County looks into cost control

VERONA — In a difficult budget year, the Augusta County Board of Supervisors agreed Wednesday to look for ways to help the county schools not pass on increased health insurance costs in 2009-10 to school employees.

An anticipated 11 percent increase in health costs during the next school year would mean every school district employee would have to contribute just over $43 a month in premium costs starting in December, said School Board Chairman David Shiflett.

Shiflett asked supervisors if there was a way to avoid the cost increase for employees particularly since there are no raises for them in the 2009-10 budget.

Supervisors agreed to look for a way to bridge the difference.

Board Chairman Larry Howdyshell and Vice Chairman Gerald Garber will meet with Shiflett before the county budget public hearing April 29 and try to find money to help the school district.

The motion to work with the school board was made by South River Supervisor David Beyeler, who said it was important “to find a way” not to pass on the health insurance increases to school employees.

Also Wednesday night, supervisors tabled an ordinance regarding the authorization for rescue squads to charge for services in Augusta County.

Questions from several squads about the ordinance and the lack of assurance of how it would affect the rescue squads led to the tabling.

Alvin Yoder, a first lieutenant with the Stuarts Draft Rescue Squad, said he has questions about how funds collected by that rescue squad would be distributed.

Yoder believes the funds would go to a county fund, and said that would make it difficult for Stuarts Draft to operate.

He also said fundraising would be a problem once revenue recovery starts.

In the past, Yoder said it was not an issue to ask for donations when Stuarts Draft residents were not being billed for ambulance services.

Supervisors and county officials will meet with area rescue squads to try to answer all questions about revenue recovery before the ordinance authorizing it is acted on.