By HOLLY GASKILL
Wells County Commissioners may have fewer insurance options available due to claims in recent years.
Dan Lipp and Danica Dunwiddie of General Insurance in Bluffton were before the commissioners Monday to discuss the county’s options, noting premiums have increased by 12.17 percent.
Lipp said there have been seven significant claims for losses filed alleging wrongdoing under the liability coverage in 2022. Two of these claims were considered major — $17,748.90 for a mechanical breakdown at the courthouse following a lightning strike and $24,056 following a deer accident last June.
Of the remaining claims, three involved vehicle accidents, and two involved vehicle damage due to county road maintenance, one of which was dismissed.
Dunwiddie stated that because of these significant claims, as well as several open claims from prior years, multiple companies had declined to give a quote.
These open claims include two incidents at the Wells County Jail, one involving an inmate who died by suicide, and another claiming they were placed with a well-known violent inmate and were thereafter attacked and injured by the inmate. $105,216 has already been paid out for these claims.
Lipp said they would continue to prepare the best quotes for coverage over the coming weeks but would need commissioner approval of the contracts by May 1. The commissioners agreed to meet to give final approval in a session before their next meeting.
Other updates were:
• The Solid Waste District will hold its annual shred event on May 6 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Washington Commons in Bluffton.
• The drainage board denied Isaiah and Dalia Medina-Geels permission to build on top of a tile in Poneto. The property owners had already begun building and had not received the proper permits for the work. Surveyor Jarrod Hahn stated a significant amount of Poneto relies on this tile, including all municipal stormwater. He said he would double-check the property’s status before formally denying the request.
• The drainage board approved a building request from Kyle and Deone Gerber just off the BL Meyer drain on 600E south of 200N.
• The commissioners voted 3-0 to pay the 2022 and 2023 property taxes on the current Highway Department building, which is no longer owned by the county but is being used during the new building’s construction.
• Community Corrections Executive Director Blake Poindexter announced that Mary Porrata will be stepping down as minority representative after 20 years of service. Poindexter commended her for her service and noted it would be a significant loss to the department.
• Sheriff Scott Holliday reported that 74 inmates were being housed in the Wells County Jail as of Monday evening. Of these 74 inmates, 27 were pre-trial holds for the Wells County Superior Court, 12 were pre-trial holds for the Circuit Court, 11 were Level 6 felons and six were from the Department of Correction.
• As requested by the commissioners, Holliday reported on the number of drug-related arrests on Monday. In the previous two weeks, the county had made 42 arrests total, 12 of which were drug and alcohol-related. Of these 12, five were charges related to marijuana, four alcohol, four pills/narcotics, and one meth.
• Holliday notified the commissioners that work had begun on the jail’s kitchen delivery doors.
holly@news-banner.com
