Overall, insurance costs rise for Vigo County

Apr. 25—Insurance costs will go up 3.5% overall for Vigo County for the next year, however there will be no increase in insurance premiums to county employees.

For insurance coverage for dental, vision, group life, and an organ transplant policy there was no increase in the premium from the current rates to the rates effective July 1, Jason Lester of Sycamore Insurance Associates told Vigo County Commissioners on Tuesday. And there would be no increase to the employee or county cost for that coverage.

However, other costs are up, which will cost the county an additional estimated $266,636 overall for the plan, from July 1 to June 30, 2024. The commissioners voted to approve the plan Tuesday.

For the health and prescription drug insurance coverage, the county insures the first $100,000 of each claim and purchases insurance above $100,000 on each claim.

"The plan experienced higher claims in the last two years and from 2021 to 2022, there was an uptick in claims just from people who got (medical) services they may have put off during the (COVID-19) pandemic — so knocking on wood — we are looking for a more favorable claims year," Lester said.

If the county stayed at its $100,000 deductible rate, it would cost the county another $272,000 for the year, Lester said. In an attempt to reduce that, the new plan increases that deductible to $125,000, saving the county $426,485.

"That represents 24.7% of the fixed costs, so the fixed costs would go down that much," Lester said.

The county has 455 employees on the insurance plan. The annual expected cost is more than $8.66 million, not including employee contributions and pharmacy discounts.

County Payouts for ARPA work

In other business, commissioners approved amendments to a professional services contract for RJL Solutions, which works on the American Rescue Plan Act for the county, and for Baker Tilly, an accounting/government services firm.

"Both groups/entities have been extremely involved in what we came up with what we are choosing to do with the American Rescue Plan funds," said Commissioner Chris Switzer.

"Baker Tilly has guided us to make sure everything is legal...and at some point we are going to get audited, so we want to make sure we are covering all the basis," Switzer said.

The service amendment for RJL Solutions is 1.5% of the American Rescue Plan Act funds to the county, which is $309,000, Switzer said.

"That is not coming from the county's budget, but from the American Rescue Plan Act funds that we administer," Switzer said.

Baker Tilly will bill for projects by the hour, with increased hours required for some work, the commissioner said.

Food protection ordinance

Also on Tuesday, commissioners approved an amendment to the county's food protection ordinance, increasing fees for health licenses, ranging from $20 to $50.

"We compared the fees to counties in like size and put the fees in line" with those counties, Amanda Bales, environmental health supervisor/assistant administrator for the health department, told commissioners.

The fees have not been increased since 2012.

The Vigo County Board of Health also reviewed and approved the new fees. Some fees were also adjusted, such as micromarkets, Bales said.

"Right now they get a retail food license at $110. We have about 28 micromarkets," Bales said. That fee was lowered and changed to a micromarket permit, which is $50 per micromarket, Bales said.

A micromarket is a 15 linear foot vending machine area. "I did not feel like they should be charged a retail food price when they are only doing retail food vending," Bales said.

County Auditor Jim Bramble asked if the Vigo County Health Department and Board of Health could research and add an ordinance amendment requiring people seeking a food permit or license to first be registered with the Indiana Department of Revenue.

That ensures all food vendors are paying the county's food and beverage tax, the county auditor said.

"I am worried about the temporary tents (such as at community events or at a county fairgrounds)," as well as all food vendors who ought to pay a state sales tax, Bramble said. "I think fairground vendors and festival vendors are notorious for not paying" a state sales tax/county food and beverage tax, the county auditor said.

Bridge contract

A $22,000 contract with SJCA Engineers and Surveyors was also approved to review a damaged bridge on Morris Place over Honey Creek.

"We had a bridge failure on that where a box beam failed...about eight months or so ago and reduced that down to one lane," said Larry Robbins, county engineer/highway director.

"I would like to have SJCA evaluate that bridge to see if it is a rehab candidate or if we need to go with a replacement," Robbins said.

The bridge, now reduced to a one-lane bridge, is north of Indiana 63, which is along a south route to get to S&G Excavating, Robbins said.

Howard Greninger can be reached at 812-231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com. Follow on Twitter @TribStarHoward.