Worth County board votes to discontinue Safety Solutions contract, directs departments to document in-house training

Worth County supervisors voted to discontinue the county's contract with Safety Solutions and directed department heads to assume responsibility for routine safety meetings and documentation.

The decision followed an extended discussion of the consultant's value compared with in-house options. "So the action would probably be then to discontinue the agreement with Safety Solutions," said Speaker 1, who moved to end renewal and require departments to provide monthly safety meetings and documentation. Speaker 2 seconded the motion and asked that departments provide reports to the county safety committee.

Board members weighed the consultant's benefits against costs and alternatives. Speaker 1 noted the contract runs "$550 a month," with $125 an hour for consulting beyond a base allotment and mileage charges for extra visits. Several supervisors said much of the consultant's work consisted of showing training videos that the county could distribute internally and that targeted hands-on sessions (for specialized tasks such as chainsaw operations) could be scheduled as needed.

Members emphasized the importance of documentation: sign-in sheets, written topics and file copies so the county and its insurer can show training occurred. Speakers identified staff who currently track training; the board asked for at least quarterly reporting to the county safety committee and to make departmental documentation the primary evidence for compliance.

The board also confirmed contract logistics: Speaker 5 recited that the agreement would require a 30-day written notice to terminate. After discussion, the board took a voice vote; Speaker 1 announced the motion carried.

Next steps recorded at the meeting included implementing monthly or at least regular department-level safety check-ins, maintaining sign-in and topic records, and routing quarterly summaries to the county safety committee for oversight.