Page 41 - Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

employee’s anniversary date. Funds are also included in the 2018-19 Budget to finance scheduled merit increases.
Merit increases are not automatic and require the approval of the employee’s supervisor and of the City Manager.

Employee benefits are maintained in the 2018-19 Budget. Funds are included in the Budget to continue health, dental,
and life insurance coverage at current levels. The Budget includes funds to pay the entire premium cost for employee
health, dental, and life insurance; to increase the subsidizing of dependent coverage; and to reimburse employees and
covered dependents for a portion of hospital and surgery co-payments. An employee or covered dependent is eligible
for reimbursement of up-to $1,000 for an out-patient procedure and up-to $2,000 for hospitalization. The Budget also
includes funds to reimburse employees up-to $500 for co-payments, deductibles, and prescriptions; these
reimbursements are available only to employees who do not have dependent health insurance coverage through the
City’s group plan.

Full-time City employees are mandated to contribute seven percent of salary costs to a retirement fund with the Texas
Municipal Retirement System (TMRS). Funds are included in the Budget to finance the proposed contribution rate for
the City’s two-to-one match of retirement funds for full-time employees. The City’s contribution decreases from the
current rate of 16.52 percent to 16.32 percent effective January 1, 2019.

The City encourages wellness for all employees and dependents by offering discounted memberships at the Benbrook
Community Center/YMCA; the City pays approximately fifty percent of the monthly costs for employees (full and part-
time employees are eligible). The City’s group health insurance contract emphasizes wellness and provides diagnostic
tools, health hints, workout strategies, and medical resources on the company’s website. The 2018-19 Budget includes
funds to provide flu shots for all City employees at no cost to the employee; dependents are eligible to receive the
vaccinations and pay only for the cost of the vaccine. Hepatitis vaccinations are also available to employees at no cost
to the employee.

The City also offers employees the opportunity to participate in a number of programs available through payroll
deduction. Employees may opt for credit union services, deferred compensation, supplemental life insurance,
disability insurance, vision insurance, and catastrophic insurance.

TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS AND UPGRADES

The 2018-19 Budget includes funds to improve and enhance the City’s technology. Separate line-items are included in
the Information Technology Activity in the 2018-19 Budget for software and for hardware; Council approved funds to
finance the replacement, upgrade, and purchase of computers, peripherals, software, and other technology-related
CITY OF BENBROOK 2018-19 ANNUAL BUDGET
40