Staff spending was criticised by city council at last night’s budget meeting.
Mayor Sharie Minions was shocked staff automatically renewed the city’s insurance, despite a $218,000 increase, up 83% from the previous year.
She called the AON Insurance increase “insane”, and wants staff to look into joining the municipal insurance association, which Port Alberni is one of the only island communities not in the cooperative.
“If every other community on Vancouver Island is using that insurer, then there has to be a reason they’re using them and I have a hard time thinking it’s more expensive,” she said. “We do know there are other benefits to it like legal consultations, and it is a co-op owned by municipalities so I think it’s definitely something we want to explore.”
Acting Director of Finance Rosalyn Macauley said staff were surprised by the increased cost of the policy, which came due on January 31st and had to be renewed.
Minions asked the issue to be explored quickly.
