KCBD investigation leads to review of health insurance benefits for council members

A KCBD investigation has prompted a review by the Lubbock mayor into health benefits for current and former city council members.

The KCBD investigative team began looking into health benefits back in June.

We started asking the city questions about this practice and on Wednesday, the city sent out a press release saying Mayor Dan Pope plans to review the health benefits.

If you serve on the Lubbock City Council, you are eligible for the city's health insurance package.

If you serve five years on the council, then you are eligible for the retirement package.

"It's much better insurance than I have. I can tell you, it's a whole lot better insurance than I have," said former Lubbock Mayor Marc McDougal.

McDougal said he was on the city's health insurance plan when he was on the council, but turned down the retirement package when he left. "That is not something I agreed with when that was done. I don't think we go serve at the city to piggyback their health insurance forever," McDougal.

In June, the KCBD investigative team requested the names of the former city council members accessing the city's insurance retirement package. The first time we asked, the city told us the former city council members receiving medical coverage are Gary Boren, Todd Klein and Ty Cooke.

When we questioned the accuracy of the city's response, they gave us one more name to add to the list, Jim Gilbreath. "I don't know if it's an ethical issue. That individual is paying their cost. I would be surprised if the city is eating some of that expense for former council members," McDougal said.

However, according to city documents, while the former city council members do contribute, the city is still eating some of the cost.

Now the question is, does this violate the city's charter or other laws by creating a special class of part time employees who receive full time benefits?

According to the city's press release, Mayor Pope wants to ensure that federal, state and local laws are being followed.

The press release goes on to say that council could seek to have the current practice reviewed by the Texas Attorney General's office.