Board approves $768 payment to cover missing 2023 wellness challenge invoice

The Pottawatomie County Board of Supervisors voted to pay a $768 invoice for the county wellness committee’s 2023 participation in the Iowa Healthiest State walking challenge after staff said the bill had been misdirected and was unpaid.

Janet Limerick, director of human resources, told the board the county participated in the walking challenge in 2023 and 2024 but had only recently learned a 2023 invoice had not been settled. “Technically, it's for 2023's budget,” Limerick said. She said the 2023 invoice is $768 and the 2024 invoice is $556; the committee currently has $953.22 remaining in its budget but also has additional near-term expenses related to mental health awareness month.

Limerick said the Iowa Sports Foundation — which administers the walking challenge billing for the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative — had sent invoices to incorrect addresses (one was addressed to juvenile detention), which delayed payment. She asked the board to approve payment for the 2023 invoice so the committee could continue to participate and enroll employees in the program.

A board member moved to pay the $768; supervisors called the question, heard no opposition and the motion passed. Board members discussed ensuring future invoices are routed promptly and asked for better enrollment and billing coordination with the Iowa Sports Foundation.

Limerick described typical wellness activities that qualify employees for program benefits: biometric screening and health-risk assessments (which can reduce monthly benefit premiums), walking challenges, lunch-and-learns, weight-loss challenges and mental-health awareness events. She reported about 604 participants for the 2023 walking challenge and estimated a per-person cost around $12.

The board directed staff to monitor timelier invoicing and enrollment procedures for future challenges; no further appropriations were requested at the meeting.