Commissioners Agree To Continue Insurance Funding

The Roosevelt County Commissioners decided unanimously last week to continue providing full health insurance coverage to their employees for at least the coming year.

The cost for health insurance per employee increased from $1,476 to $1,533 per month. The plan has a $500 deductible.

Commissioners discussed switching to a flat fee at some point instead of constantly increasing the payment based on health insurance rates.

“It’s a tremendous benefit,” Commissioner Gordon Oelkers said of providing full health insurance to employees. He says it’s currently an hourly benefit of $8.80.

Commissioner Robert Toavs said the benefit is great for county employees, but a lot of taxpayers can’t afford to have health insurance. Commissioners mentioned using the health insurance expenses as a tool when negotiating cost of living increases with employees.

Oelkers said other counties in the state offer similar plans, but some of them have $1,000 deductibles. “It varies,” Oelkers said. “We have a good policy.”

Earlier in the meeting, commissioners rejected the suggestion by some employees to add a counter top ice water machine in the break room. Cost was estimated to be $6,800.

Currently, the county pays for a few offices to have water dispensers for about $80 a month. The feeling is that the ice water machine would be a healthier option.

“It’s more of a want than a need,” Toavs said.

The motion to make the purchase failed unanimously.

Pay raises were improved for Samar Pronto, Kaigen Roskelley, Alyssa Toavs and Edith YellowRobe.

Hired to be mosquito sprayers were Randy Pautsch and Heather Pautsch.