County employees to pay more for health insurance premium

An emergency meeting on June 24 led to the decision of how the county will handle an increase in the health insurance premium.

During the meeting, Pulaski County Commissioners and council members met to discuss how the county would fund the increase that will happen in August. The increase is about 8 percent.

The announcement of an increase in the health insurance premium was made during the commissioners’ meeting on June 15. At the time the commissioners opted to think about how the increase would be funded and whether the employees would carry the load, if the county would pay for it or if it would be shared. During the June 15 meeting, the commissioners had suggested scheduling a joint session.

At the meeting on June 24, it was decided that employees would pay 30 percent and the county would cover 70 percent.

The emergency meeting was called in order for the county and the insurance company to begin working with the employee payroll and preparing for the increase.

The 30 percent that county employees will pay will begin on Aug. 1.