Council committee advances multiple board appointments and a $361 million employee health plan contract

Cuyahoga County council committee members on Tuesday advanced a slate of reappointments and nominations across county boards and approved contracting measures to secure employee health coverage for the next multi-year plan.

Appointments and reappointments advanced under second-reading suspension included: - Dolores Garcia, recommended for the MetroHealth System board of trustees (unexpired term through Feb. 28, 2027) (Resolution 20250051). - Reverend Artis A. Arnold III, recommended to MetroHealth (unexpired term through March 9, 2027) (Resolution 20250052). - Sam Thomas III, reappointed to the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging board (Resolution 20250053). - Nestor Rivera Sr., appointed to the Nancy McDonald Community Based Correctional Facility (CBCF) governing board (Resolution 20250054). - Brandy Carney, reappointed to the CBCF governing board (Resolution 20250055). - Scott Osecki, reappointed to the CBCF governing board (Resolution 20250057). - Cynthia Versanski Schultz, reappointed to the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Resolution 20250058). - Cheryl King Benford, reappointed to the Cuyahoga County Law Library Resources Board (Resolution 20250059). - Marca Fields, designated as the alternate to the mayor on the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission (Resolution 20250060).

Committee members generally praised nominees’ community experience and asked about conflicts of interest, residency and oversight. Several nominees described board-level changes, service delivery improvements and outreach efforts: Sam Thomas highlighted strategic planning and board development at the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging; CBCF nominees and staff described operational changes (commissary controls, judicial approvals for certain releases) and expanded client counts; Law Library leadership described partnerships with bar associations and pro se services.

On contracting, the committee approved Resolution 20250066, an administrative-services-only award to Medical Mutual in a not-to-exceed amount of $361,085,387.30 for group health care benefits covering the county, dependent participants and regionalization program participants for Jan. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2027. Human resources director Sarah Nemestal and benefits director Gloria Langford described the combined RFP, which received eight proposals, and explained that as a self-insured employer the county pays claims while Medical Mutual administers them. Staff said administrative fees represent about 2.4% of the contract value and that Medical Mutual will provide $200,000 annually in wellness funds.

The committee also approved Resolution 20250067 awarding stop-loss insurance not to exceed $2,126,403 for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025, to protect the county’s self-insured plan from catastrophic claims.

Committee members asked whether mental-health benefits are covered (staff confirmed coverage under the medical plan), discussed wellness incentives and cost-control strategies proposed by consultant Oswald Companies, and requested briefings for new council members on available benefits programs. All items on the agenda were advanced by voice vote under second-reading suspension or passed unanimously in committee.

Next steps: appointments advanced under suspension will go to the full council for confirmation; contracts will proceed to council consideration under the administration’s recommendation.