Commissioners debate budget timeline, targets; consultant urges review of county health plan

Scotts Bluff County commissioners opened a wide-ranging discussion about the FY2025-26 budget calendar and guidance for department budget submissions and heard a public presentation urging a review of the county's health-insurance contracts.

County staff said the annual call for departmental budgets will proceed earlier this year and suggested commissioners decide whether to set a target percentage (for example, 2.5%) that departments should use when preparing requests. Commissioners disagreed on setting an early, firm cost-of-living or percentage target: some urged providing a planning COLA or target soon so departments build proposals to a shared expectation; others said revenue uncertainty counselled waiting until revenue estimates were clearer.

During the budget discussion the board invited comments from outside speakers on cost-saving opportunities. Nick Lees of Next Gen Benefit Solutions told commissioners he reviewed public budget figures and estimated the county spends roughly $3.7 million annually on health insurance, with about $2.9 million in claims. Lees recommended the county issue an RFP or hire an independent benefits consultant to analyze contracts and networks and negotiate lower reimbursement rates; he said such changes could generate conservative savings in the mid-hundreds of thousands without large employee impacts and could reduce employee premium shares.

Commissioners directed staff to prepare a budget timeline and to return with specific dates and a short statement for departments describing any preliminary guidance on COLA/target percentages. Several commissioners asked Lisa (county staff) to bring a recommended timeline and to return to the board for a follow-up meeting where the commission could set a target, if desired. The board did not adopt a fixed percentage at the meeting.