In the midst of a three-year contract, the Porter County Board of Commissioners this week denied its health insurance provider’s request for an $8,000 increase.
“The care coordination service fee is changing from $27.03 to $28.25, so it’s a difference of $1.22,” said Employee Benefits Advisor Candace Arvin with GIS, referring to the contract with Apta that just changed its name to Legacy Partner Holdings.
“No, it’s not. It’s not going to change, not as far as I’m concerned. They’re under contract to honor that first figure,” said Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs, R-North, during Tuesday’s commissioners meeting.
“Last year they actually tried to make this amendment to the contract and we, as your consultant, went back to negotiate and said, ‘Hey, they’re still in the first year of their agreement. We feel this is unfair,’ so they agreed to hold the cost last year and instead defer to this year, so that would be preferred if they would keep it the same, but they’ve already pushed back and negotiated so I don’t know if they’ll be willing to honor that,” Arvin said.
“Why, before the contract was up, would we agree to that?” asked Biggs.
“It was a request,” said County Attorney Scott McClure.
“Just a request? No!” Biggs said.
“I will communicate the ‘no’ to the Apta health team,” Arvin replied.
“Honor your contract,” Biggs reiterated.
“I will see what they come back with,” Arvin responded.
The push for the amendment to the contract comes at a time when the county has four contracts of its own to uphold, or it could lose out on big matching grants or even owe the state repayment.
Development and Storm Water Management Director Mike Jabo laid out the price tags for the board and the county council later that evening at its budget hearing.
Calumet Trail Phase III requires an investment from the county of $1.28 million to match $4.9 million from a Federal Lands Access Program through the Federal Highway Administration. A commitment needs to be made by the end of the year. “It will probably be the most really cool portion of the trail,” Jabo said. There are 6.3 miles of trail left to contract out and he expects it would be 2028 before completion.
Next is the County Road 100 S Safety Project, which involves taking out hills, which requires acquiring the right-of-way on 55 pieces of property. It has to be bid and awarded by this coming spring, or $4.98 million in INDOT funds will be forfeited and the county may have to reimburse the state for $1.5 million it’s already spent on the project.
“A week or two ago, I should have had a call in to INDOT that we’re going to do this project,” Jabo told the council Tuesday evening.
Willowcreek Road Phase I requires a minimal amount of funding to finish environmental work, and a county-wide sign replacement project rounds out the list. Tuesday evening, County Councilman Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, asked Jabo how much has been spent by the county on the Willowcreek Road project so far. He said $1.5 million.
The commissioners unanimously approved a motion of support for the projects, though the council holds the power of the purse to appropriate necessary funds.
“These projects have to be completed,” said Commissioner Ed Morales, R–South. “We can’t just walk away.”
During the public comment portion of the meeting, husband and wife Jerry Eagle and Elizabeth Ireland asked the commissioners to develop an ordinance regulating the use of air horns in private vehicles. They said Ireland required extensive dental work after being victimized by a “train horn” in a parking lot in unincorporated Porter County.
“This not-very-funny practical joke is gaining popularity across the country,” Ireland said. “There have been fatalities because of them.”
McClure confirmed that the county has no noise ordinance and the board agreed to take the issue under advisement.
“It’s funny until somebody gets hurt,” said Biggs.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.