Press Release - 04/28/2010
Green County Receives $111,886 Dividend on Its Justice Center Project for Putting Safety First
County’s Insurer Presented Check at Green County Board Meeting
Keeping a close eye on safety during the construction of their new Green County Justice Center has paid off big for the county.
On April 20, 2010, the county was presented with an $111,886 dividend check from the Wisconsin County Mutual Insurance Corporation (County Mutual) for having a reduced number of lost-time accidents during the construction of the Green County Justice Center.
Green County received the dividend because of their participation in the County Mutual’s Owner Direct Insurance Program (ODIP). The ODIP is a cost-saving insurance product that allows counties to take control of their worker’s compensation insurance needs on building projects such as jails or law enforcement centers.
“The County Mutual and counties have a close working relationship that results in effective insurance solutions,” said John Dirkse, executive vice president of Aegis Corporation, which administers the County Mutual and administered the on-site safety program for the ODIP Program. “Those working on the Green County Justice Center were safer and taxpayer dollars were saved because of this unique partnership.”
In addition, Aegis Corporation conducted regular safety visits and on-site training for the Green County Justice Center construction project.
“Green County had in place a team for this project that made safety as a top priority,” said Vance Forrest, Vice President of Risk Management for Aegis Corporation. “Everyone involved in the construction of this new justice center was committed to safety and it is this dedication has resulted in Green County seeing such savings using the ODIP.”
“The ODIP continues to be an effective tool that can save counties, whether or not they are members of the County Mutual, a substantial amount of money on building costs,” said Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) Executive Director Mark D. O’Connell. “Counties are still facing considerable fiscal challenges and the County Mutual’s ODIP is a unique option for saving taxpayer dollars on construction projects.”
The construction manager for the new center was J.P. Cullen & Sons, Inc. Those involved in the Green County Justice Center Project from the company included Bob Klaas, Division Manager; David Baren, Project Manager; Kevin Hickman, Field Engineer; Randy Thor, Site Superintendent; Doug Demrow, Site Superintendent; Brian Oberle, Safety Director; as well as J.P. Cullen crews.
The Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA), along with county officials from around the state, created the Wisconsin County Mutual Insurance Corporation in 1987 to provide quality liability insurance substantially at cost to its members. The company has a strong focus on risk management and currently insures 53 of the state’s 72 counties. To learn more, visit www.wisconsincountymutual.org.
For more information on how your county can utilize the ODIP for construction projects, contact Vance Forrest at Aegis Corporation, 800.236.6885 or vance@aegis-wi.com.