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performing services for the city, regardless of whose fault it was. Besides protecting the volunteer whose injury isn't caused by the city's negligence, having these no-fault benefits available could also help avoid litigation in cases where the city is or may be at fault. The LMCIT Board chose this approach for several reasons. First, this approach is less expensive to the city than providing workers' compensation benefits would be. The basic premiums are roughly a fifth of the cost of workers' compensation benefits, reflecting the more limited scope of benefits provided. Second, administration is simpler for the city, since the city doesn't have to keep records of how many hours were worked by how many volunteers. Third, it eliminates the problem of determining what the appropriate indemnity rate is for an unpaid volunteer. Fourth, providing voluntary workers compensation coverage would create a potentially unlimited risk for LMCIT. The LMCIT Board was concerned about the danger of assuming an open-ended risk that could jeopardize the financial stability of the entire pool in a catastrophic situation. To enroll we simply need to complete an application for coverage form and return to Berkley Administrators (formerly EBA). They will, in turn, bill the city. If the City chooses at this time not to enroll in the plan, they may enroll at the same time as renewing the workers' compensation insurance each year. As this plan was introduced to the city after finalizing the 1991 budget, no funding was specially allocated for this plan. City staff contacted a representative from the League of Minnesota Cities and explained that the situation of volunteers for the City of Ramsey is usually that of city staff volunteering their time for a given project. She stated that those cities that have currently enrolled in the plan are the larger cities in the metropolitan area that utilize volunteers more extensively than the City of Ramsey. She also stated that cities such as ours may want to monitor the activities and enroll in the plan at a later date, when we renew our workers' compensation plan each year. Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City of Ramsey not enroll in the accident coverage for city volunteers at this time, but to continue to monitor the activities of volunteers. Committee Action: Based on discussion. Review Checklist: Acting City Administrator and Finance Officer Personnel Coordinator BC:5/28/91