County votes to advertise RFP for county insurance
Administrator Wilanne Daniels told the Board that staff had been requested to place an RFP (Request for Proposal) for insurance. A representative from two insurance companies was present to speak to the Board. Daniels told the Board that this was specifically related to risk, as well as property insurance and workers’ comp. She said this was brought up about a year ago under a different board whether the Board wanted to go out for bid. She said she wanted to give this Board the same opportunity to have that discussion.
Albert Milton from Milton Insurance in Marianna was the first to address the Board. He told the Board if he makes it to June of this year, he will have worked for this county government for 50 years. He said that currently there are four selfinsured funds that will compete for county government. He said one of those is Public Risk Management. He said, “Another one is Government Insurance Trust, which the agent is after you about is a self-insured fund that I personally helped start along with 11 of my competitors in 1998. Florida Association of Counties Trust that you’re with and it’s managed by the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust so there is actually only three markets because those two will not compete against each other.” Milton said the question for the Board to consider is do you want a cheap price or do you want good coverage. He said Florida Association of Counties Trust is the only one that can give coverage across state lines and that is important with out close proximity to Alabama and Georgia. Milton concluded, “With that being said, I would totally recommend that you stay with facts.”
Commissioner Paul Donofro, Jr. said that he was on the Board, “The provider of insurance, along with the county is a very complex business by nature and I do know that I’ve talked with Ms. Sun a couple of times about the service that Milton Insurance provides to this county. I know that it’s an ongoing relationship, conversations are had almost daily and I just think that in this particular instance, I think there is just a lot of benefits of staying with this particular vender at this particular time and I was not aware of the coverages differences. We have ambulances Chief Brunner, that go out of state. I don’t know that it’s daily but I know it’s regularly. That’s very important for consideration and I appreciate you bringing it up. That’s something that’s very important to Jackson County being where we’re geographically located.” Chairman Westbrook thanked Milton for his information. He said that he was there for the people of Bascom, Greenwood, Dellwood, everyone and that’s where he was coming from.
Commissioner Edward Crutchfield said, “I agree with Mr. Donofro and that being said, I make a motion to stay with Milton Insurance.” Donofro seconded the motion. The motion was held for another speaker to be heard.
Michael Richter from Boyd Insurance out of Bristol was the next speaker. Richter said he appreciated Mr. Milton’s information and that was great information to vet out. He said, “I think it should be done in a process that is in the sunshine and allows you to consider all the factors. I don’t think it’s the forum here today to debate and go through an actual RFP (Re quest for Proposal) process without proper information, facts, and details that go along with that. I am simply advocating as you discussed earlier that you enter into a bid process that you haven’t been in for a great while for this significant service and coverage that is important for the county. By the way, it’s a pretty big line item in your budget. Look and see what the market place can do for you. To not make a change today from what you’re currently doing or Mr. Milton, no threat there. This is just simply to allow you as a board to have a good thorough fair and transparent evaluation of what the opportunities are for Jackson County and see if there is a benefit to change. There may not be one in your eyes once you go through that process. You can’t make that decision today without looking at it. It would behoove the county, I am not here without information to know that you will benefit from the process regardless if you change or not, I can tell you that. I would just ask the Board to consider a fair and open bid process to then get all the information, make your decision once you have that.” Westbrook said, “That’s not a bad request. All I care about is the people in this county that I serve and the people that the rest of the ones that ya’ll serve as well. And I won’t change that and if I have a gun to my head, I’d tell them to pull the trigger. That’s just my opinion and I want to save this county money. I want us to be served in the right way. I am not wanting to give somebody a contract even though I have all the respect for Mr. Milton, I knew his daddy, his momma and the whole works for a long time and his sisters as well. I still think we need to have a bid on the insurance because it’s a high number of dollars.”
Commissioner Donnie Branch said that he didn’t think the board could sit there and just 15 minutes prior vote to put a garbage contract out for bid and not this. He said he didn’t have an opinion as to who gets it as long as they give us good service.
Donofro said it was important to look at the type of situations, that it wasn’t the cost of the service but it was about the service especially when you’re talking about providing insurance to employees that are dependent upon good service and good benefits and good response. He said from all the information that he’s been able to obtain, all of the conversations with staff, it benefits the county to stay with the current provided at this particular time.
Commissioner Edward Crutchfield said, “One thing I know is 50 years is got something to say and in 50 years, he’s made somebody happy and you know not too many people mad. So that’s what I’m getting at there. You know he’s right here, right across from the courthouse. You can call him and I don’t do it but the staff does it, calls him and that’s the end of the story. You tell him what the problem is and he handles it and takes care of it. I ain’t saying the other guy wouldn’t either, but he (Albert Milton) is in Jackson County and that’s something to be said. He is representing Jackson County.
A lengthy discussion ensued concerning service versus cost, longevity and the need to be sure when it comes to insurance coverage.
The previous motion failed 2-3 with Commissioners Willie Spires, Donnie Branch and Chairman Jamey Westbrook voting against. On a motion by Dr. Spires and a second by Branch, the motion passed 3-2 with Donofro and Edenfield voting against.