County to pay retiree premium increases

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Retired employees of Scurry County will not have to pay for an increase in their medical and prescription supplemental policies that will take effect Jan. 1.
During their meeting today, county commissioners voted unanimously to absorb the coming 8 percent increase in premiums on those policies.
Absorbing the increases will cost the county an additional $12,000 in the coming year, County Treasurer Nelda Colvin said. If the increases had been passed on to the retirees, it would have cost them between $14 and $20 more per month on their coverage.
Six people attending today’s meeting — Chloanne Lindsey, Ann Everett, Ralph Trevey, Howard Limmer, C.D. Gray Jr. and Larry Thompson — all urged commissioners to absorb at least a portion of the increases.
Trevey, a former county commissioner, said the action was needed in order to help retain employees.
“What you’re facing isn’t anything new. We had the same problem,” Trevey said. “Ever since the first oil company came to Scurry County, you’ve had the same problem. Competing with the oil companies for employees, you’re going to lose (salary-wise), every single time. What we found out is that we could help keep our employees through our benefits package, which is what this is part of. To deviate from that would be a travesty.”
The public comments were backed up by those from commissioners.
“We told people they’d have this when they retire and we can’t go back on that,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Craig Merritt said. “What we can do is inform new employees that we’re going to change our policy and if that’s not acceptable to them, they can make a decision from there.”
Pct. 1 Commissioner Terry Williams agreed with his colleague.
“We need to appreciate those people who did the work for us and are doing the work for us,” Williams said. “I agree that you shouldn’t take away something people have budgeted for.”
Also today, commissioners approved three changes to the deed restrictions on property in the Maverick West sub-division. The first change will eliminate a requirement for outbuildings on properties to have brick or stone facings, another allowed for one structure to occupy two lots while the third amended restrictions so that setback requirements conform to City of Snyder standards.
Maverick West property owners must also approve the amended restrictions before they take effect.
In other business, commissioners approved a three-year contract with Weaver & Wiggins Turf Management, LLC, of Snyder to provide grounds maintenance management at the county golf course. The annual cost of the contract is $144,000 and does not have an automatic renewal feature.
Commissioners also approved the addition of CR 1119 to the current road use agreement with Coyote Wind, LLC, amended tax abatement agreements with Coyote Wind, Comanche Solar Project, LLC and Flatland Solar, LLC, certification of additional revenue in the form of a $50,000 payment from Avfuel as part of a grant program with the county airport and $62,580 from Ector and Taylor counties to house additional inmates at the county jail.
Also, commissioners adopted a resolution on the 2020 Indigent Defense Grant Program, approved a full-time position in Pct. 2 to replace a part-time position and approved an agreement with A1 Air Conditioning for the removal of heating, ventilation and air conditioning units from the old Scurry County Country Club building. The removal will be at no cost to the county — A1 will keep one of the units and the county will auction off the remaining six.
Commissioners approved the following line-item transfers today — $17,500 for Pct. 3 from road material and construction and fuel and oil to maintenance and repair and communications for equipment repairs and radios for each piece of equipment; $10,000 for Pct. 2 from road material and construction to maintenance and repairs for older equipment; $6,500 for Hermleigh Water Works from contract labor to operating supplies, education and training and repairs in order to pay bills; $4,500 for the health unit from operating, lab fees, equipment and maintenance and repair to education and training for costs required for continuing education and certifications for immunizations and environmental health; $2,275 for Scurry County EMS from maintenance and repair to equipment for a mobile VHF radio, deck and license key; $2,000 for Pct. 4 from road maintenance and construction to part-time employee; $955 for the county attorney from maintenance agreement, public office liability insurance, law books and supplies to education and training; $500 for maintenance from maintenance to fuel and oil to cover costs.
Commissioners also approved bill payments in the amount of $221,000.