Commission approves insurance renewal with $3,100 premium increase, sets building blanket policy limits

The Ward County Commission voted July 15 to proceed with the county’s 2025 insurance renewal that will increase the premium by about $3,100 and to adopt the suggested blanket policy (BP) limits: $39,504,675 for the Historical Courthouse and $26,999,385 for the Administrative Building.

Jackie Larson of Western Agency presented renewal options to the commission during the budget discussions. Commissioner Schuler moved to accept the renewal with the approximate $3,100 premium increase and the BP limits noted above; Commissioner Olson seconded the motion.

The roll call vote was 4–1: Commissioners Merritt, Olson, Schuler and Chair Fjeldahl voted yes; Commissioner Rostad voted no. The motion passed and staff were authorized to move forward on the renewal under the selected limits and premium increase.

The transcript does not record line-item budget offsets or whether the premium increase will be charged to a specific departmental budget; commissioners discussed the renewal in the context of broader 2026 budget work but took no separate budget allocation vote at the July 15 meeting.