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Home/Cleveland County, Oklahoma/Board of County Commissioners & Boards
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Cleveland County Budget Board Special Meeting - September 28, 2026

Board of County Commissioners & Boards — Monday, September 28, 2026
BodyCleveland County, Oklahoma
SessionBoard of County Commissioners & Boards
DateMonday, September 28, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 58:31

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

6:24

Oh, I know the two yeah, but I thought just three

Speaker 2

6:27

minutes.

Unassigned speaker

6:41

Is

Speaker 3

6:41

there a certain buttons that push what button?

Unassigned speaker

6:52

Where

Speaker 4

6:52

is

Speaker 5

6:52

that?

Speaker 4

6:55

Rebecca.

Speaker 2

6:55

I think you need some help.

Unassigned speaker

7:09

Sorry.

Speaker 5

7:17

We should have known that your

Unassigned speaker

7:20

chair.

Unassigned speaker

7:20

That's why you're saying that's why you're saying that's better than that.

Unassigned speaker

7:25

Yeah, maybe.

Speaker 4

7:55

All right.

Unassigned speaker

7:57

Well

Speaker 4

7:58

it's uh nine oh three AM on Monday, September twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty-six.

8:04

I'd like to call the uh special budget board meetings or we can roll call the both points.

8:14

Here,

Speaker 2

8:17

here, the cues

Speaker 4

8:18

here.

Speaker 2

8:19

Cleveland, Weaver, Williams, here Richards here.

8:24

We have a climb.

Speaker 1

8:37

No one has signed up.

Speaker 4

8:39

Thank

Unassigned speaker

8:39

you.

Speaker 4

8:47

Two thousand twenty-six for September fifteenth, two thousand twenty-six.

8:52

Recommended action.

Speaker 2

8:58

Second.

Unassigned speaker

9:03

All right.

Speaker 2

9:13

I'm sorry.

9:14

Okay, go call it.

9:16

Okay.

9:16

Apples?

9:17

Yes.

9:18

Ward.

9:18

Yes.

9:19

Palette, yes.

9:21

McHugh's Cleveland.

9:23

Weavers.

9:25

Williams.

9:26

Yes.

9:26

Richards.

9:27

Yes.

9:28

Mission carrying.

Speaker 4

9:29

Thank you.

9:30

Item two discussion of possible action regarding following fiscal two thousand twenty-five twenty-six laps preparations for twenty six twenty-seven cash by the preparations.

9:41

Do we have a motion?

Speaker 2

9:43

Motion to approve.

9:45

Second.

9:51

Yes.

9:52

War?

9:52

Yes.

9:58

Williams?

9:58

Yes.

Unassigned speaker

9:59

Richards.

Unassigned speaker

10:00

Item two discussion of possible action regarding following the fiscal 2025 26 laptop appropriations for 2627 cash by the preparations we have a motion motion to approve cost second discussion we have a vote folks yes more yes college yes Williams yes Richards yes mission carrying thank you all right discussion and possible action regarding following fiscal 2026 27 last corporations for fiscal 2526 cash on appropriations we have a motion public motion second pulse yes war yes yes yes cleveland weaver Williams yes Richards yes motion carry thank you all right and four discussion possible action regarding six two thousand twenty seven lapse appropriations for twenty four twenty five cash fund appropriations have a motion motion discussion yes war yes yes excuse yes weaver Williams yes Richards yes motion carry that should be possible actions approve resolution of the Cleveland County budget board supporting fiscal responsibility safe providing uh for Cleveland County taxpayers motion approved so I didn't have any discussion yes war yes McHugh's yes Cleveland Weaver Williams yes Richards yes Howard yes motion carry item number six discussion possible action approved resolution two thousand twenty seven cow rear employee discussion on that or Rod you have the presentation would you like to speak um no I was just going to give uh you know basically the uh the resolution we we had the um uh the discussion with the uh employee benefits committee um and we had a long discussion about two and a half hours next week last week and uh one of the things that we looked at was um the the almost 19 increase in the premiums of the uh uh health choice and you notably the the increase is like 16 percent of the uh of the high which the majority of our employees are on the high so we looked at talking about um uh you know how that's gonna affect how that can affect the uh the overall budget and everything and each and each actually have officers um and departments budget and and then um and then we looked at um deep dive into the differences in the way to pay between the high and basic as to how we could help encourage people to go to the basic if it fits for them personally and everything stuff because if they're not reaching their deductible in the pocket um I think they can have some provisions um with the FSA um to use so um so actually um it was um Shannon um out of your office that um that had recommended that we increase the FSA contribution from 500 to 750 um and uh and then because whenever you break down the difference of a potential out of pocket between the basic and the high it comes up to about it's that that gets that gets closer to uh to the amount of what your potential out of pocket is um plus the FSA with the basic um the uh that's a great benefit for the uh for the employee because that's real world dollars that they have to use and everything now if you stay with the high and still take out the FSA and you can contribute to it like the house you will participate into the um the the uh the basic and the premium savings between the premium um savings between the basic and high is about almost eighteen hundred dollars a year so adding 250 dollars uh while well well within the budget um if we had already put in points but unemployed benefits um so the thinking is is that right now we've got 64 people that's one health choice basing and by giving an extra kind of an that's just the carrot and just you know can let them look at it to let the employees have actually have some real world um choices and benefits um and everything stuff to uh to look at in the options um then uh then there can be some some actual some premium savings and actually have some some dollars going to uh it's of the uh employees for that benefit um and then the hSA um increased from $1500 the deductible the deductible with um health choice the the uh the if the HSA increased from $1500 to $2000 so the thought was if we wanted to match that deductible um so we increased the HSA contribution from $1500 to 2000

Speaker 6

15:10

Um and then the HSA um increased from $1,500 the deductible.

15:16

The deductible with um health choice, the the uh the HSA increased from $1,500 to $2,000.

15:22

So the thought was if we wanted to match that deductible, um so we increase the HSA contribution $1,500 to $2,000, and then the spouse dependent um that's somewhat representative, it's not slight as to the increases in the spouse and dependent um uh crazy with health choice.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Healthcare Benefits█████████████████████████████████████████████64%
Procedural███████████████22%
Fiscal Sustainability██████████14%
Summary of Proceedings

Cleveland County Budget Board Special Meeting - September 28, 2026

The Cleveland County Budget Board held a special meeting on Monday, September 28, 2026, at 9:03 AM. The board unanimously approved routine appropriations and lapsed appropriations items, and passed a resolution on fiscal responsibility. A prolonged debate occurred over the proposed 2027 employee benefits resolution, focusing on health insurance plan changes designed to encourage enrollment in lower-cost plans and provide direct financial benefits to employees. The motion to approve the benefits resolution failed on a roll-call vote (3 yes, 4 no), and the board agreed to reconvene on October 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM for further discussion and a final decision.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1: Discussion and possible action regarding appropriations for August 16, 2026, through September 15, 2026. Motion to approve, second, and unanimous roll-call vote (7 yes).
  • Item 2: Discussion and possible action regarding FY 2025-2026 lapsed appropriations for FY 2026-2027 cash fund appropriations. Motion to approve, second, and unanimous roll-call vote (7 yes).
  • Item 3: Discussion and possible action regarding FY 2026-2027 lapsed appropriations for FY 2025-2026 cash fund appropriations. Motion to approve, second, and unanimous roll-call vote (7 yes).
  • Item 4: Discussion and possible action regarding FY 2026-2027 lapsed appropriations for FY 2024-2025 cash fund appropriations. Motion to approve, second, and unanimous roll-call vote (7 yes).
  • Item 5: Discussion and possible action to approve Resolution of the Cleveland County Budget Board supporting fiscal responsibility and safeguarding Cleveland County taxpayers. Motion to approve, second, and unanimous roll-call vote (7 yes).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made. No one signed up to speak.

Discussion Items

  • Item 6: Discussion and possible action to approve Resolution 2027 Calendar Year Employee Benefits.
    • Commissioner Rod Cleveland presented the resolution, noting that the Employee Benefits Committee held a 2.5-hour meeting the previous week. Key changes included:
      • Health Choice premiums increased by 19%, with the high plan (used by the majority of employees) seeing a 16% increase.
      • Proposed increases: FSA contribution from $500 to $750 for the basic plan; HSA contribution from $1,500 to $2,000 to match the deductible increase; spouse/dependent benefit from $3,600 to $4,260 (affecting about 9 employees).
      • The estimated fiscal impact was $98,000 if 120 employees switched from the high to the basic plan, but cost savings from lower premiums were expected to offset this within the $949,500 employee benefits budget.
      • The goal was to incentivize employees to choose the basic or high-deductible plan, providing real dollars through FSA/HSA while reducing premium costs for the county.
    • Discussion included:
      • Commissioner Rod Cleveland explained that the increases are intended to give employees more choices and direct benefits, especially for the 64 employees currently on the basic plan.
      • Commissioner Douglas Warr questioned the need to act immediately, noting that open enrollment runs through the third week of October, leaving three weeks for a decision.
      • Commissioner Jacob McHughes expressed concerns about information gaps and suggested tabling the item for one week to allow board members to consult with their benefits committee representatives.
      • Commissioner Tammy Richards emphasized that employee benefits are for the employees, not the elected officials, and urged careful consideration.
      • Commissioner Marilyn Williams supported the resolution, stating the committee had thoroughly analyzed the plans and that the proposed changes would help employees without increasing taxpayer burden.
    • After further debate, the chair called for a roll-call vote on the motion to approve. The vote resulted in 3 yes (Cleveland, Williams, Richards) and 4 no (Warr, Howlett, McHughes, Weaver), so the motion failed.

Key Outcomes

  • Failed Vote: The motion to approve the 2027 Employee Benefits Resolution failed on a roll-call vote (3 yes, 4 no).
  • Next Steps: The board will hold a special budget board meeting on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM to revisit the resolution. Board members are expected to consult with their employee benefits committee representatives and bring any remaining questions.
  • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned with a unanimous voice vote on a motion to adjourn.

Meeting Transcript

Oh, I know the two yeah, but I thought just three minutes. Is there a certain buttons that push what button? Where is that? Rebecca. I think you need some help. Sorry. We should have known that your chair. That's why you're saying that's why you're saying that's better than that. Yeah, maybe. All right. Well it's uh nine oh three AM on Monday, September twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty-six. I'd like to call the uh special budget board meetings or we can roll call the both points. Here, here, the cues here. Cleveland, Weaver, Williams, here Richards here. We have a climb. No one has signed up. Thank you. Two thousand twenty-six for September fifteenth, two thousand twenty-six. Recommended action. Second. All right. I'm sorry. Okay, go call it. Okay. Apples? Yes. Ward. Yes. Palette, yes. McHugh's Cleveland. Weavers. Williams. Yes. Richards. Yes. Mission carrying. Thank you. Item two discussion of possible action regarding following fiscal two thousand twenty-five twenty-six laps preparations for twenty six twenty-seven cash by the preparations. Do we have a motion? Motion to approve. Second.

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