County approves Sheriff's Office for new SUV

Nevada Daily Mail

The Vernon County Commission decided Tuesday, after a discussion with Lt. John Randall of the Vernon County Sheriff's Office, to purchase a new vehicle outright in order to replace a vehicle that was badly damaged during a pursuit May 4.

Randall told the commission the insurance company said it could either give them $19,000 and let the sheriff's office keep the vehicle, or could give them more than $28,400 and the insurance company gets the vehicle. In either situation, the sheriff's office would keep the equipment, worth about $5,000.

The commission and sheriff's office decided they would release the car to the insurers since Randall said he believes it would cost more than the $19,000 to properly fix the vehicle so it was safe for a deputy to drive on the job.

However, a lease still remains on the vehicle that was purchased last year. So the county will use the money from the insurance to pay off the lease, leaving about $7,000 to go to the Sheriff's Office, plus abut $5,000 in equipment.

Presiding commissioner Joe Hardin and southern commissioner Everett Wolfe, with northern commissioner Neal Gerster excused, decided that option seems to be the best for the county. They also gave their approval for the sheriff's office to order a new, 2016 vehicle, which will cost almost $27,000.

The budget currently has more than $40,000 available for sheriff's office vehicles to go with the money they will receive from the insurance company.

Randall said he hopes they will have the new vehicle in July.

The commission also further discussed their need for a decision on county employees' health insurance when they met with their Mike Keith Insurance agent Tuesday and received their renewal rates as the July 1, deadline approaches.

Jeanne Cunningham, from the Mike Keith Insurance Company, recommended that Vernon County continue with United Healthcare, which has increased its rates by 6 to 7 percent since last year. Cunningham said some other companies increased their rates by double that.

With no time to ask for bids from insurance companies, the commission said they would likely continue with that plan while still providing options for their employees to choose from through United Healthcare, such as by offering a $2,000 deductible instead of $1,000, which would keep the monthly rates almost what they were during the previous year.

"The more options the better," Hardin said, though he added they do not want to offer too many, possibly confusing the employees.

Cunningham said she would like to set up a time to meet with employees to discuss their options before opening up enrollment.