IRON MOUNTAIN - The Dickinson County Board of Commissioners voted to accept a proposal from Health Professionals, Ltd. (HPL) of Peoria, Ill. to provide inmate health care services at the county jail for an annual cost of $99,386.28.
Health care for jail inmates is mandated by state law and can include prescription drug coverage, medical supplies, laboratory and radiology testing, and visits from a licensed practical nurse and a physician.
HPL offered two coverage programs to Dickinson County. Option one cost $99,386.28 and option two cost $87,793.90. County Controller Kay Pascoe explained that she chose option one since it offered hospitalization, specialty services, and unlimited lab and x-ray testing, while option two did not.
Commissioner Joe Stevens noted that he "had a few concerns" with the proposal.
"First off, I'd like to see business stay in Dickinson County," he said. "I'm just concerned that this company won't get their prescription drugs from our local stores."
The high cost of the proposal also bothered Stevens. He said that the county used to pay less than $20,000 per year for inmate health services.
Pascoe pointed out that HPL would bill the county at the end of each month for the average daily population of the jail, since the number of inmates varies from day to day. If the jail exceeds 80 inmates on any given day, the county will be charged an extra 82 cents per inmate per day.
She also assured the board that they can reject the proposal if they are not satisfied with the service.
"We'll be starting this in January and we'll have a 30-day period to try it out," Pascoe told the board. "We're not tied to this yet."
The county had previously contracted inmate health care services from Niagara, Wis.-based Wisconsin Michigan Physicians. However, the nurse practitioner with the company had left, so the county needed to find another provider.
No other health care providers submitted a proposal, including Dickinson County Memorial Hospital, Pascoe said.
The board also heard a presentation from Airport Manager Bill Marchetti about current projects and the fund balance. Marchetti also reported that one-way boardings vary between 200 and 300 per month.
County Clerk Dolly Cook also informed the board that the county is in desperate need of a drain commissioner. Michigan law states that the county needs a drain commissioner, but the previous commissioner recently resigned.
Board chair Henry Wender said that the issue will be placed on the agenda for the board's next meeting.
In other action, the board:
- Approved amendment number one to the 2008 General Appropriations Act. The amendment listed the revised budget, surplus, and deficits for several county departments.
- Approved to allow the Victims' Rights Advocate to travel to a training session in Gaylord at an approximate cost of $100.
- Approved to authorize the County Controller to submit a grant application for $2,500 to the DTE Energy Foundation for trees for Lake Antoine Park. Pascoe said in the grant application that the trees would be planted "along the outer perimeter of Lake Antoine Park in an area that abuts a well-traveled roadway thus providing a sight and sound barrier for users of the park as well as a more attractive perimeter."
Staff from the Dickinson County Conservation District would assist in the selection and maintenance of trees.
Stevens asked the board if the county could use its own land as a tree farm to grow additional trees for Lake Antoine Park. Marchetti said that there already may be trees at the airport that could be transplanted at the park.
- Approved the 2009 Exempt Staff Salary Schedule, which reflects a 2.5 percent increase in each step of each classification with the stipulation that elected officials and their successors are to be bound by the starting rate and salary progression.
- Appointed Catherine Driscoll to one five-year term on the Library Board. Commissioner Frank Smith abstained from voting, as he said the current board does not do enough to save taxpayer money.
- Appointed Jeff DeRidder and Jeffrey Kantz to three-year terms on the Community Center Board.
The board also set its organizational meeting for Friday, Jan. 2 at 10:30 a.m.
Nikki Younk's e-mail address is nyounk@ironmountaindailynews.com.