Codington County commissioners approve routine items, stipend and insurance renewal

Codington County commissioners on March 25 approved several routine administrative items, a monthly stipend for a county director and an employee insurance renewal.

The board voted to approve the meeting agenda and the March 18 minutes, authorized a $40-per-month cellphone stipend for the community service office director, approved Delta Dental's renewal and employee/employer splits, and approved claims totaling $26,032.13 that included a $20,688 invoice from TEGRA for the county jail project.

The board approved the agenda and minutes by voice vote. The motion to grant a $40 monthly stipend to Sarah, the community service office director, carried on a voice vote; the transcript records a second by Commissioner Schwere but does not name the member who made the motion. The Delta Dental renewal was approved after staff reported the insurer proposed a 20.8% increase but applied a rate-stability program to limit the county's increase to 5%. The board agreed the county will continue to pay the single rate; for two-party and three-or-more coverages, the county and the employee will each pay half of the new premiums ($45.10 and $65.65, respectively).

The board approved claims of $26,032.13, which included routine vendor invoices and the $20,688 TEGRA bill for the new jail project. The motion to approve claims was moved by Commissioner McElhaney and seconded by Commissioner Schwere, and carried by voice vote.

The board later moved into an executive session to discuss personnel matters; the motion carried by voice vote and the chair said no action was anticipated to follow.

Votes at a glance - Approve agenda — outcome: approved (voice vote). Moved by Commissioner Schwere; second by Commissioner Johnson. Referenced in transcript starting at the agenda motion and ending at the chair's acceptance of the motion. - Approve March 18 minutes — outcome: approved (voice vote). Moved by Commissioner Johnson; second not specified in the transcript excerpt. - Approve $40/month cellphone stipend for community service office director (Sarah) — outcome: approved (voice vote). Second recorded by Commissioner Schwere; mover not specified in transcript. Note: amount recorded in meeting as $40 per month. - Approve Delta Dental renewal and employee/county splits — outcome: approved (voice vote). Motion by Commissioner Gable; second by Commissioner McElhaney. New single rate: $50.10; two-party: $90.20 (county/employee share $45.10 each); three-or-more: $131.30 (county/employee share $65.65 each). - Approve claims ($26,032.13), including TEGRA invoice $20,688 for new jail project — outcome: approved (voice vote). Moved by Commissioner McElhaney; second by Commissioner Schwere. - Motion to enter executive session (personnel) — outcome: approved (voice vote). Moved by Johnson; second by Schwere. Chair stated no action anticipated to follow.

The transcript records voice votes for the approvals without roll-call tallies; where the mover or seconder was not explicitly named in the excerpt, the article notes that the transcript did not specify the mover.