of benefits, a prescription schedule of benefits and listing of the top twenty-five prescription drugs. June 23, 2016 was the deadline for vendor questions to be submitted. June 29, 2016 addendum number one was provided to the vendors and published on the city’s website consisting of all questions that were received through the purchasing department. There were seventeen questions and answers provided on the city’s website. July 14, 2016 was the RFP deadline and the city received ten RFPs. The respondents were HSHS Medical Group, Marathon Health Inc., Wellness for Life LLC, I am Well Health, We Care TLC, Care ATC, Care Here, Quad Med LLC, Activate Health Care, and Springfield Clinic. July 20, 2016 the proposals were reviewed by a committee consisting of Human Resource Director Jim Kuizin, Benefits Manager Brook Jones and Mike Alwood a representative of IBEW. They scored the proposals based on the RFP. There were three finalists recommended to the committee at that time, based on the scoring. The finalists were HSHS Medical Group, Care ATC and Springfield Clinic. On August 1, 2016 the twelve member Joint Labor Management Health Care Committee met and concurred with the finalists and interviews were set for August 5, 2016. The interviews were conducted by the full JLMHCC Lori Depriest the city’s health care consultant with Assurance Agency was also in attendance. The finalist would present their best and final proposal on August 8. On August 8 best and final proposals were received by HSHS and Care ATC. On August 9 the JLMHCC reconvened and discussed the proposals and voted unanimously to go with HSHS Medical Group.

Mayor Langfelder wanted to know if Director McCarty was a part of the decision process. Mr. Robinson said he was not. Mayor Langfelder said that there have been some rumors that he did not disclosed that his wife worked for HSHS. Mr. Robinson said that he did and he did abstain from the evaluations and review of any proposals.

Michael Alwood spoke about his membership on the labor committee. He has been part of the process since it began under the Karen Harsara administration. He said that HSHS had the experience; Springfield Clinic hasn’t done a concierge clinic before. HSHS has done it and have several clinics. Alderman Theilen wanted to know if this part of the union benefits can’t be changed by the city council, but is voted up or down like a union contract. CC Zerkle said that is correct, but the city is bound to the committee recommendations like a collective barging agreement. When the labor board votes on something it becomes part of collective barging.

Alderman Donelan asked Mr. Alwood if this would help save the city money. Mr. Alwood said in all the models they saw and interviews they have had, that the return on investment would save the city money. Mr. Alwood said that an RFP is different because you’re not bidding for a gallon of gasoline; you are looking at the services and prices. Some of the models that were given to the board had services that were cheaper, but HSHS gave the best services that will be used. Alderman Theilen wanted to know what the cost of the clinic is to the retirees. Mr. Alwood said that legally if you change one thing it affects all. So the more the clinic is used the more it could save the city in insurance costs. Alderman Hanauer wanted to make sure that the electronic health records are compatible with those of the other health care providers in town. Mr. Alwood said that HSHS uses the same program that the other providers use and they should be able to access those files.

Alderman Hanauer said that he thinks the city needs a protest process in place for the RFP process if things are not on the up and up.

Next, Kathy Carr with Horace Mann spoke about some of the benefits that Horace Mann has had since they went to HSHS clinics. They have generated a higher cost savings than excepted. They saw a return on the investment in just over eight months.

Alderman Jobe wanted to thank Director Kuizin for reaching out and answering question that the Aldermen had and explained the process further. He will be changing his vote tonight.Next, Mayor Langfelder entrained a motion to put 2016-417 on final passage. Alderman Senor made the motion. Aldermen Proctor and Jobe seconded the motion.

The motion passed on a vote of 10-0 voting yes: Alderman Redpath , Alderman Senor , Alderman Turner , Alderman Fulgenzi , Alderman Proctor , Alderman Jobe , Alderman McMenamin , Alderman Theilen , Alderman Donelan , and Alderman Hanauer

Alderman Jobe said that he has sent the Clerk and the Mayor his letter of resignation as Alderman of Ward Six. It will take effect after the November 15, 2016 City Council meeting. He would like to thank many people that he has worked with including. All the Directors, all the Aldermen both on this Council and the last Council. He also thanked both Mayor Houston and Mayor Langfelder for their leadership over the last five years.

Next, Mayor Langfelder entertained a motion for adjournment. The motion was made by Alderman Hanauer and seconded by Alderman Theilen. The motion passed on a voice vote of 10-0. The October 25, 2016 Special City Council Meeting adjourned at 5:36 P.M.

Frank J. Lesko Frank J. Lesko City Clerk