Wednesday, March 19

County passes health insurance,
delays ephedra vote

[MARCH 19, 2003]  The Logan County Board on Tuesday renewed its health insurance coverage for 145 employees but delayed a vote on banning sales of ephedra-containing products to minors.

Insurance and legislative committee member Paul Gleason made the motion to contract with R.W. Garrett Agency of Lincoln for insurance coverage with a $284 premium for the Health Maintenance Organization and $296 for the Point of Service policy. It was the same motion he made at Thursday's workshop session minus a $300 cap on premiums.

On Thursday Gleason explained that in the future the cap would require employees to pay the difference if premiums exceeded $300 per month. Tuesday he said he dropped the cap from the motion because the legal ramifications need further study. Chairman Dale Voyles said a cap might commit future boards to pay up to the limit, which is $16 more for the HMO and $4 more for the POS than the new policies. Whether the current board can make such a commitment is open to question.

Ruth Freeman, Health Department employee representing AFSCME Local 1277, said after the meeting that she was pleased the cap was dropped from the motion. "If there was a cap and next year it went above, then we would have to pay," she explained. "I didn't want the cap."

 

Coverage is with Health Alliance of Champaign. The motion to renew the insurance contract passed 10-1, with board member Mitch Brown absent. Before the vote Terry Werth explained his opposition: "I don't like no-bid contracts." He recalled that last year's board said it would bid the contract out in 2003. Werth called the difference between this contract and a potential lower bid "money down the drain" that could have been spent on a commerce park or other use.

The contract raises monthly premiums 15 percent, compared with an industry trend of 18 percent, according to R.W. Garrett agent Sara Schwantz. The county has insured its employees through Health Alliance for two years. In 2001-02 claims exceeded premiums by $170,497, and Health Alliance raised premiums 23 percent for the year beginning May 1, 2002. So far this year claims are $22,457 under premiums, resulting in the lower increase for 2003-04. Schwantz explained that the surplus is for this year alone and does not offset the previous deficit.

Currently 140 employees have the HMO and five the PPO. For all 145 employees the new contract will cost the county $64,500 more over the course of the year.

Following the advice of State's Attorney Tim Huyett, the board postponed an expected vote on banning sales of ephedra-containing products to people under age 21 and requiring businesses to store the products behind the counter. Huyett cited two legal problems with the ordinance as passed by the Lincoln City Council on Monday -- the age specified and the fines imposed.

Assistant State's Attorney Jonathan Wright researched the issues. "We think it can't go above 18," Huyett said of the age restriction. "We're definitely of the opinion you can't say 21."

 

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Huyett further stated, "We can't find authority to impose penal sanctions" (fines) as in the city ordinance. He expects to have problems ironed out and the law rewritten by the April board meeting.

The delay impedes the effort to put Lincoln and Logan County on record as among the first in the nation to forbid the sale of ephedra to minors. The issue surfaced here last fall when Lincoln Community High School football player Sean Riggins died from heart failure after taking Yellow Jackets, an over-the-counter supplement containing ephedra.

In other business the board appointed Vickie Loafman animal control warden and Maurice Tierney deputy animal control warden. "Both Vickie and Maurice are doing a great job out there," said animal control committee member Terry Werth. The two attended the meeting and modeled their new uniforms -- forest green polo shirts with yellow lettering. Hats have also been purchased for animal control employees. Committee member John Stewart praised board chair Dale Voyles for donating $70 plus the cost of 10 more hats.

Animal control is planning two outreach programs for schools. Beginning in May a show-and-tell program will teach grade school children to care for pets. A co-op class for high school students in 2003-04 is also under discussion, but liability issues must first be resolved.

The board authorized Treasurer Mary Bruns to purchase a new software package for $3,900 and a duplex printer, including installation and three-year warranty, for $6,649. Both bills are to be paid from the indemnity fund, which consists of money collected from tax sales on unpaid property. A previous county resolution allows this use of the money.

The software will support newly required GASB accounting. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board rule, formulated in June 1999, asks state and local governments to record and depreciate furniture, equipment and other property in county buildings. The board set $5,000 as the minimum value for items Bruns will track. The Logan County Health and Highway departments have their own systems with independently set thresholds.

 

The board also voted to support House Bill 259, which gives counties the right to raise circuit clerk's fees. Downstate counties have not had a fee increase since 1976, according to Circuit Clerk Carla Bender. The bill sets minimums and maximums for all fees and allows each board to choose exact numbers within the ranges.

Bender said that if the bill passes, Logan County can generate an extra $50,000 to $60,000 without imposing maximum fees. The bill would affect people convicted of criminal offenses and those filing civil cases. It would not change traffic ticket fines. HB 259 has passed the Illinois House and is now before the Senate.

[Lynn Spellman]

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