Warrick agrees to pay half of emergency radio upgrade
By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-12-18 14:07:02 | Word Count: 478
The Warrick County Commissioners on Monday agreed to pay half the annual cost — approximately $60,000 — to upgrade the county's emergency communications system.
"We've had a radio-coverage problem for at least three years when lawmen are out of their cars," Commissioners President Don Williams said after the meeting. "The dead areas are throughout the county, but probably worst in the Yankeetown area."
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Motorola has proposed to add communication towers in Boonville and near Alcoa Warrick Operations. The project is estimated to cost about $1,060,000 over the course of a 10-year lease-purchase option.
Williams hopes the County Council will fund the project "on about a 50-50 basis."
He noted that equipment improvements will be made at the dispatch center and in patrol vehicles.
Also at Monday's meeting, the commissioners agreed on the monthly premiums and the amount of the county's contribution to the tier coverages for the health savings accounts (HSA).
Single employees who choose this plan will pay $45 per month in premiums. The out-of-pocket expense would be $250 per year. The county's contribution would be $1,210 per year.
For an employee and spouse, the monthly premium would be $87. The out-of-pocket expense would be $500 per year. The county's contribution would be $2,456 per year.
For an employee with children, the monthly premium would be $77. The out-of-pocket expense would be $500 per year. The county's contribution would be $2,576 per year.
The family plan calls for a $129 monthly premium. The out-of-pocket expense remains at $500. The county's contribution would be $1,952 annually.
Employee meetings with Humana, the new insurance provider, will be held in early January.
Pending approval by the council, the commission authorized "longevity raises" of $300 a year for the 13 county employees who are older than 65.
"This will help defray the additional costs on their health insurance," commissioner Tim Mosbey said. "It honors their faithful service over the years."
Also Monday, commissioner Art Noffsinger returned from Indianapolis with formal notification of the $600,000 grant the county received from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs to help fund long-awaited sewer-line improvements to the Stonehaven Subdivision.
The project is expected to take about 11 months.
"We could be turning dirt by next February," Williams said.
Environmental issues have been raised at the subdivision for five years. The county has been working with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to correct deficiencies.
