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Board approves 5% employer health-insurance premium reduction; sheriff staffing and courthouse security remain in discussion
Summary
Black Hawk County supervisors voted to reduce the employer share of health insurance premiums by 5 percent for FY2026 to lower the property-tax ask; the meeting’s budget discussion also included extended debate about a proposed new chief deputy position in the sheriff’s office and options for courthouse security funding.
Black Hawk County supervisors in a work session on April 8 approved a 5 percent reduction in the county’s employer health insurance premium contribution for FY2026, a move county staff said will reduce the county’s property tax asking and is not intended to change employee coverage.
Michelle Wiedner (finance director) briefed the board and said she, Tim Jamieson and Amanda Fezenmeyer had reviewed plan performance and felt comfortable reducing the employer premium by 5 percent without changing benefits. County staff presented estimated fiscal effects: the premium change would lower employer costs by approximately $342,083 and reduce the county’s overall tax-collection increase from about 5 percent to about 4.1 percent. Staff noted fund balance and plan performance remain considerations and cautioned this is not a lever to use every year.
Board members questioned whether coverage or employees would be affected. County staff stated there would be no change in plan coverage or employee-level benefits tied to this employer-cost adjustment; supervisors approved the recommendation.
The budget work session also included extended discussion of staffing in the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Nate (surname in transcript) explained that multiple retirements have created vacancies and increased overtime costs, that he has previously reduced positions and restructured ranks, and that replacing or adding a chief-deputy position affects overtime, coverage and longer-term staffing costs. Several supervisors suggested deferring creation of a new high-level position (the previously proposed chief deputy/fourth captain) and instead using existing vacancy funding or a lower-level position if needed; the sheriff said he would prefer to retain the position but acknowledged vacancies and overtime realities. No formal action was taken to remove or add the chief-deputy position in the FY2026 budget; the board requested further review and noted that adding courthouse security coverage would require funding that cannot be supported by the county’s existing property-tax levy cap.
Why it matters: The health-insurance adjustment reduces the county’s employer-paid cost and slightly lowers the proposed tax-collection increase, while the unresolved sheriff staffing and courthouse-security funding questions could require additional budget decisions that affect public safety operations and future tax asks.
What’s next: The health-insurance employer-cost reduction will be incorporated into the FY2026 budget work papers. The board and county staff will continue discussions about sheriff staffing levels and courthouse security funding options, including whether to fund additional positions from vacancies, fund balance or an adjusted tax ask; supervisors were warned that the general-tax levy is at a limit and that other trade-offs would likely be required.
