At today’s meeting of the Brown County Commissioners, approval was given to keep the current County employee health care plan for another year.

Earlier this month several health care plan options for the new fiscal year were presented to the Court by Bart Johnson, of Painter Johnson Associates.  To keep the current plan will require a rate increase of 7.5%, amounting to about $300,000 in additional cost.  Johnson presented two other, less costly options.  Option 1 would increase the office co-pay to $30 from the current $25, and raise the annual deductible to $1,000 from the current $750.  This option would increase the current rate by 5%.  Option 3, as it was called, would also raise the co-pay to $30, and raise the deductible to $1,500.  This option would increase the current rate by 1.5%.

Commissioner Gary Worley noted that the County has earned about $500,000 in interest on bank deposits this year, and can use that money to pay for the increased cost of health insurance.  The Commissioners voted unanimously to keep the current plan in the new fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2024.    Brown County buys its health insurance through the Texas Association of Counties, which helps to keep the costs down.  According to County Auditor Jennifer Robison, the estimated total cost of the health care plan in the new fiscal year, depending on the employee roster and employee plan elections, is about $4,891,000.

The Commissioners also voted to re-instate the burn ban in Brown County.  The new burn ban order is good for 90 days, unless canceled before then by the Commissioners or by County Judge Shane Britton.  The text of the burn ban is below.

ORDER PROHIBITING OUTDOOR BURNING

WHEREAS, the Commissioners Court finds that circumstances present in all or part of the unincorporated area of the county create a public safety hazard that would be exacerbated by outdoor burning;

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED by the Commissioners Court of Brown County that all outdoor burning is prohibited in the unincorporated area of the county for 90 days from the date of adoption of this Order, unless the restrictions are terminated earlier based on a determination made by the Commissioners Court or the County Judge based on a determination that the circumstances that required the Order no longer exist.

This Order is adopted pursuant to Local Government Code 352.081, and other applicable statues.  This Order does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for:  (1) firefighter training; (2) public utility, natural gas pipeline or mining operations; (3) planting or harvesting of agricultural crops; or, (4) burns that are conducted by a prescribed burn manager certified under Natural Resources Code 153.048 and meet the standards of Natural Resources Code 153.047.

In accordance with Local Government Code 352.081 (h), a violation of this Order is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.00.

Adopted this 24th day of June, 2024.