Clark County insurance rep resigns

Clark County

Discussion

February 3, 2012

New agent-of-record is expected to be named in May

By BRADEN LAMMERS Braden.Lammers@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Fri Feb 03, 2012, 02:19 AM EST

JEFFERSONVILLE — The Clark County Commissioners will be looking for a new agent-of-record for the county’s health insurance.

Joe Olson, who had a contract to represent the county as its health insurance agent-of-record, resigned abruptly at the commissioners meeting Thursday.

“Gentlemen, I had originally planned to give you an update on county insurance, but after careful thought and consideration, I’m resigning as your agent-of-record effective Feb. 10, next Friday,” he said.

Beginning at its October meeting, the commissioners began allowing other health insurance agents to look at the county’s policies and make recommendations — free of charge — on how and where Clark County could save money. However, only the agent-of-record is allowed to negotiate insurance contracts on behalf of the governmental entity they represent. But Olson still took exception to the county opening up its policies to several agents.

“I know that there are other agents out here, now and in the past, that have approached the commissioners stating that they have a long-term solution to the county’s health insurance problems and also the budget crisis,” he said at a previous commissioners meeting. “Unless they are willing to contribute anywhere from $1 [million] to $1.5 million to the insurance fund, then they can’t do anything better than I can do.”

But the commissioners voted to allow other agents to take a look at the insurance policies, with Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore, who was commissioner at the time, being the lone opposition.

Olson took over as the city of Jeffersonville’s health insurance agent-of-record Jan. 1. The previous agent-of-record Edward Culpepper “Pepper” Cooper, with Neace Lukens, was terminated, said Les Merkley, attorney for Jeffersonville’s administration. He said the city is under contract for the insurance policy the previous agent-of-record negotiated until the end of the year and that the city is still working out the details of his dismissal.

Cooper was among the insurance agents the commissioners allowed to examine the county’s policies, along with Richard Zoeller, with Neace Lukens and Keith Fetz, with USI Insurance. Commissioner Les Young said opening up the county’s insurance policies to examination may have been a factor in Olson’s resignation.

“I’m sure it is,” Young said. “I guess he felt bad. You know in this day and age we have to look at getting the cheapest and best price that we can.”

He added he was unsure about what affect Olson’s resignation could have on the county’s current policy. The policy Olson negotiated is in effect through July. Funding is available to pay the costs through mid-June and current insurance rates are locked in until August.

Young said the county had set aside two days next week to hear insurance proposals from the other companies they had allowed to look at the county’s policies, with Olson set to offer his proposal on the second day. With Olson’s resignation the county will still hear the presentations from the other agents and will likely ask for quotes in May, at which point the commissioners will make a decision on a new agent-of-record, Young said.

Calls made to Olson following the commissioners meeting were not returned as of press time.

In other business

•While commissioners Attorney Greg Fifer said the federal legislation that restricts drivers with Commercial Driver’s Licenses from using cell phones while they are operating the vehicle doesn’t appear to apply to local governments, a state law recently adopted will. He said he will bring a regulation back to the commissioners to be approved for the County Highway Department workers and add the restriction to the county’s employee handbook restricting the use of cell phones.

• The county will begin the second phase of inspections for the county bridges. Michael Farrar, vice president for Clark Dietz Inc., who is inspecting the bridges, described that phase two will take a second look at the 130 bridges in the county to see if there are any changes in the integrity of the spans.

If changes are apparent, a priority list of repairs or additional inspections will be provided to the county. The cost for the inspections is an 80-20 percent split by the federal government, and the county’s cost will total up to $15,000, said Clark County Highway Department Director Hyun Lee.