Public commenter urges trustees to delay joining Bridged Health

During public comment, Scott Shook urged the board to delay or reject a decision to join Bridged Health, saying the district’s current insurance trust is financially strong and that immediate action is unnecessary.

Shook said members consistently list insurance as a top priority and that moving to Bridged Health could carry significant governance and long‑term cost risks because several questions about representation, operational structure and cost estimates remained unanswered. He argued that any savings realized by joining a new trust likely would not be returned to the district’s general fund because insurance contributions are a negotiated item and recommended waiting a year to review experience from other districts.

The board did not take action on the matter at the meeting; Shook urged trustees to vote no if the item appears on the May agenda.