SISC III JPA Agreement and Bylaws

The link below is a copy of the Self Insured Schools of California (SISC III) Joint Powers Agreement and Bylaws. It is necessary that your district Board of Trustees approve and sign this agreement prior to the effective date of our coverage through SISC, July 1, 2008. SISC has agreed to waive certain provisions of their Joint Powers Agreement relating to the right to assess departing districts and the three-year membership requirement. Attached is a letter of agreement setting forth these waivers.

Please schedule this for approval by your governing board as soon as possible. After approval, please forward a signed copy to RESIG.

If you have any questions, please call me at (707) 836-0779 ext 104.

By: Joan H. Tapanainen, Director of Risk Management Services

Since July 1, 1986, RESIG's Member District have incurred $4 million in arson related damages to the public schools in Sonoma County. That's a $200,000 per year average; this money is School District money whether it is paid directly by the District, RESIG or the Excess Carrier. These numbers create a loss experience that cost RESIG's Member District increased dollars in insurance premiums.

Did you know that in Sonoma County all of the convicted school arsonists in the last 20 years have been teenage males currently or having attended the damaged school site. Their motive is not monetary gain or revenge, but peer pressure, boredom and opportunity (isolated areas, cover of darkness and lack of parental control). There is evidence is some cases that the arsonists have set two to three small fires on the same school site before they finally start a large fire. Arsonists often return to the scene of the crime. One group of arsonists burned a shed down on a school campus and returned eight hours later to burn a restroom to the ground. They had just a two hour window between the time the fire department left and the District's security patrol arrived.

This problem is not germane to Sonoma County Schools. In response to this problem, Schools' Insurance Authority (SIA) in Sacramento has developed an excellent list of ARSON PREVENTION TIPS and an ARSON PREVENTION TIPS CHECK LIST & ACTION PLAN which can be used at every school site. SIA has graciously provided RESIG with a copy of these documents.

This article can be reviewed and the prevention tips and site check list can be downloaded on RESIG's website at www.resig.org under Hot Topics. We hope you take the time to download a copy of these documents and review them with your staff and provide a copy of the check list to each school site. Thank you and if you have any questions, please call me at 836-0779 ext. 106. RESIG is here to serve the public school districts in Sonoma County.

     Arson Prevention Tips                         Arson Prevention Checklist

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                                DELTA DENTAL PROVIDERS

Below are the links for the Delta Dental providers in the Greater Bar Arean and Northern California.

Delta Dental Greater Bay Area

Delta Dental Northern California

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ALERT!

INSURANCE COVERAGE AMENDMENT FOR VANS DESIGNED TO CARRY 15 PASSENGERS

By: Joan H. Tapanainen, Director of Risk Management Services

Vans designed to carry 15 passengers present significant risk management issues to RESIG's member districts. A survey by RESIG's Insurance Broker, ABD, determined that our members currently own six vans designed to carry 15-passengers. Many of these vans are being used solely for cargo purposes, some of these vans are still being used to transport students.

" This notice speaks to vans designed to carry 15 passengers. Modification of these vans (such as seat reduction or removal) does not in anyway increase the safety of this vehicle or change RESIG's recommendations as noted below.

Many of the risk management issues were highlighted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) advisory dated May 26, 2005, which reads as follows:

"…vans [15-passenger vans with 10 or more occupants] carrying 10 or more occupants have a rollover rate in single vehicle crashes that is three times the rate of those that were light loaded. …a heavily loaded 15-passenger van causes the center of gravity to shift rearward and upward increasing the likelihood of a rollover. The shift in the center of gravity also increases the potential loss of control on panic maneuvers."

The NHTSA advisory also sites a report that 74% of all 15-passenger vans had significantly mis-inflated tires which increased the prospect of rollovers. The NHTSA further advises that there are civil penalties with regard to the sale or lease of such vehicles to schools when used to transport students. The report states:

"The sale or lease of 10-15 passenger [15-passenger vans with 10 or more occupants] vans to schools could result in students being transported in vehicles that do not provide an appropriate level of safety. A dealer selling or leasing a new bus for school use that does not meet Federal school bus standards would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation."

Further, owners of 15-passenger vans, involved in an accident, may have difficulty pursuing a subrogation claim, under the products chain of liability, if the vehicle has been modified (seats removed).

RESIG is concerned about the increased workers' compensation exposure presented by the 15-passenger van, as well as the increased auto liability exposure caused by the design of this vehicle, even if the van is being used solely to transport equipment.

Vans used to transport students and designed to carry 15-passengers will no longer be covered under your District's program with RESIG as of July 1, 2008. Such vans, when used solely to transport cargo, will be protected by RESIG only until July 1, 2009.

RESIG recommends that all member districts consider discontinuing the use of any 15-passenger van whether used to transport students or carry cargo.