Cook County commissioners accepted the resignation of Heidi Akins with regret at their Tuesday, May 3 meeting.
“I support her resignation with concern for our losing another quality staff person,” said Commissioner Frank Moe.
Akins has been working as a Social Services children’s services worker for the county’s Public Health and Human Services department.
In submitting her resignation, Akins wrote, “I have enjoyed my time with Cook County and will deeply miss working with my fellow Public Health and Human Services colleagues.”
Akins’ last day was May 6.
Commissioner Garry Gamble once again brought up the potential of using an exit interview as a tool that could help department heads and commissioners understand why they are losing staff. “An exit interview might give us one piece of the puzzle about why people are leaving,” Gamble said.
“I think Garry brings up a good point,” said Commissioner Jan Sivertson.
But Board Chair Heidi Doo- Kirk cautioned that any success of an exit interview would be largely dependent upon the skill of the interviewer asking questions and the types of questions posed to the outgoing employee.
County Administrator Jeff Cadwell has already advertised the position.
Commissioners discuss COBRA
Cadwell asked commissioners to consider allowing the county to enter into an agreement with A.T. Group to provide administration of the county’s benefits program.
A.T. Group, said Cadwell, will help make sure the county stays in compliance with the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) to provide employees who qualify health benefit provisions. Cadwell pointed out that in a recent report the IRS estimated that 90 percent of all employers are out of compliance with COBRA regulations.
Under the law COBRA requires continued coverage to be offered to covered employees, their spouses, former spouses, and dependent children when group health coverage would otherwise be lost due to some unforeseen event.
A.T. Group is proposing to make sure Cook County’s health, life, dental, long-term disability and flex administration policy’s meet COBRA standards.
“For the rest of 2016 we will work with your dental, life and LTD carriers to be listed as the agents of record for all possible lines,” wrote Bill Singer of A.T. Group.
Cadwell said A.T. Group, if hired, wouldn’t charge the county for 2016, but was requesting to be paid 1.5 percent of the county’s health insurance premiums as its fee beginning 2017 in a contract that would run three years. That would work out to be about $18,000 per year, said Cadwell.
“This sounds like an excellent thing to get into. I don’t see any downside to it,” said Sivertson.
“I would prefer to table it,” said Gamble, noting the board hadn’t had a chance to assess the risk, costs and benefits of the program. “We need more opportunity to discuss this,” Gamble suggested.
Commissioner Moe said he would like to see a side-by-side comparison with what the county is currently doing. “There are too many unanswered questions right now,” said Moe. “I agree with Garry, we should table this until we can learn more about it.”
The board agreed to table the matter. Cadwell said he could have more information by the board’s May 24 meeting, and might even be able to get a representative from A.T. Group to come before the board at that time, he said.
Schoolhouse Road
An issue of some contention between neighbors that has existed for more than four years might finally be put to bed.
The county agreed to pay Steve Carlson $4,800 for the triangle of land between the old Maple Hill schoolhouse road and the current Schoolhouse Road. This purchase will allow the highway department to return the Old Schoolhouse Road to the right of way and work with property owners to create driveway access to the current road.
“This is an opportunity for big improvement,” said Doo-Kirk, noting personalities would be taken out of this decision.
County Highway Engineer David Betts was on hand for the discussion and he said area residents will be notified about the change to County Road 55, and their comments about the change accepted.
County Attorney Molly Hicken has worked with local attorney Baiers Heeren on the contract, and she told the board that his estimated fee was under $2,000.
Moe made a motion to go ahead with the transaction between Carlson and the county and to pay for Heeren’s legal work. It was seconded by Gamble and passed unanimously.
Betts said this was a first step in straightening out the county’s rights of way.
“Our rights of way are a mess and we need to get them in place and our road descriptions are a mess and we need to get them in place as well,” said Betts.
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