Board reverses Insurance action

By JONATHAN CLAYBORNE News Editor



WILLIAMSTON -- A contrite Martin County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Thursday night to rescind a previously approved motion that essentially granted commissioners fully paid health insurance for life.



The board reversed a unanimous, Dec. 6 vote that guaranteed 100-percent insurance premium payments for commissioners serving three full terms or at least eight years on the board.



As a result of Thursday's action, the policy reverts to county payments of 50 percent of a commissioner's insurance premiums, if that commissioner serves two full terms or eight years on the board.



According to County Manager Russell Overman, the policy still will cover commissioners no longer serving on the board.



That sets Martin County apart from some other counties, including Craven and Beaufort, where a commissioner's county-paid insurance benefits end once he leaves the board.



Still, all five Martin County commissioners backed away from the December change, with a couple even offering apologies to the roughly 28 spectators who turned out for the special meeting on a rainy Thursday night.



The turnout may have been indicative of the level of public interest in the insurance matter.



Chairman Mort Hurst recommended a motion to rescind the December vote, and expressed regrets for talking with a couple of commissioners about that vote prior to the December meeting.



Hurst had said he voted for the insurance policy change, even though he had reservations about it, to keep peace among board members.



"I guess I put peace and harmony ahead of asking some people to do some things they shouldn't have done," he commented.



Vice Chairman Tommy Bowen declared the December action "a mistake."



"It's been a mistake and I apologize for the mistake, and people can accept that if they want to," Bowen said.



Bowen made the motion to back away from the December policy alteration, scoring a second from Commissioner Al Perry.



Commissioner Elmo "Butch" Lilley said it was good that the issue had been revisited.



Commissioner Ronnie Smith stood by his December vote, saying he voted correctly based on the information he had at the time. But Smith added he'd go along with the rest of the board, which he did once Thursday's vote was taken.



It was clear members of the audience had been upset by the commissioners' insurance-related moves. One woman who lingered after the session had a heated exchange with Bowen.



Two or three board-watchers had murmured or exhaled deeply during the meeting.



Nearby, Frankie Biggs of Williamston briefly had interrupted the meeting to make a comment, noting that all five commissioners take advantage of the county's insurance, which Overman later confirmed. Hurst had silenced Biggs by cautioning that the floor was not open for discussion.



In a post-meeting interview, Biggs faulted the board for not making clear in December exactly what it was voting on. She said the insurance item was on the commissioners' agenda, but it was not thoroughly discussed.



"It was kind of done under the cloak of darkness to me," she said.



Hurst has maintained the vote was taken in the open and that supporting documentation was available for public inspection.



Completely paid, lifetime insurance coverage for commissioners "is a terrible burden" to the county, Biggs added, pointing out that Martin County is a Tier 1 county, ranked in the lowest rung of the economic ladder by the state Department of Commerce.



Biggs also acknowledged her own health problems, stating that she has multiple sclerosis.



"It's very difficult for me to get insurance," she said. "It costs me out the wazoo."