COUNTYWIDE : Firm Hired to Detail New Insurance Plan

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors has hired a consulting firm to inform county employees about changes in their medical insurance scheduled to go into effect in June.

The supervisors voted 3 to 2 Tuesday to approve a $41,000 contract with Sheppard Associates after peppering Personnel Director Ronald W. Komers with questions about the new medical insurance plan and why the county needs to hire an outside consultant to explain it.

Board members insisted that Komers and his staff hold another session for supervisors to scrutinize the new medical plan. Supervisors approved the plan in concept earlier this year, but county officials have yet to select a medical carrier, Komers said.

Sheppard Associates was hired to prepare brochures, flyers, videotapes and enrollment documents for all county employees covered under the new plan, because the personnel department does not have the staff to accomplish the task, Komers said.

Supervisor Maria VanderKolk, who recently formed a citizens commission to come up with plans to cut waste in county government, voted against the consulting contract. “We ought to be able to do this in-house,” VanderKolk said. “I don’t like the idea that we are setting a trend of going outside to get this sort of thing done.”

Board Chairman John K. Flynn, who also voted against the contract, said he agreed with VanderKolk and has fielded complaints from employees about the new plan.