Houston County cancels long-term care insurance

Citing declining revenues and increased expenses, Houston County Commissioners voted Monday morning to cancel the long-term care insurance provided to the county’s 400-plus employees.

The county has been paying the benefit, but officials said the budget cannot sustain the annual expense of $180,000.

Several officials and department heads said there have been some instances where employees could not use the insurance when they needed it. The insurance, officials said, was not what they thought it was.

Making cuts like these will affect the employees’ cost of living raise, officials said, and many would rather have the money in their pockets than to have this benefit.

“Just so you will know, this commission is committed to trying to do a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) for employees,“ Chairman Mark Culver said.

Culver said he surveyed other counties and found that Montgomery and Pike are not giving cost of living raises this year. Elmore and Lee counties will give 2.5 percent. Culver said he hopes the county can give more than 2.5 percent.

“A lot of counties are struggling to keep the employees they have,“ Culver said. “We want to keep the equipment in road and bridge operating. This (cancellation of insurance) is a piece of that (ability to increase wages).“