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Board approves insurance renewal, library digital-contract renewal and clerk appointment
Summary
After a consultant's briefing on large claims that pushed renewal pricing higher, the Orange County Board approved health plan renewals (with a modest plan-design adjustment), authorized a Blue Ridge Download Consortium contract renewal for library digital content, and appointed Glenda Bradley Paul as clerk.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors on July 22 approved a package of administrative actions after hearing staff presentations and consultant analysis.
Health insurance renewals and claims briefing
Jenny Carpenter, the county's human resources director, told the board the county had budgeted for a 15% renewal but the market renewal came in at 20%. To avoid shifting the full increase to employees, staff recommended a single adjustment: increase the deductible on one high-deductible plan from $3,200 to $3,300, which Carpenter said would return the county to its budget target.
Carpenter also told the board the county's health fund is projected to run a negative balance this year and will require a temporary transfer from pooled funds of approximately $1,600,000 to cover expenditures. "Our renewal came in at 20%," she said, and staff proposed the limited change to avoid passing a larger premium increase to employees.
McGriff consultant Ed White Bindley explained why the renewal was higher: the county and schools, on a self-funded Anthem plan with stop-loss coverage, experienced an unusual number of very large claims including a roughly $1 million claim earlier in the year. McGriff projected blended claims of about $11,542,000 and total plan costs (including fixed stop-loss and admin fees) near $12,500,000, supporting the staff's target of an approximate 15% rate-setting figure for budgeting purposes.
The board voted to accept staff and management's recommendation for the health, dental and optional insurance renewals for the plan year beginning Oct. 1, 2025. The motion was moved and seconded on the record and approved on a roll call with board members recorded as voting in the affirmative.
Library digital-content contract
Amanda Amos, contract and procurement specialist, recommended renewing the county libraries' membership in the Blue Ridge Download Consortium, which provides digital materials through the OverDrive platform. Amos said the FY26 allocation in the budget is "just over $138,000" across three branches and that FY25 expenditures were about $115,000. The board authorized the renewal by voice vote.
Appointment of clerk
The board approved resolution 250722-6c to appoint Glenda Bradley Paul as clerk to the Orange County Board of Supervisors through the organizational meeting in January 2026 (the position vacated by Mr. Voorhees). The resolution was moved and seconded and approved by roll call.
Other actions and next steps
The board scheduled a public hearing for an amendment to chapter 58 of the county code at its next meeting on Aug. 12. No members of the public spoke during the public-comment period. The board entered a closed session to discuss prospective county-administrator candidates and certain personnel matters as permitted by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Code of Virginia —air reference:2.2-3711(A)(1). After the closed session, members certified that only the exempt matters were discussed and adjourned the meeting.
