County Leaders Consider Domestic Partner Coverage
Left, County Executive Patty Dreier addressed the county human resources committee Monday night. (City-Times photo)
By Brandi Makuski
The Portage County Human Resources Committee Monday night considered whether or not to follow the City of Stevens Point and include registered domestic partners in employee benefits coverage.
The lengthy discussion was largely one- sided, with the majority of speakers favoring the change. Among the speakers were gay- rights advocates, area pastors and county board supervisors.
County Board Supervisor Mike Wiza, who also serves as a city alderman, pointed out the city had already approved the measure and it was time the county follow suit.
“(The city vote) wasn’t unanimous, however I think as representatives of the city we had plenty of opportunity to talk to our constituents and get their opinions, so county representatives need to do what they were elected to do and represent the opinions of their constituents,” Wiza said. “I would urge the committee to pass this one to the whole board.”
One area pastor argued the proposal wasn’t legal.
“Do Portage County same- sex couples have a legal marriage license in their possession? My understanding is it’s illegal in the State of Wisconsin,” said Pastor Matthew Mallek from Good News Fellowship Church. “This domestic policy excludes heterosexual couples because they don’t have a license, and that’s a double standard.”
Wiza pointed out the city policy was adopted to include opposite sex domestic partners, and the county could implement such a standard as well.
Portage County Executive Patty Dreier supported the domestic partnership expansion, but spoke to the issue solely from a county business angle.
“You can take out the paperwork and begin a civil contract process for a domestic partnership, and pay $75 just like you pay for a marriage license,” Dreier said. “In that scenario we, the county, accept money and retain $50 per domestic partnership just like marriage. We retain money right here in the county.”
Dreier added for the county to recognize civilian domestic partnerships but not county employee domestic partnerships was hypocritical.
While no members of the county finance department were present to speak, Human Resources Director Laura Belanger Tess said she wouldn’t change her department’s budget if the change was enacted by the board.
“I don’t see it as affecting the budget, so I wouldn’t change anything in my budget,” she said.
According to Belanger Tess, the county currently has about $8 million just in medical claims, and the difference between a single plan and family plan is $826 a month.
Board Supervisor Don Butkowski was the lone committee member to question the cost.
“As Portage County Supervisors we have an obligation to public dollars,” Butkowski said. “That’s something we’re not really talking about is the cost. That’s an extra $10,000 a year in added expense. As we county we have a $600,000 shortfall for 2014 right now.”
The committee agreed to take no action on the proposal but will bring it back for further discussion at its next meeting later this month.