ThisWeek CW 12/10/2015
http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/12/07/groveport-city-council-drury-resigns-cites-changes-in-opers-health-coverage.html
Longtime Groveport City Council member Donna Drury will resign her seat Dec. 15 with two years left in her term.
Drury has served on City Council for the past 14 years but said she is leaving office in order to maintain her retiree health benefits.
“I am a retiree from Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) and they have changed the way retirees will receive their health care as of Jan. 1, 2016,” she said in an email to ThisWeek. “OPERS has set up an HRA (health reimbursement account) for retirees and will deposit money in that account each month to provide reimbursement for our health care cost.”
The OPERS system classifies all elected officials as re-employed retirees and under new regulations, the federal government will not permit re-employed retirees to have an HRA. That means Drury would be ineligible for her HRA if she stays in her position on council.
“OPERS has a health care policy for re-employed retirees and after reviewing this policy I have found it is not accurate for my needs and I also have to pay the premium out of pocket,” she said. “My only choice is to resign my position on council to get a good health care plan with the HRA.
“I want like to thank the residents of Groveport for allowing me to serve them for the past 14 years. This was a very difficult decision to make because I will be leaving within two years of my completed term.”
Mayor Lance Westcamp said Drury has been a dedicated public servant who has done an “excellent job” as a member of council.
“She has worked great with the community representing the residents to share their concerns,” he said. “I would like to thank her for her years of service and wish her and Bill the best of luck in retirement.”
In regard to her tenure on council, Drury said that three accomplishments stand out in particular.
“I was privileged to be a part of the establishment of the recreation center, the purchase of the Links of Groveport golf course and the recent development of the GREAT program (Groveport Rickenbacker Employee Access Transit) that provides transportation to warehouse workers,” she said.
Drury said she has appreciated working closely with the city staff and believes the community is in good hands.
“Groveport has a great staff who has contributed to the many benefits given to the residents. The mayor and the council have the residents’ best interest in mind,” she said. “I would like to thank the residents for allowing me to serve them. It has been a great privilege to have been a member of the Groveport City Council.”