Jackson County will prepare for the 2009 budget with at least two assumptions. No. 1: All county operations should present a budget with no increase in expenditures over 2008 and No. 2: county employees should be prepared to pay for more of their share of health insurance costs.

The county's Executive and Finance Committee met Monday to establish some guidelines for the 2009 budget, which like previous years, will require departments to tighten their budget belts in an attempt to meet the no-increase in spending goal.

That doesn't mean that all departments will hit that mark. Escalating fuel prices and other increased costs will hit some departments - like highway and the sheriff's department - harder than others. But those departments will be required to justify all spending increases, said County Board Chairman Dennis Eberhardt.

The committee spent most of its budget discussion Monday on health insurance and how to curtail the soaring costs, which are expected to increase 12 percent or nearly $263,000 in 2009. The total premium contribution - including employee's share - for 2009 is estimated to be about $3.2 million.

"Insurance is our biggest cost and will be in the future," Eberhardt said. "We can't continue having a Cadillac plan for the employees of the county when the rest of the people paying taxes certainly don't have an option for a plan like this."

The percentage that employees pay for their health insurance varies depending on the union and the plan and it ranges from 5 percent to 10 percent. Under the union plan which covers 67 families, in 2008 the county paid $1,624 a month and the employee paid $141 or 8 percent. After a $250 or $500 deductible, the county pays for all costs.

Under the health and wellness plan, which in 2008 covered 55 families, the county paid $1,534 a month and the employee paid $81 or 5 percent. That plan includes the same deductibles but also includes some co-pays.

In 2008 there were 67 families and 25 single members on the union plan and 55 families and 15 singles on the health and wellness plan. Non-union employees are usually offered the same percentage as the union employees.

While health insurance costs are a bargaining point for union employees, much of the discussion Monday centered on what the county should offer non-union employees. The county's plan for union employees is to move them to 9 percent share in 2009.

The committee finally voted to offer non-union employees a 2 percent salary increase in 2009 and a 10 percent health insurance premium share, which will be double from 2008. That will affect about 30 employees.

"We gotta get a greater contribution on insurance down the road," said supervisor William Cornell. "We just can't continue to escalate and bit the bullet every year."

Eberhardt said the county needs to move toward more health and wellness plans which would include larger deductibles of $1,000 and $3,000 and 20 percent co-pays. "But that will be for next year when we start negotiating," Eberhardt said.

The county has about 180 employees eligible for health insurance benefits, which cover 471 people when you include spouses and dependents.

In a related move, the committee approved a proposal prepared by County Clerk Kyle Deno that will solicit proposals from insurance companies to provide health insurance coverage. The county has been self-funded with a third-party administrator. The purpose of the proposal is to get bids to be able to compare costs with plans that must meet or exceed the benefit level of the existing plan. The proposals are to be considered and approved for possible implementation Jan. 1 if the county changes from self-funded.

In other developments, the committee:

-- Approved a resolution, which follows Personnel and Bargaining last week, to recommend the hiring of Randy Bjerke of Black River Falls as the county's Veteran Service Officer. Bjerke, who still needs approval from the county board, will replace Margaret Garvin, who resigned May 23. Eberhardt said 33 people applied for the position and Bjerke was selected as the top candidate based on an interview and a test.

-- Approved a plan by Department of Health and Human Services director Todd Bowen to reduce hours for a public health nurse position and apply them to the environmental health sanitarian to make that position full time.

-- Approved a six-year proposed project list for the Black River Falls Area Airport to be submitted to the Department of Transportation Bureau of Aeronautics for possible aid. The list includes runway sealcoating, extending the runway and taxi way by 500 feet, developing a hangar and building a 2,500-foot north-south runway, which would be in 2013 or later. Eberhardt said the north-south runway is important because it would allow the firefighter tanker to take off when there is a strong cross wind that prevents it from taking off now.