SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - Sheboygan County’s Board of Supervisors was busy this week approving items that would save money for operations.
One way they did this was changing how they operate their self-run health insurance plans for county employees. “There’s a Wisconsin County Association that groups together for sharing the risk and lower some of the rates," says board Chairman Roger Te Stroede, "and we were able to do that a few other things to garner on 900-thousand dollars in savings.”
Te Stroede adds the credit for the savings goes to several people. “A shout out to the Human Resources Committee; Fran Damp and the rest of the members, and Tom Wagner, our vice-chairman, is on the Insurance company group for the county association, and he was the one that pointed up to the possibility of the savings, and a great improvement and savings without a plan change.”
The other way the county will save is with the issuance of general obligation promissory notes. County Administrator Adam Payne says the savings will be in interest. “We were looking at 2.41-percent in interest rates for a ten year period. (Tuesday) night we were able to lock in 1.88. So the county board in one swoop saved 316-thousand dollars last night."
The amount of money issued in promissory notes was 9.5-million dollars. Payne says that will be used to pay for capital improvement projects. “We have a thoughtful five year capital plan that they develop and refine every year. Things like transportation infrastructure, replacing roofs, HVAC for UW-Sheboygan. One of the bigger items in there is one-point-eight million dollars to get started on our highway facility. We’re looking to consolidate two highway sheds into one, the Plymouth and Elkhart Lake sheds will be consolidated into one facility, as well as the main headquarters here in Sheboygan.”
Overall, Payne said Tuesday evening was a good night for Sheboygan County. "So between that, and the 942-thousand dollars in savings as part of the group health trust plan, your county board of supervisors had a pretty productive evening.”