County votes to assume liability insurance for CAPCIL vehicles not in use

[June 27, 2017]  LINCOLN -  At the Logan County Board Regular meeting on Tuesday, June 20, the board voted on several motions and resolutions. One topic of discussion was liability insurance for the Community Action Partnership of Illinois vehicles.

Board members present were Board Chairman Chuck Ruben, Vice Chairman Emily Davenport, Kevin Bateman, Dave Blankenship, Janet Dahmm, Bob Farmer, David Hepler, Gloria Luster, Gene Rohlfs, Bob Sanders, Scott Schaffenacker and Annette Welch.

Board member Kevin Bateman, who chairs the Transportation Committee, made a motion for the county to assume liability insurance for the CAPCIL vehicles. Bateman then amended the motion to only insure busses out of service and stored.

Bateman said the vehicles would be "stored" and not be used on the road. Bateman said State's Attorney Jonathan Wright had advised against taking liability insurance. Wright was concerned about the county insuring vehicles the drivers are using because the county could be "on the hook for the liability" if there was an accident.

Board Chairman Chuck Ruben said Wright's concern was the drivers and "our insurability of busses with drivers." Ruben said busses parked no longer have drivers, so "us taking the liability of the busses that are actually taken out of service would be permissible."

Board member Emily Davenport asked how it affected vehicles they may be sending back to the Illinois Department of Transportation, how many vehicles would be stored, and how long they would be stored.

Bateman said the committee has not decided how many vehicles, "if any" to return to IDOT. He said IDOT suggests they do not return the busses because if the budget is passed and funding restored, any busses we would return" may not be available again.
Bateman said they are "trying to lower the insurance premium for CAPCIL," so vehicles not being used would be insured by the county.

Sanders asked how long the vehicles would sit and be out of use.

Bateman said as "maintenance is needed on other busses," the vehicles on the lot could be rotated in to service.

Community Action Executive Director Alison Rumler-Gomez said those vehicles would have to be "rotated out of the insurance liability policy" and go back under CAPCIL's insurance policy if they went back into service.

Bateman's motion to only insure the busses out of service and stored was unanimously approved.

Board member David Hepler asked for clarification that the vehicles "in service" are not under the county policy. Hepler said his concern going forward was the liability history is excellent and the risks of covering the vehicles driven seem minimal.

Ruben said the risks seem minimal until an accident happens.

Bateman said insuring the vehicles not in service helps CAPCIL with a "cash flow problem" and satisfies Wright's concern that the vehicles being insured are not being driven.

The main motion with amendment passed with Kevin Bateman, Dave Blankenship, Janet Dahmm, Emily Davenport, Bob Farmer, David Hepler, Gloria Luster, Gene Rohlfs, Chuck Ruben, Bob Sanders, Scott Schaffenacker, and Annette Welch voting yes, and David Hepler voting no.

[Angela Reiners]