By toeing the line on high-risk claims, Schuylkill County has earned a $73,036 refund from its insurance carrier.

“Schuylkill County is a member of an insurance co-op, along with 22 other counties,” Director of Finance Paul Buber explained during the Schuylkill County Commissioners’ meeting Wednesday. “On an annual basis, the counties are reviewed and since our high-risk claims were lower, we’ll get the refund.”

Buber advised — and the commissioners approved it — that the money be deposited in the county’s retirement fund. He said that when this year’s budget was created, the county’s annual contribution to the fund was underestimated.

During the Retirement Board meeting which followed the Commissioners’ meeting, County Controller Christy Joy said that the commissioners were to be commended for their dedication to funding the county’s retirement account.

“(In the news) You can hear about pensions that are underfunded,” Joy said. “But we’re in the upper 90s (percent funded) and well-funded.”

As of May 8, the total value of the county’s retirement fund is $137,021,092. During April, five members received annuities totaling $1,234,536.

In other action, the commissioners:

Approved the purchase of two police interceptor vehicles for the Adult Probation Office from Sands Ford of Pottsville for a total of $74,224.10. The vehicles will be purchased using offender supervision fee money.

In McAdoo, approved a modification of the use of Community Development Block Grant funds. The borough had requested funding for a stormwater project on Hancock Street; instead, the CDBG funds will be used to repair a stormwater line on Sherman Street, which collapsed last winter and caused a closure of the street.

The Commissioners’ meeting was held at Williams Valley High School, to honor Schuylkill County’s top Scholar Athlete, Spencer Dimon.