Last night's CCBOC meeting.

Well, the highlight of the evening was the 5:30 workshop on the employee health plan.

Staci Bowick and Mary Smith, CIC, from the local office of Cumberland Insurance Agency, who consulted on the changes to the plan which went in to effect January 1, 2010, gave an excellent PowerPoint presentation on the dramatic results derived from the changes - the changes which I advocated very vocally and strongly for.

Let me cut to the chase. Based upon the achieved reductions in overutilization just since January 1, there will be tremendous savings, just as I knew there would be. I did not spend 20 years in the insurance business and learn nothing.

It is now predicted that at the close of FY 2010, the plan costs will be ONE MILLION DOLLARS lower than they were in FY 2009!

But wait, it gets better! The projected cost for FY 2010 will be a full TWO MILLION DOLLARS lower than what it would likely have been without the changes.

I may not be able to keep a Trident missle launch-ready or do a complex financial audit, but I do have a very wide range of useful, germane experiences which will serve me - and more importantly, the voters - very well if I have the privilege to serve as the commissioner from District 4.

Staci Bowick is worth every penny we pay her. In this one project alone, she has saved the county millions. Hopefully, county employees will recognize the debt of gratitude they owe her. Why? Becuase they have a better plan - a plan which will have fewer and way smaller rate increases in the future.

The rest of the meeting was largely uneventful and routine. It was over by 6:30. See the amended agenda at   http://camdencommentary.blogspot.com/2010/04/ccboc-meeting-tuesday.html  if you want to know more. Note that the presentation of the proposed FY-2011 budget was put off until the next meeting.