Allen County commissioners made a slight change to the county’s health insurance coverage to offset the impact of a rate increase.
Insurance representatives, Stephen Euston and Joe Holdenried with Bukaty Companies of Leawood, met with commissioners on Tuesday morning to follow up after a Jan. 24 meeting. At that time, commissioners were told to expect an increase of about 12% from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.
Commissioners wanted to know if they had other options, as the county’s actual health care costs last year dropped to a five-year low. Still, their rates would increase because the BCBS pool, as a whole, did not have a good year.
Euston and Holdenried attempted to negotiate a better deal but BCBS wasn’t willing to budge, they told commissioners this week.
However, they did give the county another option. The county could increase its maximum per-employee cost from $50,000 to $60,000. It’s a gamble; if multiple employees reach that maximum, it could cost the county significantly more money. But last year, just two employees reached that level. Bukaty predicted the same for this year.
The change means the county should expect an increase of about 2.54%.
Commissioners agreed to the change.
They also made changes to dental, vision and disability policies, but employees should expect to receive similar services as before.
COMMISSIONERS heard an update on economic development from Lisse Regher, CEO of Thrive Allen County.
Thrive and other organizations accomplished a great deal in the past year, Regher said, and she gave much of the credit to Jonathon Goering, the economic development director who left at the end of last year. Thrive is interviewing prospective candidates.
The report covered a variety of topics, from funding sources and success applying for grants after the COVID-19 pandemic to studies that reviewed the county’s workforce.
Regher also talked about improvements to the Allen County Regional Airport, which was one of Goering’s signature projects. The county has committed more than $5.6 million to airport improvements, and nearly all of the money came from grants or COVID relief funds.
She also talked about small business growth and efforts to increase housing throughout the county.
Regher briefly talked about efforts to create a state park at the Lehigh Portland trail system and a nearby quarry.
Commissioners endorsed the idea last week.
IN OTHER news, commissioners:
• Received clarification from County Counselor Bob Johnson that a delinquent property tax sale will be scheduled sometime in April. A legal notice published in the Register gives property owners until March 31 to pay before judgment is issued. The notice is a final attempt to reach property owners who have not responded to multiple notices.
• Considered a suggestion from Chairman David Lee to have commissioners conduct a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis similar to one undertaken by Allen Community College. ACC president Bruce Moses offered to help with the process.
• Heard an update on staffing in the noxious weed department.
