County Commissioners discuss health insurance, agenda items [Gallipolis Daily Tribune, Ohio]

Dec. 3—GALLIPOLIS — The Gallia County Commission recently passed the minutes from the November 23 meeting.

Commissioners Harold Montgomery, Jay Stapleton and Eugene Greene were present at the meeting.

The weekly Canine Shelter report for the week ending Nov. 21 reported 11 animals coming into the shelter, three animals adopted, one reclaimed, 15 animals out to rescues with a total of 19 animals out of the shelter. Four animals are in foster and 30 animals remain at the shelter.

Ohio State University (OSU) Extension Director Tracy Winters, Agriculture and Natural Resource Educator Jeff Moore and Brianna McGuire updated the commission on the current activities of the organization. They reported that Canter's Cave 4-H Camp is hiring a camp manager, agriculture resources and presented the 2021 Gallia County 4-H award winners.

The Teen Leadership Award winners were Lydia Jones, Cody Mathias, Braden Rapp, Emalee Jones and Katelynn Higginbotham.

The Outstanding of the Day awards at the Ohio State Fair for photography awards were Katelynn Higginbotham and Jazahera Moore.

The National Association of Extension, Distinguished Service Award went to Tracy Winters.

County Engineer Brett Boothe and Assistant Engineer Kyle Mooney informed the commission that the Ohio Purchasing Contract through Bob Ross Buick Inc. that was approved on April 8, 2021 has been cancelled due to shortages with Boothe noting new orders for fleet pickup trucks could potentially be more than a year out.

Booth proposed the purchase of three fleet trucks at $50,000 each with M&R funds, noting the total cost of the three pickup trucks is estimated at $140,000.

Montgomery entertained a motion contingent on receiving a legal opinion of purchasing three vehicles at less than $50,000 each without bidding out, to approve the purchase of one vehicle from Mark Porter's for $45,000. The motion passed.

A "resolution accepting the amounts and rates determined by the Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor" was approved by the commission. The board clerk will certify a copy of the resolution to the county auditor.

A resolution for 2022 health incentives for county employees that obtain health insurance from another source outside of the county policy was passed by the commission.

The resolution said certain county employees are able to obtain health insurance outside of the county and that the commission finds this would be a "financial benefit" to the county. Commissioners agreed to "offer a cash incentive up to $2,000 to employees who obtain health/medical insurance from another source outside of the county and are not receiving and benefits from any county health insurance program in any way."

The employee will be required to sign a release for the county if using an outside source for insurance. If for some reason the employee's outside insurance is terminated in 2022, the county will re-admit the employee to county insurance, "based upon the county's insurance company's approval and the employee will receive the cash incentive on a pro-rated basis."

Grants Administrator Karen Sprague presented the commissioners with the Ohio Department of Development grant agreement for the fiscal year 2021 WWIP Grant Program — this is funded with the Coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds. Sprague was seeking approval and signing to request the county auditor's office to create a new fund for the grant — 2021 WWIP Tara Estate Sewer and appropriate $1,373,594 grant into three lines titles professional fees, Tara Estates Sewer Replacement and household connections.

The commissioners made the motion and approved Sprague's request.

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