Cochise County officials review risk management budget as insurance pool premiums rise

Cochise County supervisors spent the work session reviewing the county's risk management budget and raised concerns about rising pooled-insurance premiums and the scope of coverage for elected officials.

The discussion focused on the county's insurance and judgment lines within the risk-management budget. Julie Morales, the county's risk manager, told the board the budget includes a $350,000 line for judgment, damages and settlements; the county had spent about $162,000 of that amount so far this fiscal year, Morales said. She also described the risk-management fund as a "drawdown fund."

Board members flagged a projected increase in the county's pooled insurance premium. Morales told the board Cochise County paid about $709,078 in premiums in the prior year and staff were tentatively budgeting about $806,780 for the coming year. She said the increase followed…