Cashmere weighs new workers’ comp support, seeks clarity before switching

CASHMERE — Cashmere leaders are taking a closer look at how the city handles workers’ compensation claims, saying they want more hands-on expertise available when an employee gets hurt. After hearing a proposal Monday night that promised more active case management, the council agreed it needs more information before considering a change.

The city currently belongs to a retroactive rating program through the Washington Association of Cities. The program, known as Retro, monitors claims and offers training, but Director of Operations Steve Croci said the level of support often arrives late in the process rather than early, when it is most useful.

On a recent claim, Croci learned only after several months that the city could have applied for partial reimbursement of wages paid during a light-duty assignment — a tool that would have reduced long-term insurance impacts.

“That’s the kind of thing you want to know at the beginning of a case,” he said.

A private firm, Stop Claims, has approached the city with an alternative model: instead of paying annual dues, Cashmere would pay only when a claim is open. The firm would then step in immediately, manage the case directly, and help the city avoid preventable cost increases.

Mayor Jim Fletcher, who sat in on the firm’s presentation, said the structure deserved a closer look. Stop Claims represents several cities and counties statewide, and its staff emphasized their ability to save small jurisdictions money through more attentive oversight.

“It sounded appealing,” Fletcher said, noting that immediate guidance could help a small staff avoid costly missteps.

But councilmembers raised several concerns:

• How long do cases typically stay open?
  
  
• How aggressive is the case management?
  
  
• What is the firm’s track record with cities Cashmere’s size?

Councilmember Chris Carlson was the most direct about the need to verify those claims. He pointed out that when the city has evaluated service providers in the past — including during the police contract review — he contacted several jurisdictions to confirm how those services performed in practice.

“Call them, ask them,” Carlson said. “When we were considering what we were doing, I called about probably half a dozen cities that were listed.” He suggested Cashmere take the same approach here before committing to a new model.

Councilmember Jeff Johnson added that reliability over time has to be part of the evaluation. Consultants can change personnel, he said, and the city needs confidence that service quality won’t hinge on who happens to pick up the phone in a given year.

Croci agreed that Stop Claims’ pitch was intriguing mainly because it offers real-time help — someone the city could call at the moment a claim is filed. But he supported gathering references, confirming pricing, and understanding typical case durations before making a recommendation.

The council voted unanimously to table the decision, directing staff to gather references from other jurisdictions using Stop Claims and to obtain a clearer explanation of fees.

Councilmembers said they remain open to switching providers if the city can gain more consistent support during claims, but they stressed the need for due diligence before making any change.

“There’s no urgency,” Fletcher said, “but we do need to run this to ground.”

The council will revisit the proposal once staff return with additional information.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media