Warren County Sheriff's Department employees made it clear they were not in favor of paying more for health insurance coverage at a meeting with county officials last Thursday. Deputies and other department personnel said they shouldn't have to assume additional insurance costs when salaries have not been increased for four consecutive years. They were also upset that the county commission was considering not continuing to pay 100 percent of an employees' health insurance. Commissioners said last Thursday's meeting was intended to help review and evaluate the various proposed insurance packages with a committee comprised of county employees representing each department. Instead, sheriff's department personnel filled the commission chambers and gave voice to concerns about the rising costs in health insurance and the possibility being passed on to them. Currently, the county pays 100 percent of the health insurance premiums for each employee. If the county renews its current insurance package administered by Mercy, the monthly premium for each employee would increase by $89.47, an increase of $1,073.64 a year. Based on 107 county employees, the rate increase would cost the county an additional $114,879.48 in 2012. That figure does not include any additional expenses for spouses and children insured under the county's plan. County employees are responsible for paying 100 percent of the premiums for spouses and children. Other insurance plans are also being considered including some that would lower the monthly premiums and raise deductibles, but no final decision has been made. Scott Agency insurance agent Katina Ohmes, the county's insurance broker, attributed the health insurance increase to the carrier paying more claims than the amount of premiums paid for by the county and its employees last year. The consensus among the group that met with the commission supported staying with the county's current insurance plan. "We want you as a commission to suck it up this year and pay it," Deputy Ed McCormick said. "Whatever the cost is, you pay it. If something goes south, if the income gets worse, we will have to deal with it next year. The consensus from what I'm hearing in here and everybody I've talked to, these guys cannot afford the rates right now. You have to find $100,000, find somewhere to get it and see what the economy brings next year." Commissioners emphasized that no decision has been made on whether or not the county will continue paying all of an employee's health insurance premiums. "We're still getting info on how we should proceed," Northern District Commissioner Dan Hampson told The Record. For now, commissioners said a plan needs to be chosen before a decision is made on who is assuming the additional expense. The insurance package must be finalized by the end of the month." The county is planning a meeting with employees to gather more input on the proposed insurance packages this Monday at 11 a.m. County officials expect to begin preparations next month on the 2012 budget, which will likely be adopted in January. "We will look at it at budget time," Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage said in response to the issue of whether employees will be responsible for the additional health care costs. "We need to know what route to go with the plan first. Some employees said the county commission is putting other priorities ahead of taking care of its employees. They said that continued neglect could lead to a continued high turnover within the sheriff's department as employees seek better paying jobs elsewhere. The majority of the employees in the department are working a second or even third job and say they still are having trouble making ends meet according to employees who spoke at the meeting. "There should be a concerted effort by the commissioners to take care of the employees just as much as you do about the roads and anything else that falls under the government entity," Deputy Greg Hilke said. Currently, the starting pay for a deputy is $14.50 an hour, or $30,160 annually. While sheriff's department employees have not received a pay raise for four years, the hourly pay for other county employees was increased by 10 cents this year. Sheriff Kevin Harrison, however, elected to forgo the hourly increase allocated to his department to avoid layoffs after a yearly transfer from the county general revenue fund was cut by 5 percent. When references were made to the construction of the county's new $6.5 million administration building and the paving of county roads, Engelage emphasized that the funding for those capital improvement projects are restricted and cannot be used for employee wages. Some employees also questioned why the commissioners rolled back the county's tax rate. Engelage defended the move stating the county has regularly decreased the tax rate when sales tax revenue has increased and had done that to help all county taxpayers. FACILITY CEREMONYDerrick Forsythe Photo.