Board Votes to Offer Incentive to County Employees Not to Take Health Insurance

The Effingham County Board voted 6-2 Monday to offer an option to County employees in lieu of signing up for the County's health insurance plan.

Board members heard at a special meeting earlier this month that rates were favorable to the County. Board members have learned the County would be able to cover all of the premium for an employee signing up at the HSA level. 

That led some members to have concerns that the favorable rates would lead to a large increase in the number of employees signing up for the coverage and dropping whatever other coverage they have, which would increase the cost of coverage to the County.

Instead, the Board voted to offer a $100/month stipend to those County workers who don't take the health care coverage. The stipend is being offered for one year only.

Board members Dave Campbell and Rob Arnold voted against the stipend offer. Arnold said he had a fundamental disagreement with paying someone not to do something. Board member John Perry was not present for Monday's meeting.

There will be enrollment meetings for County employees Tuesday and Wednesday, with a goal of having the process completed by the end of the week.

The Board also voted to release audio tapes from closed sessions of the County Board on February 24 and March 29 of this year regarding ambulance litigation. Board Chairman Jim Niemann said there was a vote at the previous meeting to make the information available, but then heard of some grumbling, not directed to him, that the action took place when release of the audio tapes was not on the meeting agenda. Hence, the decision to have the item on Monday's agenda and vote on the matter.

The information is already available on the County's website.

The Board approved a proposed County budget for the coming fiscal year for 30-day layover, with final action on the measure at the Board's November meeting. Arnold, who heads the Tax and Finance Committee, said the proposal projects $62,794 more in income than outgo. He said he still plans to increase the tax levy for the coming fiscal year by 4.99%, and said work would be forthcoming to decide where the additional revenues should be allocated.

Also Monday, the County Board approved a per capita payment of $3,813 for membership in the South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission for another year; approved an ordinance adopting a supplement to the County's Code of Ordinances for about $1,800; authorized County Coroner Duane Guffey to take bids on transporting bodies; and filled a seat for a telecommunicator supervisor on the County's Ambulance Oversight Committee with county supervisor Tina Daniels.