CADIZ — The Harrison County General Fund Budget increased by nearly $500,000 over the total for 2019.

The Harrison County Board of Commissioners approved the 2020 budget at Wednesday’s regularly scheduled meeting. Appropriations for the coming year are set at $7,403,022.44 — an increase of $455,148.86 over last year’s budget of $6,947,873.58. Commissioner Dale Norris read the budget at the meeting, listing all departments in the county.

Commissioner Paul Coffland said the substantial increase can be attributed to a rise in the county’s health care costs.

“I’d just like to note that that’s up from the $6.9 million last year, but considering we had a substantial increase in our health insurance coverage, I’d give credit to all offices for keeping their budgets as tight as possible. When you’re looking at an approximate $390,000 increase in health care coverage, that’s not much of an increase in the overall budget,” he said.

Norris made the motion to approve, and Coffland seconded the motion. Commissioner Don Bethel agreed and the motion carried unanimously.

Bethel thanked those involved in completing this year’s budget, including Coffland. Following the meeting, Coffland said the county’s insurance coverage cost increased by nearly 30 percent from the previous year.

“(It) really took us by surprise, so we had to dive back in and do some additional work,” he said. “We’ve modified the plan so it will basically keep with the same coverage for our employees, but we’ve cut that cost down under 20 percent.”

Coffland added that county employees have good coverage.

The county’s largest budget was approved in 2015, when appropriations totaled $11,655,562. The budget continued to decrease each year after that until a slight increase in 2019.

The commissioners also approved the Special Revenues Budgets for the year, which totaled $26,141,628.91.

In other news, Engineer Doug Bachman informed commissioners of multiple upcoming superload transports.

“The next three to four Sundays, from 10 (a.m.) to 6 (p.m.), there will be superloads accessing the MarkWest site,” Bachman said.

The superloads will be traveling through Jefferson and Harrison counties on U.S. 22 west and Ohio 151, ending at the MarkWest fractionator facility. Traffic will be affected in both the east and westbound directions. The transports will transpire Jan. 12, 19 and 26.

The commissioners announced they will hold a meeting at 11 a.m. Monday at the courthouse. Additionally, the normal meeting will still be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday.