Polk County approves insurance package, Mahoney Group contract for Boston waste-to-energy plant

Polk County commissioners voted to renew and expand insurance coverage for the county's Boston waste-to-energy facility and to retain a broker to secure policies. Presenter - Waste & Energy (S10) told the board the county had been directed to seek its own coverage after the County Insurance Trust declined to extend policies to those facilities. S10 said the Mahoney Group had renegotiated property values and produced quotes showing a small premium reduction for the coming term: “They actually dropped the rate to $2.67 $6.22,” S10 said, and outlined a terrorism-insurance option the county had purchased in recent years.

The board approved three related motions: a $25,000 engagement with the Mahoney Group to solicit and place coverage; authorization to buy terrorism coverage with Star Insurance; and authorization of the property-insurance binder for the next term beginning Aug. 1 (total premium cited in the packet was $267,622). Each motion was moved and seconded and passed on unanimous voice votes with the meeting record showing “Carried.”

County staff said the insurer group conducting inspections had identified industry-specific safety upgrades that sometimes required capital spending but reduced the facility's risk profile. The board did not seek detailed line-by-line policy terms at the meeting; staff said the Mahoney Group would complete placement and return finalized policy documents to the county files.

The board's action allows procurement work under existing budget authority to proceed and ensures continuous coverage for the plant through the next policy year. No public comment or formal roll-call tally was recorded in the minutes for these votes; the minutes record voice approval on each motion.

The next step is execution of the broker agreement and issuance of the property and terrorism insurance binders.