County switches gears on insurance
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

In less than one hour, Jasper County Commissioners dispatched 10 agenda items July 30, including voting unanimously to return to TAC, the Texas Association of Counties, for health care insurance.

Commissioners had postponed a decision on insurance last month because no bids were received.

On Monday, County Auditor Dru Miller handed out three proposals. Cigna, the current insurance carrier, went up $119,000. TAC offered $84,000 less than their previous renewal rate. The third proposal from a local insurance agent offered TAC with the addition of broker services, but was more expensive than TAC alone.

The TAC proposal will return the county to the same plan they had for several years, including a higher $750 deductible (currently $500) but lower co-pays for specialists.

County Judge Mark Allen said TAC last year returned money to their insurance clients. "Their pool is continuously growing as they pick up more counties... hopefully, they will continue to grow and offer loyalty incentives."

The Texas Association of Counties has provided services and assistance to member counties for 30 years. TAC enables smaller counties like Jasper to obtain better rates by joining with other counties on things like group medical coverage. The actual insurance offered through TAC will be Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Unlike for-profit groups, if the insurance pool builds up when claims are low, TAC returns the surplus to its members.

Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Freddie Miller was one of several who cheered at the court's vote to return to TAC. "Until you've had Cigna problems, you ain't had no problems," Miller said.

Precinct 3, Kirbyville

The court unanimously approved Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Susan Racliff's request for a new computer. She said her old one "hangs up constantly" and is not able to handle programs she needs to use. Her old computer, which works fine as far as Word is concerned, will be recycled to Constable Ronnie Hutchison.

The court approved the appointment of board members for the Kirbyville Community Day Care as proposed by Precinct 3 Commissioner Willie Stark.

Carolyn Motl, Tom McClurg and Bobbie Samuel were approved to three-year terms, and retired Judge Joe Folk was approved for a two-year term on the board.

Stark said no new appointments had been made since before Hurricane Rita; by approving the proposed board, the county will enable them to pursue a $693,000 USDA grant for better day care in Kirbyville.

Constables and Sheriff

Hutchison asked commissioners to change the policy on reimbursing constables for serving civil papers for the county sheriff's office.

"Every paper we serve is a profit going into the general fund," Hutchison said.

The county collects $35 to $100 in fees, depending on the type of papers served, and can also recover some additional hourly fees from the law firms that file suit.

Hutchison, who said he represents all the constables who could not be in court, said the delays in being reimbursed for expenses to serve those papers affected his office's ability to function.

County Auditor Dru Miller said the policy requiring Sheriff Ronnie McBride to sign off on all requests was not a county policy; it falls under the jurisdiction of her office.

In discussion, commissioners and Miller recommended constables draw up a standard letter. Miller said she would accept other signatures for reimbursement if McBride designates who is authorized to approve payment for papers served.

The court approved a request from the sheriff's office to allow funds accrued under contracts for housing Polk and Hardin county inmates to pay for overtime or extra help when the jail capacity exceeds 96 inmates (see Jasper Jail story, this issue).

Chief Deputy Jack Jett explained that the jail is running most efficiently when it is close to capacity, but that means that occasionally they go over the maximum population allowed.

If this were a long-term situation, Jasper would ask the other counties to take back some of their inmates; the problem arises when there is a temporary, unanticipated surge in jail population.

The simplest short-term solution, Jett proposed, is to budget funds for overtime and extra help on an "as needed" basis.

Stark agreed, "This is an appropriate way to handle the situation until we get to the point we can expand."

"The lights and the A/C are running whether we have 10 or 96 inmates... it makes sense as long as the extra money is coming in (to designate it) to help our neighbors," Allen said.

The court unanimously approved the budget request.

Wind Energy

All four commissioners and Allen were planning to attend a special session convened in Houston yesterday, July 31, to meet with British Petroleum executives, which was cancelled at the last minute.

This was a fact-finding mission to explore the development of wind farms on school lands that the county owns in Pecos County.

"This information should hopefully help us ascertain which direction we need to proceed," Allen said.

Allen has asked District Attorney Steve Hollis to review the Pecos Land file.

The county must decide by Dec. 29 whether to renew Pecos Renewable Energy's contract or consider other options.