By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-11-25 09:49:02 | Word Count: 1070
The Carter County Commission debated the cost of health insurance for county employees during Monday's meeting, choosing Humana Health Insurance as the provider over Blue Cross-Blue Shield.
Humana representative Stuart Everley and Connie Tate of Triten Insurance and Financial Services addressed the commission and answered questions. Some commissioners expressed concerns about losing benefits or access to certain physicians or specialists. Everley assured them that there would be no loss of services.
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County Finance Director Jerome Kitchens said Humana's quote to the county was $143,000 less than what BC-BS offered.
Commissioners Gebe Ritchie, L.C. Tester, Steve Lowrance, Ken Arney and Larry McKinney voted no, but Humana was accepted as the provider.
A motion for all new hires to pay 10 percent of their own insurance was approved by a 12-10 vote, although several commissioners disapproved of that idea as well.
The commission honored Snap-on Tools for the company's 35 years of operations in Elizabethton with a resolution which was read by County Attorney Keith Bowers. Snap-on Human Resource Manager Keith Whitehead addressed the commissioners, expressing thanks on behalf of the company, which began in 1974 with plans to hire 100 employees for a forging operation. The firm has since expanded to heat-treating and plating, producing finished wrenches which are shipped worldwide, and later manufacturing ratchets after two other plants were closed. Snap-on of Elizabethton currently employs 350 and sponsors various community events. Accompanying Whitehead were Site Manager John Carley and employee Clarence Wilson, who has worked at the facility for 34 years.
Dean Blevins, director of the Tennessee Technology Center of Elizabethton, spoke about the school that provides vocational training in various career fields including electronics, diesel mechanics, welding and nursing. Blevins stated that the school with two campuses in Elizabethton had a record enrollment this year, adding that more space and staff are needed to meet the demand. He said the job placement rate is 95 percent and the LPN training program, with a 99-percent passing rate, is currently the largest such program in the state.
Blevins said that every $1 spent at TTC of Elizabethton generates $5.76 for the local economy. He said the school's long-range goals include consolidating into one campus.
Carter County Tourism Director Larry Gobble reported that the economic impact from tourism on the county in 2008, according to the Governor's Conference on Tourism, was $31,270,000.
Gobble stated that in spite of economic hard times, local and state tourism is going quite well. State tax receipts from Carter County last year totaled $1.9 million, an increase of 5.8 percent from the previous year, while local taxes were $1.95 million, an increase of 7.3 percent. Gobble added that the local tourism office received 2,740 inquiries about the area in 2008 and has received close to 5,000 so far in 2009. He said for every dollar spent on tourism in the county, another $347.83 is currently returned to the county.
"People are really starting to get a real interest in the mountains," Gobble said.
Commissioner Lowrance publicly praised Elizabethton-Carter County Chamber of Commerce Director Candy Craig for her work on the recent Octoberfest craft and music festival as well as other community events.
Lowrance also spoke on behalf of Tennessee House Speaker Kent Williams, who was elected as a Republican by Carter County voters. Lowrance said Williams was responsible for bringing new roads and bridges and other projects into the county and was undeservedly removed from the state Republican party. He asked his fellow commissioners and others to support Williams and asked them to write a letter to state party officials expressing the desire to reinstate him. A motion was approved, with Tom Bowers casting the only dissenting vote.
Commissioner Harry Sisk, chairman of the nominating committee, said applications will be taken along with nominations from the floor, during the January commission meeting for commissioner in the seventh district to replace Richard Tester who recently resigned. Commissioner Richard Renfro praised Tester for his work as a commissioner, and many in the courtroom stood and applauded.
The commission approved the sale of property in the Watauga Industrial Park to Richard Tetrick for a casket distribution facility, which will provide 10 jobs.
The commission agreed to allow the Carter County Hunting and Fishing Club to lease a house adjacent to the county landfill property after club member John D. Snyder answered questions and assured the commissioners that the club intends to pay the bills, paint and do any needed maintenance and use the house for their monthly meetings. He also reassured the board that club members would not have access to the landfill property.
Landfill Committee Chairman Jerry Pearman updated the board on the landfill operations, and Financial Management Committee Chairman JoAnn Blankenship gave an update on that committee's decisions. The commission approved several amendments previously passed by the Budget Committee, which had turned down a request by the Sheriff's Department to use $25,475.31 from the auction sale of seized property for a records management system.
An attempt by Commissioner Charlie Bayless to add the request as an amendment failed after Tom Bowers said it amounted to a "double payment" for the same software. Sheriff Chris Mathes attempted to explain the need for the equipment, stating that Bowers had misunderstood the request. Mathes said he was hoping not to use any of the contingency money for the jail contract to pay for the equipment. Bowers recommended using the funds to pay off a debt from workman's compensation, and the board rejected the sheriff's request. A motion was approved to pay the debt.
Jail Task Force Chairman Robert Davis recommended that each commissioner visit the jail construction site and ask questions to become familiar with the project.
The commission approved a tax relief resolution for low-income elderly taxpayers, disabled homeowners and veterans, and also approved resolutions for the Adult Traffic Offender School and to transfer money from the General Purpose School Fund to the Federal Projects Fund for the 2008-09 fiscal year
