Revision in store for county health coverage
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Necessity is the mother of invention and has never been experienced more fully than it has been for department heads in Carroll County government.

Various levels of inventiveness to reduce spending were brought to the forefront at the Monday morning commissioners' meeting.

The highway and sheriff's departments, the Senior and Family Services Agency and the commissioners all initiated actions to do things differently because of funding losses. By far, the commissioners did the most changing.

The amount of money spent on county health insurance coverage has been a controversial subject between the commissioners and council. The council reduced the amount appropriated for the expense in the 2008 budget, which meant commissioners were forced to look at a different plan and level of service for county employees. The county's insurance agent of record, Cindy Finkenbinder, presented three coverage plans that would fit within the funding limitations. Finkenbinder reported the current insurance carrier, United Health Care, suffered a 135 percent loss ratio with the county from 2006 to 2007. She said the current loss ratio is 105 percent.

"It isn't pretty," she said.

Finkenbinder said with that record, she solicited quotations from five other carriers and each one rejected the county. So, she began working on different plans with the current provider. She said due to the number of employees and the median employee age, the county does not have the money for a health savings account, but could utilize a health reimbursement account. She prepared three examples of plans, but focused on two, which commissioners could choose.

"Both options will make employees much more conscientious how they use the plan," she explained. "These are consumer driven plans."

Finkenbinder said one concern about the health savings plan is that a disgruntled employee could take the money in the savings plan and leave the employ of the county directly after the plan is instituted. However with a health reimbursement account, the county would retain control of the money.

Finkenbinder recommended a start date of Feb. 1 to begin coverage, which would mean a quick decision about which plan would have to be made. Rather than make a quick decision, commissioners set a special meeting to decide the issue for next Monday, Jan. 14, at 10 a.m.

Senior and Family Services

Area IV's Senior and Family Services Director Jeff Sieber requested financial assistance from commissioners for 2008. He explained usual county funding for $10,000 was eliminated for 2008. He said the loss of income constituted changes in service provision and office operation of his agency. He expected more than two employees to lose their jobs and one of the two active senior centers in the county to be closed if replacement funds were not secured.

Commissioners offered no relief from the situation, however attorney Barry Emerson said he was aware of a local private corporation that was concerned with the county's financial woes. Emerson left the meeting briefly. When he returned, he announced that Indiana Packers Corporation agreed to fund the agency at the same level as previously received from the county for the next three years.

Sheriff's Department

Sheriff Tony Burns recommended commissioners enact an ordinance to allow Carroll Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Smith to order offenders, sentenced to weekends at the county jail, to reimburse the county for the opportunity to avoid full-time incarceration. He suggested the money be put into a jail-supplies line item in the county budget.

"I don't think this should be free anymore," he said.

Highway Department

An agreement with E and N Bridge and Grading to provide structures for bridge #129 and culvert #1643 was approved. The firm gave the lowest bid.

Highway superintendent Ron Francis reported the council denied an encumbrance for work on the Tioga Bridge and reduced the amount requested for bridge #129 at their last meeting. He said he would be able to save money from other bridge projects, which could be transferred to the Tioga Bridge fund.

Francis was directed to prepare a written recommendation for highway department service fees for the next commissioners' meeting.

Hoosier Heartland Highway

Dan McCain representing the Deer Creek Valley Rural Historic District, requested one commissioner be appointed to the Context Sensitive Solution (CSS) group, of which a commissioner representative was expected to become a member with a 2004 memorandum of understanding with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The group is currently working with INDOT to provide input for highway placement and design across the historic district. Mc- Cain said it was important for "everyone to be on the same page."

Group member Anita Werling provided information about the group's activities and stressed the need for county-leader involvement. She said the group reached consensus on three key areas, which involve the design. Concerns, which include using a pylon-based roadbed rather than a radical cut and fill, using a grade-separated intersection at old Main St. and unique bridge design which is attractive and in keeping with the special nature of the historic district should be used, were sent to INDOT for a response.

George Mears was appointed the commissioners' representative. He said that although he made it very public that he was against the chosen route, now that it was decided he supported the work of the group.

"I was against the route," he said. "But I'm not fighting. I'm on the same page."

The next CSS meeting will be Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Interpretive Center.

TLRSD

Carroll County representative on the Twin Lakes Regional Sewer District Board of Directors Wayne Garrison reported district contractors crossed into Carroll County on Dec. 19. He said drilling main lines and installing grinders has begun.

"They're moving along," he said.

Executive session

An executive session was scheduled for Jan. 14 at 9 a.m. to discuss courthouse security needs with sheriff Tony Burns.

Appointments

Fred Wise was appointed to Carroll County Area Plan Commission for four years.

Bob McCain was appointed to the board of zoning appeals for four years.

Appointments to the Northwest Solid Waste District and its advisory board were tabled.

SR75/county road extension

A letter in support for an extension of SR75 to the Hoosier Heartland Highway from Camden Town Council President Pete Wagoner was read. Wagoner said the new county road would provide "very significant economic development opportunities" and Camden was prepared to pursue installation of utilities and infrastructure to the area.

He reported an increase in heavy truck traffic passing through the county.

"This is a very well written letter and I agree with it wholeheartedly," Mears added.

Other business

Delphi Business Women will use the courthouse lounge and museum March 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Prosecutor Tricia Thompson will use the lounge Jan. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. for officer training.

Lewis Cass High School will use the courthouse Feb. 23 for a semi-formal dance.

Delphi Lions Club will have a sign to advertise a soup supper on the courthouse lawn Jan. 18 to Feb. 2.

Commissioners chose Hylton as 2008 chair and Mears vicechair. Bill Brown was absent for the meeting.

The next regularly scheduled commissioners' meeting will be Jan. 21 at 9 a.m. Correction

Carroll County Commissioners meet twice each month. It was incorrectly stated in last week's Comet that all commissioners' meetings begin at 9 a.m.

In the even numbered months, the second meeting of the month is held at 6 p.m. Those dates are Feb. 18, April 21, June 16, Aug. 18, Oct. 20 and Dec. 15.

Drainage Board

County surveyor Wayne Chapman reported there was no work done in December due to weather and holidays. He said he received a request from INDOT asking to be apprized of where the legal county drains in the county are located. Chapman said he requested a finite road plan from INDOT to be able to provide the requested information.

Hylton was chosen drainage board chair and Brown vicechair.

The next meeting will be Feb. 4 at 8:30 a.m.