[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6163405,"mediaKeyId","5435073-059b2d1c5ebb6b2ab3e9c02214fc4113","parentId",5435073,"title","County committee corrects typo in reasonable-accommodation ordinance language","audioSeconds",193,"startMs",3667000,"endMs",3860000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5435073-059b2d1c5ebb6b2ab3e9c02214fc4113&start=3667&end=3860","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5435073-059b2d1c5ebb6b2ab3e9c02214fc4113/thumbnail_3667000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6163405/Walworth-County/Wisconsin/County-committee-corrects-typo-in-reasonable-accommodation-ordinance-language","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163405-924fe4c1689538473d248578753f8cf4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775457257&Signature=MvikmqVHBbWyzog-TynAVBuYFmIH2C94X2fxogCVQpgRnXQTq3PKKIvQ3Cc-ScjBk38BfYQPmXO~xRIGLlN5F~40OwSp165r9-QipWZBy3rvdc04RuUpwE2LxrjbuV~4xfD8ZtjMy8vT1P-vhu3cTLXDVOjcxkWYMSIfeRdNh6Ihy~es9d9gKssNk4~JKKnD90vmF7PuJm6KGyG4upn2UfoNcM33DGiSKFhLEfWclvf9jCgrWJ67p1Dhoz07G~tidS9wG31xOHo-uRmR0Yz5FrydD3g4d7VbiqpEidMDb6iDrdtiv5Us04UlVDxee~NHsv91j2fbLteVyeZcgRLW-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","WI / Walworth County ","date","2025-07-16T00:00:00Z","article","The Human Resources Committee approved a minor amendment to correct a typographical error in the county's reasonable-accommodations ordinance, updating wording in section 15-1-56 of the Walworth County Code of Ordinances.

Kate (staff) told the committee she found a misspelling in the ordinance language and that the change would replace the word \"through\" with \"those\" in the final line of the section; she said the correction aligns the ordinance with the county's existing reasonable-accommodations process and that the county already has a standalone reasonable-accommodations section that applies across county personnel practices.

A committee member moved to approve the correction and a second was recorded; the motion carried. Kate also explained the county relies on established job descriptions that list essential duties and that accommodations follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) process and vendor procedures for testing accommodations where applicable.

The correction is administrative and will be sent to codification to replace the misspelled word in the ordinance text.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Walworth County Human Resources Committee - July 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Human Resources staff identified a typographical error in the county code section on reasonable accommodations; the committee approved a correction to section 15-1-56 of the Walworth County code of ordinances.","taxTitle","Walworth County, Wisconsin","taxId",54224,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6163410,"County staff recommend 4-tier health premiums; committees endorse plan design and ask HPS for clarifications",1851,3747000,5598000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5435073-059b2d1c5ebb6b2ab3e9c02214fc4113&start=3747&end=5598","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5435073-059b2d1c5ebb6b2ab3e9c02214fc4113/thumbnail_3747000.jpg","/articles/6163410/Walworth-County/Wisconsin/County-staff-recommend-4-tier-health-premiums-committees-endorse-plan-design-and-ask-HPS-for-clarifications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163410-402d8ec913c693a2ca0ea37bd942e3d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775457257&Signature=exI06BYyyDxFk8C5r2tVNfHPsbmqmFnAsGoa0pwtMh0m0aHeK23Btvx6Fn~bNl1QamLXSE-DTJ7Py9CMm6Sa55n0NwBp3Atum1qNXsJZ7B7Jw~MetijEjmnWpIuVkaGP1BwxnSvwcotzf~cO9Gi8Lbtd8WRi9JyA6DdpLXyoVvZSZzkl6ur77Ugf~ywFnv4TMB7vMvJZUPgqWstU6nER1XNTB6VapkaTGllRud~H4cdHdSTWb1lyVEsY3fDKWWrhgwXHarLHb0IEnBLcwA2iuxebuafAX9mE1O-p-0cr2BfMPpty8YCFr~fX3KqW0s1WvZ5G0L7f8v2UJEhyKsJC6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walworth County staff recommended shifting the county's self-funded health plan to a four-tier premium structure and adjusting plan parameters for 2026; the county committees endorsed the recommendation as input for the administrator's budget while requesting additional clarification from Health Payment Systems (HPS) on member payment plans and communication.

Josh Pollock and consultant Jesse (Hausman) presented analysis showing an overall projected premium increase of 9.85 percent driven by rising claims and several high-cost claimants; staff recommended a phased move to a four-tier premium structure (employee only, employee + child(ren), employee + spouse, family) to better align premiums with actuarial cost ratios.

Josh Pollock explained HPS's role as the county's provider network and billing intermediary and summarized HPS's member payment options: \"they offer the convenient payment plan, up to 24 months of 0 interest,\" he said, adding staff would meet with HPS to review member complaints received by the county.

Staff outlined key changes under the recommendation: an average 9.85 percent increase across plans to match projected claim costs; a move to four tiers so employees with only children or only spouses are not subsidizing larger family coverage; and an adjustment to high-deductible health plan (HDHP) minimum deductibles so the plan remains HSA-qualified (federal 2026 minimum: $1,700 single / $3,400 family). The staff presentation showed example impacts: single coverage would rise roughly 10 percent on the traditional plan and 7.5 percent on the HDHP; employee-plus-child coverage would decrease slightly; employee-plus-spouse coverage would be held near current family levels; and full-family premiums would rise by roughly 19 percent in year one of the change.

Committee members asked about alternative networks, provider access and whether HPS billing practices created collection problems for members. Pollock said HPS negotiates deeper discounts and pays providers promptly, which reduces overall claim cost, but acknowledged the county has received complaints about HPS customer service and payment-plan implementation and that staff would re-engage HPS to seek clarifications.

The committee motion to endorse the staff recommendation for inclusion in the county administrator's 2026 budget was made and seconded; the motion carried. Staff said final premium and plan-design decisions will be finalized through the formal budget process and during open enrollment, and that administrative communications would emphasize options including the HDHP/HSA choice.

What happens next: staff will meet with HPS to review member complaints and payment-plan availability, finalize actuarial calculations for the budget, and return with final recommended premium rates as part of the administrator's 2026 budget presentation.

","Walworth County staff recommended moving to a four-tier premium structure and updating plan parameters; committees endorsed the recommendation to guide 2026 budgeting and asked Health Payment Systems for clearer information on payment plans and member outreach.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6163414,"Walworth County committees vote to keep Birth-to-3 therapists as county employees",3460,110000,3570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5435073-059b2d1c5ebb6b2ab3e9c02214fc4113&start=110&end=3570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5435073-059b2d1c5ebb6b2ab3e9c02214fc4113/thumbnail_110000.jpg","/articles/6163414/Walworth-County/Wisconsin/Walworth-County-committees-vote-to-keep-Birth-to-3-therapists-as-county-employees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163414-6e676c487fd31914c3a33a20e2274415/orig.mp4?Expires=1775457257&Signature=X-KwvUZGVtD7-Geh-PHyJT~qYWK27130l1VcXNkHyFWWP4JsKGk~DVR-~NZKUmqxTOtIDsSgheMxYdN41UNcHBK6EgDISchv3Nr3sUaXZn-HRAUMv5KLmY2rbeqKw3TazDrE9tjKOH~SrvZ6RtrEtvglPaEVjfkDWYIAzZafz~5ocZkOgAhDtgBDkWh9D01jIKyQZ8vQA-L6D9bSGP4nHH557NaAQGxyM3-eD3u-NQEfPZPprbJnB08ydKRsh1BGj-bnHa-iSmj3TR9dlA7I1-o4NW889eEPKjWrLhovEXuXxbOZ4MDwPocTFczM5UYe8HRinkyASegFjIzO4WyJgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walworth County Human Resources Committee and the Health & Human Services Board voted to keep the county'employed Birth-to-3 therapists in their current employment model rather than move the program to an outside contractor, following extended public comment from program staff and families and committee discussion of budget and staffing risks.

The decision came after several county-employed therapists and parents described continuity of care, home-based services and benefits tied to county employment, and after county staff presented budget figures and a proposed contractor model.

County-employed therapists and program staff told committee members the current model supports continuity and close interdepartmental collaboration. Carlene Liberto, a speech-language pathologist, told the committees, \"our program has worked for 20 plus years, and the 4 of us desire to continue working for this program, community, and county.\" Jeanne Luedke, an occupational therapist, said county employment \"improves consistency and stability for families\" and noted therapists coordinate directly with public health and social services. Paige Lancaster Bozell, an early childhood special educator, said the program \"meets requirements\" in the most recent state determination and called a claim in the staff memo about vendor improvements \"misleading.\"

Parents and caregivers also urged the board not to change the structure. A parent, identified in the record as Taylor Skaggs, described home-based therapy as essential for a child with complex needs and said the in-home model and the same team visiting week to week \"made all the difference.\" Another parent, Melissa Blauser, said long-term relationships with the therapists helped her children progress.

County staff presented the rationale for considering a contracted model, citing what they called \"structural vulnerability,\" administrative burdens, and the potential to access a broader pool of therapists and billing networks. The staff presentation said a vendor could provide in-network billing and administrative capacity and cited contacts with several counties where a hybrid or contracted model operates. The memorandum cited a recent program status determination covering 07/01/2023 to 06/30/2024 showing Walworth County \"meets requirements.\"

County staff also gave preliminary budget figures for the trade-off: the memo and committee discussion cited an estimated $170,000 in first-year savings for a contracted model in 2026 and \"at least $100,000\" in subsequent years, while county staffing and benefit costs to maintain current service levels were described in committee remarks as roughly \"three-quarters of a million dollars\" to preserve 2026 service at 2025 levels. Carlo (department head), who presented the proposal for budget planning, said the contractor had pledged to match hourly rates but that benefits would differ and that mileage reimbursement and retirement benefits would change for staff under a contract.

The Human Resources Committee voted on a motion to recommend keeping the current county-employed model; the committee motion was made and seconded and the outcome was recorded as in favor, with the motion carrying. The Health & Human Services Board took a separate motion and likewise voted to keep the program structure as-is for now while staff continue budget work. Both committees emphasized this action was to provide input for 2026 budget development rather than to permanently close off future configuration options.

Discussion during both committees noted trade-offs: proponents stressed continuity, in-home delivery and staff retention tied to county benefits (including access to fleet vehicles and the Wisconsin Retirement System); others stressed long-term fiscal pressures, administrative burden and the potential for a vendor to provide coverage during long staff absences or to achieve in-network billing advantages. Committee members asked staff to return with additional information if the vendor's capacity for home-based services, reimbursement details and projected savings could be clarified.

What happens next: the committee recommendations will inform the county administrator's 2026 budget proposals. County staff said any final decision about contracting would be part of the formal budget process and could be revisited if fiscal circumstances or staffing changes warrant it.

","After public testimony from therapists and parents and debate about budget and staffing risks, the county Human Resources Committee and the Health & Human Services Board voted to recommend keeping the Birth-to-3 therapists as Walworth County employees rather than contracting the service.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County committee corrects typo in reasonable-accommodation ordinance language

County staff recommend 4-tier health premiums; committees endorse plan design and ask HPS for clarifications

Walworth County committees vote to keep Birth-to-3 therapists as county employees