Carroll County Commissioners have known for several months a new county health insurance plan had to be chosen. The county council adopted the 2009 proposed budget in November, setting the appropriation at roughly $430,000, a decrease from $516,104.61 in 2008.

Commissioners had requested $675,000 in 2009 for health insurance.

A new plan had to be in place by Feb. 1 or county employees would have no health insurance. County auditor Beth Myers pressed commissioners to make a decision about which plan to fund at Monday morning's meeting so she would be able to inform employees about changes.

Commissioners Loren Hylton and Bill Brown decided no family coverage would be offered.

The county will pay $402.30 per month for each employee. Employee premiums for highway department and E-911 employees will be deducted from those individual budgets. A total of $32,988.60 per month will be paid from county general. The county will pay $4,827.60 per year for each employee as a benefit for a total of $395,863.20 from county general.

Employees will continue to pay $10 per month or $120 per year for coverage. The county paid up to $1,500 for a deductible for each employee last year. Employees will now be responsible to pay the entire $2,500 deductible for major medical expenses.

Commissioner Pat Clawson abstained from making the decision. He said negotiations for the plan were held prior to his service to the county and he did not have enough knowledge to make an informed decision.

Funding request denied

The county council hired the law firm of Barnes and Thornburg to help them navigate the different components of the Local Option Income Tax adopted in December. The tax was necessary to off-set the loss of property tax income to county general.

However, the council does not have a department budget of its own from which to pay the $2,500 invoice. Council members decided to request payment from the legal line item in the commissioners' budget when the firm was retained.

Commissioners rejected the request unanimously. They indicated the council could pay the bill out of the Riverboat Gambling Fund.

Highway department

Highway engineer Paul Couts recommended a delay in signing a proposed addendum to the contract with the Troyer Group to negotiate SR25 road relinquishments with the state on behalf of the county. He said he would talk to the Indiana Department of Transportation about proposed relinquishments when the Hoosier Heartland Highway is constructed before making a recommendation about endorsing the addendum.

Couts announced the county-endorsed contract with Rumschlag Technical Services for bridge inspections was approved by INDOT. The measure will result in an 80 percent reimbursement from the state for the services.

Leo Rumschlag reported the county owns 114 bridges which are required by law to be inspected every two years.

A bid for fuel from Excel Co-op and one from CPI Supply for materials for road work were approved unanimously.

Couts reported the cost of doing highway business is increasing. He distributed a written comparison to help commissioners understand the impact of the rising costs. He cited one example as the cost of ice sand rising from $3.50 per ton to $5 per ton

"It all adds up," he said.

The highway head said the department is managing the funds available with the materials needed for road treatment. He said equip- ment breakdowns due to the extreme cold have been able to be repaired in-house.

Carroll Manor farm land

A bid to lease 8.2 acres of county-owned farm ground around Carroll Manor for one year was approved to be advertised locally.

Other business

A contract for services at Deer Creek Park between Rex and Phyllis Gangloff and the park board was endorsed.

A Carroll Manor application for Alice P. Arvin was approved.

The Old German Baptist Brethren will use the 4-H building Nov. 17.

A covered bridge certification was signed to submit to the state auditor's office. Brown requested Couts use some of the money realized from the certification to paint a portion of the Adams Mill Covered Bridge.

Treasurer Jane Brewington provided a written investment summary and daily cash sheet report to Clawson, the president of the county board of finance.

The next meeting will be Feb. 2 at 9 a.m.