Allen County commissioners will poll employees as to whether they think implementing health savings accounts would be a desirable benefit.
Commissioners directed County County Alan Weber to provide the necessary information to department heads.
The HSAs are “little medical IRAs,” Weber said, that allow employees to use the funds as they see fit for medical purposes. As with IRAs, the accounts may grow in value, depending on how they are invested.
If the idea finds favor, the decision will be whether accounts will be funded wholly by employees, entirely by the county or a mix of the two.
Advantage for employees is that money sequestered in an HSA is invested pre-tax and its expenditure remains untaxed if used for medical costs. Anything taken from an HSA otherwise is subject to a 20 percent penalty and prevailing taxes.
“They (HSAs) are very common,” in both private and public sectors, said Commissioner Jerry Daniels. “They would be another benefit we could give our employees, and having them would be both a recruitment and a retention tool.”
MAKING the courthouse more secure was also discussed.
“We need to get started on something,” said Commissioner Tom Williams said. Agreed, added Weber, “but do we really want to isolate ourselves from the public?”
After touching on structural issues — doors to and from the building and access to individual offices — comments trended toward having a security officer, whose duty would be to patrol courthouse halls and offices.
“That would be a quick fix,” Daniels said. “And, a first step,” Williams added.
Before any action is taken, department heads will focus on the issue at their Feb. 16 meeting.
Sheriff Bryan Murphy, Weber, Mitch Garner, supervisor of public works, and Terry Call, who deals with ambulance billing issues and assignments to do with safety, will be asked to meet with commissioners. Such a meeting will, allowed by state law, likely will occur in executive session.
“We’re on notice now,” because of many deadly events in recent months, Williams said. “We’re in a different realm. We’re forced to do something.”
OTHER BUSINESS:
— The county’s economic development group will hear appeals for assistance again for the Mildred Store and efforts to create a food cooperative in Moran at 7 p.m. Feb. 6 at the courthouse. Also, new appeals for funding will be heard from Bolling Meats, the technology center near LaHarpe and the Pregnancy Resource Center. The meeting is open to be public.
— Anyone interested in filling for an open seat on the county planning commission may contact Weber at the county attorney’s office.
