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15 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 Commissioner McKee asked if the traditional wage increase was stalled until July 1, <br /> 3 2020. <br /> 4 Brenda Bartholomew said no, the wage increase was stalled until July 1, 2021. <br /> 5 Commissioner McKee said austerity measures have been put in place due to COVID, <br /> 6 and there are unknowns still ahead. He asked Bonnie Hammersley if this bonus will adversely <br /> 7 affect the overall budget. <br /> 8 Bonnie Hammersley said staff has been monitoring all elements of the budget, and the <br /> 9 Health Insurance Reserve is growing because claims are down. She said claims are likely <br /> 10 down due to COVID, as people are not going to the doctor unless absolutely necessary. She <br /> 11 said the Health Insurance Reserve fund will fund this one-time payment, and this reserve is <br /> 12 partially County funded and partially employee funded. She said the reserve is still in place to <br /> 13 handle a catastrophic event, and this one time pay-out will not impact that. <br /> 14 Commissioner Price said she is very pleased with this recommendation. <br /> 15 Commissioner McKee said he will reluctantly support this recommendation, but noted <br /> 16 there are many people across Orange County who did not receive a wage increase, or may <br /> 17 have even lost a job. He said he has no doubt about the hard work of County employees. <br /> 18 Commissioner Bedford expressed gratitude for all County employees during these <br /> 19 stressful times. She agreed there are many families that are suffering. <br /> 20 <br /> 21 A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Price to: <br /> 22 <br /> 23 • Authorize a one-time Pandemic Response Payment of$100 per month to permanent <br /> 24 County employees who have been on the payroll between March 1, 2020 and <br /> 25 November 1, 2020, prorated for permanent part time employees, and <br /> 26 • Approve Budget Amendment#3-A transferring funds from the County's Health <br /> 27 Insurance Reserve to a Pandemic Response Payment account to be distributed to <br /> 28 departments' personnel line items according to the amount of payment required in each <br /> 29 department. <br /> 30 <br /> 31 Commissioner Bedford said she would like to exclude herself from the $900 one-time <br /> 32 payment, and contribute it to the Department of Social Services (DSS) needs. <br /> 33 Chair Rich said this can be done through the Giving Fund. <br /> 34 Commissioner McKee said he would also like to forego the payment. <br /> 35 Chair Rich said every single employee has worked overtime since the pandemic started, <br /> 36 and it was especially intense in the beginning. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 Chair Rich called each Commissioner by name (roll call). <br /> 39 <br /> 40 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 41 <br /> 42 e. Initiating the Process to Disengage from Cardinal Innovations Healthcare and to <br /> 43 Seek Realignment with Alliance Health <br /> 44 <br /> 45 The Board considered voting to authorize the County Manager to initiate the formal <br /> 46 disengagement process from the County's current Local Management Entity-Managed Care <br /> 47 Organization, Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, and seek realignment with Alliance Health to <br /> 48 administer mental and behavioral health services for Orange County residents. <br /> 49 <br /> 50 Travis Myren reviewed the item below: <br /> 51 <br />