Rock County board moves to preserve employee health‑benefit fund after public comments

Rock County supervisors on June 25 voted to restrict how the county can use an account historically held to offset employee health‑insurance costs.

The measure, moved by Supervisor Sher Schwarz and seconded by Supervisor Wallace, was presented after committee members and long‑time county employees described the fund's purpose. "We are just asking for the remainder of these funds to be held in this account to help employees fund their health insurance premiums," said Stephanie Mills, a member of the single‑purpose health‑insurance committee and a City of Jainsville employee. Amy Sather, who works at Rock Haven, told the board many county staff "cannot afford the insurance. Cannot."

Staff gave historical context: Rock County previously maintained a self‑insured fund used to pay claims; when the county moved to fully insured coverage the fund was retained to help offset premiums. In recent years portions of the fund were transferred — including funds used for a county road project — and staff said some balances (reported in testimony as roughly $4 million) were under discussion for reallocation. The resolution aims to keep remaining funds dedicated to employee benefits and to prevent similar transfers without board action.

The resolution passed by voice vote. Several supervisors noted that any future board could revisit or overturn the restriction by a subsequent resolution.

What happens next: the change preserves the fund's purpose for now; supervisors said details about the fund balance and how it will be administered should be followed up with staff and the single‑purpose committee.