By Jamie Gardner
The Appling County Board of Commissioners held a called meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 10. Following the first of two closed-door sessions for personnel purposes, a motion was made by Commissioner Ronnie Rentz to advertise for and hire an assistant road superintendent. Commissioner Charlie Leggett seconded Rentz’s motion. Chairman Lewis Parker called for a vote and Rentz and Leggett voted in favor of the motion. Commissioners Sarah Boatright, Theodore Wilkerson and Jasper Tomberlin opposed the motion.
Commission votes to hire second director
Tomberlin followed with another motion to advertise for and hire a second public works director and Boatright seconded the motion. The motion passed with Tomberlin, Boatright and Wilkerson voting in favor. Rentz and Leggett opposed the measure.
County Manager Lee Lewis reported that he questioned the commission if the new co-director would share the same responsibilities as the current Director Tommy Davis or if each director would be assigned different responsibilities. Commissioner Tomberlin stated that this would be determined at a later date according to the applicants or upon the person hired for the position.
Following this decision, Wilkerson made a motion to enter into a second closed session for personnel. Boatright seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. After the session, a motion was made by Wilkerson to rehire county employee Richard Reynolds. Boatright seconded the motion. This motion carried also on a split vote with Wilkerson, Boatright and Tomberlin voting in favor, and Rentz and Leggett opposed.
Manager Lewis explained to the newspaper that he had terminated Reynolds in December for not following county policy.
Health insurance coverage
The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the county’s health insurance coverage with no changes. At a prior meeting the commission had been given a number of options by Lewis to help reduce the proposed 30 percent increase for the coverage provided by United Healthcare. Some of the options included raising deductibles and copays for county employees. In 2011 the medical insurance coverage cost for county employees was $1,999,033.00. The insurance will cost the county $2,589,947.00 in 2012. According to Lewis, United Healthcare has reported the major factor that contributed to the high increase in premium is the amount of claims filed by the county.
Other business
The board approved the reappointment of Ronald Burkett to serve on the Regional Development Center Board.
Board members voted and established the 2012 qualifying fees, which will be three percent of the salary for the elected position being sought after.
(Editor’s note: The News-Banner was not able to attend this meeting. The following information was received through an interview with County Manager Lewis.)
County Manager Lee Lewis reported that he questioned the commission if the new co-director would share the same responsibilities as the current Director Tommy Davis or if each director would be assigned different responsibilities. Commissioner Tomberlin stated that this would be determined at a later date according to the applicants or upon the person hired for the position.
Following this decision, Wilkerson made a motion to enter into a second closed session for personnel. Boatright seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. After the session, a motion was made by Wilkerson to rehire county employee Richard Reynolds. Boatright seconded the motion. This motion carried also on a split vote with Wilkerson, Boatright and Tomberlin voting in favor, and Rentz and Leggett opposed.
Manager Lewis explained to the newspaper that he had terminated Reynolds in December for not following county policy.
Health insurance coverage
The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the county’s health insurance coverage with no changes. At a prior meeting the commission had been given a number of options by Lewis to help reduce the proposed 30 percent increase for the coverage provided by United Healthcare. Some of the options included raising deductibles and copays for county employees. In 2011 the medical insurance coverage cost for county employees was $1,999,033.00. The insurance will cost the county $2,589,947.00 in 2012. According to Lewis, United Healthcare has reported the major factor that contributed to the high increase in premium is the amount of claims filed by the county.
Other business
The board approved the reappointment of Ronald Burkett to serve on the Regional Development Center Board.
Board members voted and established the 2012 qualifying fees, which will be three percent of the salary for the elected position being sought after.
(Editor’s note: The News-Banner was not able to attend this meeting. The following information was received through an interview with County Manager Lewis.)
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