Two entities within Nesquehoning government have decided that it will not partner together for next year’s health insurance.

Last week, borough council President David Hawk said after the meeting that the borough water authority has declined to participate in the PMHIC Consortium agreement, which borough council approved at its November meeting.

The borough needed 15 employees in that consortium to be able to participate, but without the water authority, there was only 11 employees.

The problem though stemmed from a lack of communication, with Shawn Quigley, chairman of the water authority, pointing out that the borough’s action was taken without first consulting with the water authority to see if those employees would be included.

Last month, Quigley said after the council meeting that while the borough cited a $55,000 savings in health insurance costs with no change to coverage, the water authority members would see changes since they two groups had different plans.

The authority also had an emergency meeting later that month.

At that time, Councilman Bruce Nalesnik said that in October, he believed that council agreed to have solicitor Robert Yurchak draft the ordinance for the consortium and pointed out that two members of the water authority were present at that council meeting - Hawk and John McArdle - however, councilwoman Mary Fox, said that wasn’t when it happened and McArdle said the first he heard about the consortium was at the November borough council meeting when it was adopted.

Fox apologized to the water authority because the borough was “led to believe that this is the paperwork we got from the borough and water authority so we assumed, which we should never, ... I would have thought the water authority voted on it and everything was a go ahead and then the day after our council meeting that it’s not.”

Both sides agreed that better communication was needed going forward, and also voted to remove Joe Pilla as the authority’s agent of record, but maintaining his position as a water authority board member.

Pilla apologized for failing the authority in this health insurance matter, but noted he was disappointed with Blue Cross for not better communicating what they intended to do.