Press Release

For immediate release: January 21, 2004

For further information, contact -

Leon A. Gaumond Jr., Executive Secretary at 525-5400x420

EAST LONGMEADOW RECOGNIZED FOR LOSS CONTROL EFFORTS; RECEIVES DIVIDEND FROM INSURANCE COMPANY

The Town of East Longmeadow received some very welcome news recently as its Safety/Insurance Management Committee’s efforts have been recognized by the Town’s insurance carrier, MIIA Property and Casualty Group.

At this past weekend’s Annual Business Meeting in Boston, MIIA presented the Town with the Outstanding Loss Control Program Award. Executive Secretary Leon A. Gaumond Jr., who also serves as Chairman of the East Longmeadow Safety/Insurance Management Committee, accepted the award on behalf of the Town. Gaumond presented the award to the Board of Selectmen at their Selectmen’s Meeting on January 21, 2004.

“This award recognizes the hard work that our Safety Committee did in order to improve our insurance risk in the Town,” said Kimberly Wiezbicki, Chairman of the East Longmeadow Board of Selectmen. “The taxpayers of East Longmeadow are well-served by this dedicated group of Department Managers for their single-minded vision of reducing the Town’s insurance premiums.”

Gaumond and the Safety Committee began an aggressive loss control program about a year ago which included a number of training seminars for elected officials, a tightening of personnel policies, and the implementation of certain loss control measures. When the program was completed, East Longmeadow stood out and has been recognized as one of the communities who completed the most requirements under this Los Control Program.

In other good news for the Town, MIIA announced that East Longmeadow is entitled to $1538.84 in dividends and participation credits. MIIA introduced the Participation Credit this year to recognize the continued commitment of many of their members and to recognize the administrative savings to the program from these members.

In addition, MIIA has continued its MIIA Rewards Program which enables MIIA members to earn even more credits against future insurance costs by performing certain loss control activities. As part of this program, MIIA distributed a Tool Kit to assist its members in managing their risks. This year, MIIA added another tool to this Kit – “Mold: Identification, Remediation, and Communication.”

The presentation of the Outstanding Loss Control Program Award and the dividend and credit announcement was made during MIIA’s annual business meeting on January 17^th. More than 400 public officials attended the annual business meeting and luncheon, which is held during the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s annual meeting.

MIIA (which stands for the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association) is the private, non-profit insurance arm of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. Municipal insurance is MIIA's only business. MIIA insures over 350 cities, towns, and other public entities in Massachusetts.

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