Conroe City Council voted 4-1 to allow council members access to city employee health care benefit rates March 14.

City of Conroe Administrator Paul Virgadamo said at the March 13 workshop that council members qualified for city health benefits before the vote but had to pay the full amount, unlike an employee who pays a reduced rate.

"As y'all are aware, council does [already] qualify for health benefits," Virgadamo said at the workshop. "The request at this point is to treat council members as we would employees: If you chose to take health insurance, you'd pay like [a city] employee does instead of the full amount—and if you add family, you'd pay that portion as well."

At the March 14 meeting, Virgadamo confirmed access to reduced rates will include the Conroe Municipal Court judge as an elected official.