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Hancock County board sets employee insurance premium at $80 a month, finalizes levy figures
Summary
At a Sept. 24 budget meeting, Hancock County board members voted to set employee health insurance premiums at $80 per month, reviewed levy allocations (including $118,000 for the Extension Center and $1,500 for Soil & Water), discussed a proposed 10% public defender increase and set meeting dates before adjourning.
Hancock County board members voted Sept. 24 to set the employee health insurance premium at $80 per month after a roll call vote at a budget meeting in Carthage.
The motion to move the premium to $80 was made by board member Alex Blythe and seconded by Steve Lucie. Joe Boyles voted no; all other members present — Wayne Bollin, Harry Douglas, Steve Lucie, Lee Ann Lambert, Alex Blythe and Mark Menn — voted yes, and the motion carried.
The meeting included informational presentations from Tim Murphy and Michelle Berry of the Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation office, who described technical and financial support services, Arbor Day tree distributions and equipment and supply sales. Shelby Crow of the Hancock County Extension Center outlined an expanding 4-H program (about 200 children participated in a recent forestry contest), 'Ag in the Classroom' and the 'Welcome to the Real World' program. Crow said the Extension matches county board funding and that the state requires them to maintain a 4-H program.
On levy and audit items, the board recorded several budget figures: Hancock County Soil & Water was allocated $1,500; the Extension Center levy discussion noted $118,000; an audit vendor estimate of $37,800 plus transportation costs was reported and the audit levy was set at $26,000. The minutes state these amounts for inclusion in the levy review.
Members discussed a proposed 10% increase in the conflict public defender contract; Chair Wayne Bollin said he would speak with Mr. Dittmer to see whether Dittmer would accept a 5% increase instead. The board also reviewed the sheriff’s department credit card billing and agreed to investigate raising the hotel per diem rate.
The board instructed that Elgin Berry be told his department will receive a 2% raise. Members set a meeting for Oct. 2 at 7 p.m., then voted to recess until Sept. 30 at 7:00 p.m.; the meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
The decisions recorded in the minutes include the health insurance premium vote and the specified levy and allocation amounts; where the minutes did not record separate roll-call votes for levy items, the minutes list the figures as set.
