Commissioners consider countywide financial‑literacy benefit for employees; three‑year SmartDollar quote discussed

County department heads presented a proposal to offer an online financial‑literacy benefit to county employees using a SmartDollar (Financial Peace/SmartDollar model) platform.

Presenters described program components — a mobile‑friendly budgeting app, tax‑filing tools, curricula, one‑on‑one coaching and Spanish language resources — and said participating employers have seen lower turnover. The presenters said a three‑year plan would cost about $6,192 per year (roughly $18,600 total) to cover up to 99 employees; a county‑wide purchase would modestly increase the enrollment base but would not proportionally raise the price. For smaller participation limited to a couple of departments, the presenters estimated roughly $5,000 for a three‑year commitment.

The presenters emphasized the program is voluntary and largely self‑paced; most employees would use personal devices outside work hours though departments could optionally show short videos at a safety meeting. Commissioners asked for materials and said staff should forward the vendor email and supporting attachments; no formal commitment or vote was recorded at the meeting. County staff planned a follow‑up virtual meeting with the vendor to answer questions.

Ending: Commissioners did not adopt the program at the Jan. 13 meeting; staff will supply the vendor materials and may invite commissioners to a scheduled vendor call.