The Commissioners Court approved changes Tuesday for health care coverage for employees hired in the future by the county. New employees hired on or after October 1, 2017 will be effected by the changes in coverage for employees, dependents, and retirees.
Employees hired as of October 1 will still receive 100 percent healthcare coverage from the county as approved unanimously by the Court, but the Commissioners also voted unanimously to cut health care contributions for dependents of new employees hired as of October 1 of this year. The longest discussion involved healthcare coverage for future employees when they retire and required two votes of the Court’s members.
First, County Judge Brint Carlton and Commissioner Jody Crump were in favor of cutting all coverage for the future employees when they retire, but that motion was defeated by the other three Commissioners. Next by a vote of 4 to 1, the Court did approve providing county paid healthcare for future employees when they retire between the ages of 60 and 65, but there will be an 80-point plan requirement that the employee must meet combining years of service with the employee’s age at the time of retirement to be eligible for county funded healthcare. After age 65 the county’s contribution would cease. Commissioner Crump cast the lone dissenting vote since he favored cutting all county funded healthcare for future retirees. Current employees and retirees are not effected by Tuesday’s action from the Commissioners Court.
Commissioners approved $100,000 in Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds be awarded to the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce. Ida Schossow, director of the chamber, made the request for the HOT funds stating the funds will be used to attract an unnamed fishing tournament to Orange in the Spring of 2018. She estimated the tournament could generate between $1.1 to $2.1 million for the area.
The wording for Personnel Policy #415 regarding all county facilities being tobacco-free workplaces was amended. The word “premise” was changed to “building” to be more specific where smoking will be prohibited. The policy states no smoking will be allowed within 25 feet of the buildings or entrances to them. It will be at least next week before the number of signs that will be needed is determined and which budget line item will be used to purchase the signage to be placed outside the county buildings.
Orange County employees will have 13 paid holidays in 2018. The Commissioners approved dropping July 3 which was a paid holiday this year, but will recognize Texas Independence Day, March 2, as an employee holiday. The Court wanted to give the employees a holiday closer to a weekend to create a three-day weekend option for them. The Fourth of July in 2018 will be on a Wednesday, and March 2 is on a Friday.
No action was taken following a discussion on closing Orange County offices for part of a day in December for the annual Christmas office celebration. Human Resource Director Lori Ardoin said she would ask for input and feedback from departments throughout the county to see what is the preference for the time and date of a Christmas celebration for employees and retirees which could also serve as a time to hand out service awards to employees.
Tax Assessor-Collector Karen Fisher requested permission to lower the counters in her office to be more customer friendly. She suggested lowering the counters six to seven inches, and believed the cost could be paid for by an extra $38,000 in her budget. Maintenance Director Kurt Guidry estimated the cost at closer to $50,000, but is still trying to get a more exact figure from a construction contractor. Commissioners tabled any action until a more detailed cost can be reached for lowering the counters.
Five items were approved being deleted by the Commissioners from the county’s inventory items. Three of the items were in the Sheriff’s Office: a Dell Laptop; a taser; and a scanner. The other two items another Dell Laptop and a Hewlett Packard Laserjet printer were from the MIS Department. All the items were believed to be broken and could not be located.
At the beginning of the meeting local fisherman Carl Svebeck was recognized in a proclamation for his contributions in promoting the local area for fishing tournaments. The proclamation also praised Svebeck for his winning the recent 2017 Bass Master Open Sabine River Tournament in Orange.
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