Franklin County votes to accept low bid for insurance and rejoin Maine County Commissioners Association [Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine]

Nov. 16—FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted 2-1 Tuesday to accept the low bid for insurance, not to exceed $87,500, from Maine County Commissioners Association.

The county went out to bid for insurance this year and received two quotes. Kyes Insurance Agency bid $98,042 and the association's self-funded risk management pool bid $87,500.

As part of the motion, they need to request to rejoin the Maine County Commissioners Association, county Administrator Amy Bernard said Wednesday.

Voting in favor of going with the association were Commissioners Bob Carlton of Freeman Township and Lance Harvell of Farmington. Chairman Terry Brann of Wilton was opposed.

Commissioners voted to leave the risk pool insurance coverage in October 2017 and officially left as of Jan. 1, 2018. Commissioners on the board at that time were Brann, Charles Webster of Farmington and Clyde Barker of Strong. Barker died earlier this year.

In 2017 they accepted a bid for insurance through Kyes Insurance Agency in Farmington.

Franklin County Commissioners reached a mutual settlement in August 2020 with the association's risk management pool.

The agreement required the county to pay $28,750 to the association's Self-Funded Risk Management Pool. Initially the insurer indicated the county owed more than $160,000 from when it withdrew from the association in 2018.

The agreement released each party from liability and dismissed pending litigation filed in the Kennebec County Superior Court in Augusta. Both parties agreed to permanently dismiss the case with prejudice and without costs. Both parties were responsible to pay for their own attorney fees, expenses and other costs associated with litigation, according to the agreement.

In other business, Bernard told commissioners that Maine Public Employee Retirement System made an error in calculating what the county needed to pay for not offering membership to several employees as required for 10 years.

Commissioners voted Nov. 1 to pay $170,193.77 to Maine Public Employee Retirement System. The amount was lowered to $145,770.61, which has been paid, Bernard said.

___

(c)2022 the Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

Visit the Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) at www.sunjournal.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.