Health care umbrella still won’t cover all

A push to include more members of Terrebonne Parish’s fire and recreational districts in the parish’s health insurance program was tabled at last week’s meeting of the parish council’s Policy, Procedure, and Legal Committee.

Councilman Alvin Tillman said he wanted further discussion of the attempt to expand the umbrella of coverage.

Terrebonne already includes several outside agencies in its health insurance program: the Houma-Terrebonne Airport Commission; the coroner’s office; the Council on Aging; the tourist commission; fire districts 4-A, 6,7,9, and 10, and recreation districts 2,3,4,6,7,10, and 11.

J. Dana Ortego, director of the Department of Risk Management, said the parish could absorb the Coteau and Bayou Blue fire departments into its health insurance program and other recreation districts.

“The council asked us to look into bringing more employees into health coverage,” Ortego said. The Recreation Department and the fire departments have sent information to the Department of Risk Management, he said.

Tillman said the parish’s housing authority also wants to be included.

The resolution states that any agency choosing to drop out of the parish’s health insurance program would need to stay out for five years.

Councilwoman Arlanda Williams disagreed with the provision, asserting that agencies dropping out of the program should be excluded permanently.

Also at last week’s meeting, the committee proposed an ordinance to include sound coming from stereos among the list of noises that cannot exceed 70 decibels.

“You can’t do anything if it’s the radio,” said Councilman Kevin Voisin. “What’s the difference if it’s the radio?”

Houma residents Lenny Roy and Dennis Knight told the committee they were in favor of expanding the list of prohibited sounds.

Voisin said he stood in Knight’s yard and could hear excessively loud noise.

“I’m trying to expand the definition of excessive noise,” Voisin said. “It should not be allowed to go over 70 decibels.”

He said if dogs’ loud barking is prohibited, excessive radio noise should be as well.

Voisin also complained that the council has been receiving information about some discussion items on the agenda late, often only a couple of hours before the beginning of council meetings.

Councilman Clayton Voisin said items must be placed on the agenda by the Thursday before meetings occur.