County officials announced upcoming changes to health insurance for employees, citing a significant decline in the reserve fund that previously supported premium costs. After several years without increases, officials indicated that a 40% hike in premiums was considered necessary to restore financial stability, although they aim to avoid such drastic measures. Instead, they plan to implement gradual adjustments to both premiums and coverage options.

Currently, the county covers 90% of health insurance costs, with employees responsible for the remaining 10%. Discussions are underway regarding potential adjustments to this split.

In addition to health insurance matters, the meeting highlighted the establishment of a new seed library at Stevens Point, mirroring similar initiatives at other county libraries. A press release is expected to announce this development soon.

The meeting also touched on budgetary concerns, particularly regarding the rising costs of vehicle maintenance and replacement for the county's delivery fleet, which has seen significant mileage on existing vans. With new vans averaging around $40,000, officials are exploring budget efficiencies to manage these expenses.

Lastly, the implementation of multi-factor authentication for staff domains was discussed, a move driven by insurance company requirements aimed at enhancing cybersecurity. This change is expected to affect all employees as part of broader efforts to improve operational security.