Commission Hears About Insurance

The Jeff Davis County Commission last week heard an update on the newly hired company to handle the county’s health insurance.
Timerie Powell went over the procedures used to find the best health care insurer, how the employees had been educated on the benefits package, that an open access website had been created and an information portal was built to enable employees to access their coverage and get other information.
She said 102 employees had signed up for coverage and the system should be in place in 6-8 months. The company also approved telemedicine access, will coordinate a wellness fair — hoping to work with the school system — and was also coordinating with the local hospital, Southern Eyecare, and local gyms in hopes of getting discounted prices for employees through a wellness initiative.
Powell also shared information on the life insurance plan, long term disability plan, pharmacy plan and other aspects of the package.
Bill Twomey with the Association County Commissions of Georgia talked with the commissioners about how the association can assist with a community planning retreat set for October. Representatives of the county, city, schools, chamber, industrial authority, etc., will meet in the coming weeks to develop a list of topics to be taken up at the retreat.
In other action, the commissioners ….
…. listened as County Administrator Keith Carter explained the importance of the 2020 census and shared that Industrial Authority Executive Director Andrea Taylor had asked that the county adopt a resolution to form a committee to work to ensure an accurate population count.
…. turned down a request by Tourism Director Jim Sewell that a fence be put up to stop vehicle traffic from going from the county-owned Big House to the Hardees restaurant next door. He said the traffic was damaging the driveway to the Big House and trash was blowing from Hardees onto the county’s property. Commissioner James Benjamin expressed concerns that the fence would make it more difficult for customers of the hotel on the other side of the Big House to get to Hardees and Commissioner Vann Wooten wanted to get the Big House remodeled before putting up a fence.
…. approved purchasing a used truck for the recreation department.
…. approved getting bids for a mini-excavator.
…. approved East Coast Asphalt’s bid to pave the Altamaha Road.