Commissioners discuss interlocal agreements and health insurance

Commissioner Todd Ewen (March 3)

Before discussing health insurance and interlocal agreements, this week’s Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting began with a quick swap of agenda items (just a change in the order), approval of the agenda, claims and payroll, and a public comment made by Max Greene.

Greene addressed the board with a prepared statement regarding the Washington County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).

He said the Jefferson County BZA is facing a lawsuit over a data center decision for allegedly failing to follow required procedures under the 600 Series of IC 36-7-4 and for violating public notice requirements under Indiana’s Open Door Law (IC 5-14-1.5). He referenced the earlier Washington County BZA case lost to Doug Turner, in which Turner’s attorney fees were approximately $8,000.

Greene stated he has filed a complaint with the Public Access Counselor concerning public notice requirements and is awaiting a ruling. He argued that the county has been unable to appoint a fully legal BZA for 11 years and specifically criticized the appointment of Commissioner Todd Ewen to the board, citing IC 36-7-4-905, which prohibits elected officials from serving on a Board of Zoning Appeals.

“If you have to be taken to court to get state law compliance, is it really worth an additional $8,000 of taxpayer dollars for the county to continue to have an illegal board membership?” Greene asked. He said he does not intend to sue the county himself but is requesting full compliance with state law on citizen board membership. If the county continues to refuse, he said he will ask Commissioner candidate Wes Bowers to consider abolishing county planning and zoning, as Pike, Martin, and Greene counties have done since 2017.

Greene concluded that the only apparent purpose of zoning appears to be preventing lower-income residents from dividing a couple of acres for their children.

Max Greene (Feb. 3)

Following Greene’s comments, the meeting pivoted to concerns regarding health insurance and the difficulty in finding a provider willing to send in a quote for Washington County due to the high claims totals in the past.

Tyler Neal of JA Benefits appeared to discuss the county’s health insurance situation. He noted the current agent had presented a roughly 43% increase on the renewal. Neal said other south-central Indiana counties have faced similar or larger increases and that his firm had helped one county substantially reduce a 92% proposed increase through an independent claims review.

Neal asked the commissioners to allow his firm to review the county’s claims data and explore market options, with no obligation to switch if nothing better is found.

Commissioners explained that Indiana law requires a formal bid process for insurance, the current renewal is September 1, and the timeline (including a required two-week advertisement) makes a change impossible for this year. They invited Neal to participate when the next formal bid cycle occurs.

Zack Richards from Knapp Miller Brown Insurance Services, who is also the county’s current insurance agent, then provided an update on quoting efforts:

• Angle Health (using the Sigma network) declined, citing the group’s health conditions.

• Nationwide and Optimal also declined to quote.

• Proposals have been received from United Healthcare and SIHO.

• One additional carrier has been approached but is considered a long shot.

Zack Richards (July 7)

Richards outlined options to reduce the impact of the more than 40% increase (expiring premium approximately $1.4 million; proposed renewal slightly over $2 million):

• Raise the high-deductible health plan deductible from $3,400 to $4,000.

  
  

• Move to a single HSA-eligible high-deductible plan ($4,000 deductible / $7,000 out-of-pocket maximum) and seed $1,000 into each enrolled employee’s HSA account. This approach would result in roughly an 11% increase or nearly a flat renewal after the seeding cost (approximately $170,000 additional rather than the full $600,000-plus jump). Current enrollment on the HSA plan is already the majority (93 lives versus 47 on the lower-deductible plan).

Richards also noted that the employee clinic (operated jointly with the City of Salem and Jean's Extrusion) shows only about 50% participation. He recommended encouraging greater use and said the clinic representative is willing to present data at a future meeting.

Commissioners asked Richards to finalize numbers and present clear options at the next meeting (referenced as the 4th). They expressed interest in avoiding the full 43% increase while remaining realistic about employee impact.

Then, Highway Superintendent Rick Voyles was invited forward to provide project updates.

• Bridge 39 (Franklin Bottoms Road): Final permit requests to DNR and IDEM are due by August 7, with responses expected within 30 days. The project was planned for this year’s budget but may slip due to permitting delays.

• Radcliffe Road / State Road 150 intersection: INDOT requested design changes. HWC Engineering is handling the revisions before resubmittal. Utility relocation is still hoped for this year; construction is targeted for spring 2027.

• Road inventory correction: East Steve Miller Road. The length needs to be corrected from 3.011 miles to 4.282 miles (an increase of 1.271 miles). The board approved a motion supporting the correction so it can be submitted to the state.

Rick Voyles (July 7)

Voyles then raised a policy issue involving work in incorporated towns, specifically Little York and Hardinsburg.

He detailed an April 2026 culvert washout on Little York School Road after flooding. The county installed a new culvert after the town paid for the pipe at the county’s cost ($4,904.88). No labor, fuel, riprap, or patching costs were charged. The town reimbursed the exact amount promptly. Voyles provided invoices and photos and strongly disputed any claim that the county overcharged Little York.

Regarding Hardinsburg, Voyles said the department patched potholes on Cheshire Lane (partly Washington County, partly Hardinsburg) after a FedEx driver reported nearly wrecking in a hole. The work used approximately $970 in asphalt over about two hours, and no charge was made to the town. Similar minor patching has occurred in Livonia. Voyles emphasized the difference between patching and paving and said the department was simply trying to be a good neighbor and avoid liability or tire damage claims.

An extended, and at times heated, exchange followed between Voyles and the commissioners (particularly involving comments attributed to Commissioner Phillip Marshall) over whether the highway department was giving preferential treatment to certain towns, whether the work constituted improper gifts under State Board of Accounts rules, and the need for a clear policy.

Commissioners and Voyles agreed the county currently lacks a formal policy or interlocal agreements with the small incorporated towns. Without such agreements, providing materials or labor can create compliance issues with the State Board of Accounts. Options discussed were:

• Formal interlocal agreements with each town.

  
  

• Returning to the previous practice of minimal involvement (towns responsible for their own roads) until agreements can be drafted.

Consensus was to temporarily return to the prior hands-off approach while County Attorney April Geltmaker works on interlocal agreements. Voyles stated he simply needs clear direction so the department is not left in the middle of political or compliance disputes.

Following this, a motion was made to adjourn and was approved.