EDITORIAL: County can’t afford business as usual
It's a mistake that saw the county's health insurance fund go from a nearly
Hamann's acceptance of his office's failure to properly track the budget is only the first step in righting this listing fiscal ship.
Officials blamed the problem on the fact that the cost of insurance for retirees was not being factored into the annual budget; only the cost of current county employees was taken into account. It was a mistake repeated over several years.
That forced the county to siphon surpluses from earlier years to cover the deficits.
But beyond the shortfall in the budget books, there must be a better understanding of the role the county's insurance broker -- R&R Benefits -- is expected to play.
R&R has been paid more than
Given R&R's expertise, shouldn't part of the company's role include assisting county officials in the budget process?
The commissioners, the
It has also put R&R in the spotlight again.
The three-member
This entire mess raises an important question: Is the county getting the best possible service at the best possible cost when it comes to insuring its employees, both current and past?
If another provider can give the county better service at less cost, county officials owe it to themselves, their employees and taxpayers to fully explore that opportunity.
But at the very least, for now, there must be better cooperation among all sides and clearer understanding of R&R's role in the budgeting process.
___
(c)2017 the South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Ind.)
Visit the South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Ind.) at www.southbendtribune.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
What’s at stake in the Alabama Senate race
EDITORIAL: Crucial school issues ignored
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News