A move by Mayor Paul Winfield to change the city’s longtime insurance agent was rejected by both aldermen Thursday after they heard from two competing insurance agents.

North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield and South Ward Aldermen Sid Beauman voted to keep Bob Bell Insurance of Vicksburg as the city’s carrier for health, dental, vision and life insurance.

“I have been with the city for 5 1/2 years, and not one single employee has come to me about having problems with their insurance,” Mayfield said. “If there was a problem with what we had, I would have heard. To change so quickly without making sure all the I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed may come back to haunt us.”

Thursday was the first time Winfield had said publicly that he wanted to change the carrier, though required bids for coverage had been taken from 11 other companies.

City Accountant Doug Whittington was not available to provide the bids or from whom they were received.

During the meeting, Winfield introduced a representative of a Starkville insurance company, The Integrity Group, that the mayor said he wanted to have the city’s business.

Kenya Burks, the mayor’s chief of staff, said bids from Bell and Integrity were for the same amount, though no one at the city meeting had that figure available.

The insurance agent is the liaison between the provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and city employees, and receives a commission on the premiums.

On the agenda

Meeting Thursday, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen:

• OK’d minutes from Oct. 25 and 28 and Nov. 1.

• OK’d a request from the Vicksburg National Military Park to fire cannons Jan. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon from the Yazoo Diversion Canal as part of an educational program in conjunction with the Old Court House Museum.

• Received sealed bids for surplus property at 1608 First East Alley from the following: Margaret Smith with a bid of $25 and William Nelson with a bid of $429.

• Appointed attorney David Sessums to the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Commission. Sessums replaces Tim Fageburg who resigned in October. The board also re-confirmed a four-year term for member Fred Katzenmeyer. Building and Inspections director Victor Gray-Lewis said the commission is seeking to fill three vacant spots on the seven-member board.

• OK’d the sale of real property at Mulberry Street to Larry Prentiss, owner of LD’s Kitchen restaurant, for $5,803.20 to be split in two installments. The property is the small area east of the restaurant on Mulberry Street. City attorney Lee Davis Thames Jr. said the sale allows for Prentiss to be in compliance with the city’s dumpster ordinance.

• OK’d the preparation and submittal of an application to the Mississippi Commission for volunteer services for funding under the Volunteer Generation Fund’s new volunteer center start-up project.

• Declared the building inspector badge worn by the late Charles James as surplus property and OK’d the sale of it at fair market value at $90. The Building and Inspections department collected $90 to pay for the badge, which will be presented to James’ wife. James died Monday.

• OK’d the payment of $39,864 to Fluid Process and Pumps for a new Fairbanks Morse 16-inch pump, which is a sole source item, for the wastewater treatment plant.

• OK’d the payment of $41,208.23 to Vicksburg-Warren 911 for the city’s share of dispatcher salaries, matching benefits and insurance for December.

• OK’d bank letters from Trustmark Bank and BancorpSouth.

• OK’d reports from the following: city sexton, privilege license, mayor and treasury, tax collection, delinquent tax collection, detail budget and accepted tax settlement.

• OK’d claims docket.

In closed session, the board:

• Discussed a promotion in the fire department and a pay adjustment in the police department.

• Discussed three personnel matters in the street, fire and community service departments and a potential litigation matter.

The Integrity Group, which specializes in employee benefits, has offices in Starkville, Oxford and Ridgeland.

Winfield cited a lack of information as his reason for his opposition to renewing the contract with the Bell agency, which has had the city contract for 21 years.

“You have had a fiduciary duty to this city to advise this board,” he said to Bell. “This board, in my opinion, is not very well advised about the best products out there. I can go to any work crew and stop to talk to the average employee and they can’t tell me anything about their insurance benefits. That’s your responsibility, not my responsibility.”

Like Mayfield, Beauman said he had heard no complaints about the city’s insurance carrier.

“I probably have had to use this insurance the most,” said Beauman, who has had a series of medical problems over the past several months. “We’ve got one of the best insurance policies. You can find fault with any agent.”

After the vote in favor of Bell, Winfield charged him with setting up meetings with the board at least quarterly.

In other insurance issues, the board:

• Awarded a $140,108.19 bid to Hennessey Thames & Leavitt Insurance Agency in Vicksburg the contract for swimming pool liability, building and personal property and crime coverage.

• Awarded a $273,853 bid to Mississippi Municipal Service Company for general liability insurance.

The board amended its group dental policy, also with Blue Cross Blue Shield, to allow dependent coverage up to the age of 26 whether in school or not.

• Contracted with Southern Administrators and Benefit Consultants for the city’s cafeteria plan.

All insurance renewals become effective Jan. 1.