City Employees To Pay More.

The City Council voted last week to increase the amount employees will contribute for dependant health insurance. The increase will begin with a ten dollar a month jump in July, followed with another ten dollar increase in October, and another ten dollars in January, for a total of thirty dollars.

The Finance Personnel Committee recommended the gradual increase to soften the impact of the raise from $60 per month to $90 per month for family coverage. Employee insurance is covered by the City.

The Council also voted to raise the personal deductible from $250 per year to $300.

The City’s partially self funded health insurance program depleted reserves last year due to several large claims. The self funded portion of the plan pays for the first $45,000 of claims per employee. After that, a secondary insurer picks up claims.

The Council was told that the recommended increase for the City’s portion of the contribution will be close to $200,000 this year. The City calculates $610 per month total funding for an employee and family. The City will pay all but the $90.

NASCAR to the Max

The NASCAR tour took one of only three weekends off that they will get before the end of the season on November 17. The series is typically idle the weekends of Easter and Mother’s Day and the weekend before the 4th of July. Many of the teams will use the two-week stretch to test at the series next stop in Fort Worth Texas. Fort Worth is a very popular destination with race fans of the four-state area. The only race closer to this area is held in Kansas City. The Texas track is a high-banked, 1½-mile oval.

The track has undergone several changes since it’s christening in 1997 to make it more driver friendly. Initially, the transitions into the turns didn’t allow the cars to turn freely and led to several serious accidents. It also was plagued by water percolating through the track surface. After several million dollars worth of reconstruction and drainage improvements, the track is heralded as a state of the art facility.

To top it all off, the track has been repaved for this year’s race. Although the track was notoriously fast prior to the repaving, the driver’s that have tested this year have stated that it will be faster than ever although there may not be many opportunities to pass until the asphalt has completely cured. Last year’s winner Dale Jarrett will be one of the favorites of the 43 starters.

Only 5 times in the last 30 years has the eventual season points championship winner not won by the sixth race of the season. 2002 winners through the first 6 races are Ward Burton, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, and two time winner Sterling Marlin. They are anxious to continue that trend. NASCAR regular Ken Schrader’s run at Joplin’s Route 66 Speedway was short lived. Though Schrader shot from 5th to 1st in his heat race, the Missouri native retired with mechanical problems after only 7 laps of the 15-lap Modified feature. Fellow Missourian Danny Lasoski continued his dominance of the speedway by claiming the World of Outlaws feature.

 

Kid stuff.

"I know you’re shakin’ your head, ‘cause I can hear it rattlin’."

"He looks like a model A comin’ at ya with both doors open."

"Not the sharpest knife in the drawer."

"Big Deal"

"Better never than late."

"Block Head."

"Two can live as cheap as one, as long as one doesn’t eat."

My favorite quote from a current commercial. "If this was ten years ago, I wouldn’t be here today."

"Better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick."

"Time wounds all heels."

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin.’

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

I own a Honda Accord with 37,000 miles on it. Last week when it was in for a valve adjustment, it was discovered that the cam shaft oil seal was leaking. Oil has gotten all over the timing belt. The mechanic suggested that the oil should rapidly deteriorate the timing belt, and that I should have the timing belt, and oil seal replaced soon to prevent possible further engine damage. I intend to keep the car for another five years or so. What would you recommend? - John

Ray: I’d go right ahead and replace the seal and the belt, John. But it’s not an emergency. I mean, I wouldn’t rate it at the same level of urgency as, say, running out of toilet paper.

Tom: You can do it at your convenience. The belt will not "rapidly deteriorate." It’s designed to work OK even with some oil on it. After all, it’s housed in the presence of all of those oil seals. Over time, it may deteriorate some, but it’s not going to happen in few hundred miles.

Ray: On the other hand, we recommend changing the timing belt at 60,000 miles anyway. Plus, you have an oil leak. And if you were to run too low on (or out of) oil, you could do serious engine damage. Not to mention all those unsightly blemishes on your garage floor!

Tom: So since you are going to keep the car for another five years, why not fix it right away and not have to worry about it ever again? There’s no advantage to waiting. And while they’re in there, spend an additional 20 bucks and have them change the crank shaft seal too.