Kane Co. workers protest potential insurance cost hikes

Kane County Board members received their first temperature reading Monday about how hot county employees are getting about possible increases in their contribution for health insurance next year.

The reading was 178 degrees of frustration, as that was the number of county employees to sign a petition presented to the county board's Finance and Budget Committee Monday.

The petition calls on the county board "to consider the impact of raising the employees' contribution for health insurance (which is a reduction in take home pay)" and vote "no" on any premium increase for employees.

Charlie Poe, a courthouse deputy, presented the petition to a less-than-enthusiastic welcome.

"People can't afford it," Poe told the committee. "I can't keep giving and giving. Everybody is complaining. Everybody. It's got to stop somewhere. There's other ways to cut the budget.

"I would respectfully request that you guys search your hearts and come up with other ways other than coming to the little guys."

Poe suggested moves such as selling county-owned property and having board members forego their health insurance and dental benefits.

And that's where things started to get defensive before committee Chairman Robert McConnaughay stepped in to thank Poe for his comments and dismiss him.

Tension ran high when Poe said he believed county board members receive free health insurance benefits. Earlier, he suggested to reporters that many believe board members receive free health insurance for life if they serve at least two terms.

Neither is true. County board members pay the same insurance rates as any employee.

However, some employees may take offense that board members receive any coverage at all given the mostly part-time nature their positions. Health insurance for the board cost taxpayers nearly $206,000 last year.

The finance committee didn't deal with the insurance issue Monday, and also tabled discussion on offering an employee buyout, or "voluntary early termination", plan to employees until Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez could weigh-in on the latest version of the plan.