The commission unanimously approved two resolutions to amend the county’s Health Insurance Plan Document regarding eligible retirees and add a fraud provision.

The resolution regarding eligible retirees only brings the plan document in line with how the program is actually administered. It will not change how anything is currently done, Budget and Finance Chairwoman Joyce Ealy said.

“It puts it in writing,” County Finance Director Lisa Nolen said. The change will not have an effect on the plan, other than giving pre-65 retirees more options at retirement, she added.

The following language will now be added to the plan document:

“Eligible retirees may select any Plan Option that is available to them at their time of retirement. The retiree will be enrolled in the tier of coverage that they occupied as an active employee for the five (5) years prior to retirement.

If the retired employee experiences a life change requiring the addition of a spouse or child to the plan, they may add that additional member at their own cost. Rutherford County will not contribute to that additional member’s premium cost. Retired employees may not add dependents during the annual Open Enrollment period.

Any retiree or member who leaves the plan will not be allowed re-entry into the plan.”

The fraud provision defines types of fraud and allows the county to prosecute offenders. The provision is needed because the county had no such clause previously.

“Because we have so many different (departments) with their own handbooks, there is no central place to cover fraud,” Nolen said, adding the Sheriff’s Department and county schools each have fraud provisions.

The change gives the county as a whole recourse to prevent insurance fraud, she said.

If passed by the county commission, the following language will be added to the plan document:

“Fraudulent acts such as an intentional misrepresentation of the truth in claiming dependents or submitting claims will result in the termination of plan benefits for the employee and the employee’s dependents. Fraudulent acts may also result in legal prosecution. Such acts will be determined by the Insurance Director following careful and thorough review. A determination of fraud will be subject to the appeals process.”

Other commission business
From the Budget and Finance Committee

Commissioner Robert Peay Jr. was the only objection in the county’s approval of funding a $40,000 contract with Kline Swinney Associates for architectural services in the development of a County Clerk’s office in Smyrna.

Peay objected to the county’s bidding process for architectural firms. Basing the objection on the school system getting lower prices as a percentage of the project than the other county departments.

“There are a lot of hungry businesses out there right now. … I’d like to see this bid out,” Peay said.

County Mayor Ernest Burgess said it’s against state law to bid out for architects, but the county can renegotiate the $40,000 price tag.

The commission approved the contract funding in a 20-1 vote with Peay dissenting.

The commission approved in a 19-0 vote with two abstaining commissioners budget amendments for the Election Commission, Ambulance Service and Health Department. Joe Frank Jernigan and Allen McAdoo abstained.

The commission unanimously passed the following resolutions:

 - General Debt Service Fund budget amendment to pay the interest on November’s Capital Outlay Note,

- A resolution authorizing the issuance of $3 million in Interfund Capital Outlay Notes for road construction and maintenance. The money will be used for improvements to Florence Road and Halls Hill Pike.

- The 2009-10 Budget Calendar

From the Property Management Committee

The commission passed a resolution to approve the right-of-way easement from Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation for Brown’s Chapel Elementary School on a unanimous voice vote.

From the Public Works and Planning Committee

The commission passed a resolution to rename the bridge on Highway 231S at Alexander Toyota the “Thomas Hutchinson Bridge” on a unanimous voice vote.

Hutchinson is remembered as a pioneer in the fields of agriculture and engineering who worked on the MTEMC Board of Directors to provide electric service to rural areas of Middle Tennessee.

Later, he gave his time to help establish the Consolidated Utility District, providing clean drinking water to rural Rutherford County.

He continued his community service by serving on the boards of the MTSU Foundation, SunTrust Bank, Rutherford Farm Bureau, Farmers Co-op and by being an active member of the Democratic Party.

The commission also passed resolutions approving the updated Rutherford County Highway Department Road book and Public Drainage Easement Book.

Both lists make possible maintenance on public roadways and drainage easements.

Public Hearings

- The commission unanimously approved a conditional-use permit request by Nasser Al-Zabet, 720 Flat Rock Rd., to add car sales to the list of allowed uses on his existing CUP for transmission repair, towing and salvage of automobiles.

- With no public comment, the commission unanimously approved a rezoning and CUP request by Daniel Nicholson, 9310 Franklin Rd., to change the existing zoning from residential to services for motorcycle accessory sales and repair.

- The commission also unanimously approved a rezoning and CUP request from John Brothers to open a distribution center on Miller Road.

The county required the O’Bryan Barrel Co. to add a turning lane from semi trucks entering the proposed distribution center to improve safety on the roadway.

“I’m not saying you need to build a superhighway, but you need a small turn lane for two or three trucks,” Commissioner Joe Frank Jernigan said after company representative Tim O’Bryan raised objections to the requirement.

- The commission unanimously approved an amendment to the Zoning Resolution to update Flood Hazard District clause, bringing it in line with the most recent the Flood Insurance Rate Map from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.