By NICOLE CARTRETTE

At least a few Columbus County commissioners say they want to rescind their vote on a 153-page policy manual that included a lucrative health benefit package to commissioners who leave office or are voted off of the board.

The controversial decision has prompted commissioners to call a special session for Friday at 3 p.m. in the county commissioners’ chambers to discuss the policy manual.

Two commissioners, James Prevatte and Bill Memory, maintain that they overlooked the extension of healthcare coverage to commissioners in the policy and insist they made a mistake that can be corrected.

“I apologize for anything I may have unintentionally done wrong,” Prevatte said, pointing out that the original plan had provided that commissioners who leave office could keep the insurance provided they pay for 100-percent of it. “We will correct the situation,” he said. “I would not do anything to harm this county in anyway. I stood alone many times. I won’t waiver from that. Once we correct this problem I will go on and do the best I can.”

“It’s going to be changed,” Memory said. “Sometimes board members and boards make mistakes. This is a very simple one to rectify.” He added that if commissioners want to keep group health insurance coverage they should be allowed to do so, but at their own expense. “We ask that the people of Columbus County bear with us.”

Commissioner Lynwood Norris said he knew the benefit package was in the policy manual but agreed it would be changed. “It’s definitely going to be rescinded,” he said. “It will be done away with.”

Commissioner Amon McKenzie offered no details about if his opinion of the policy had changed. Earlier in the week he spoke in support of the action but Wednesday only said the matter would be re-visited. “We are going to take this matter up,” he said. “We are going to discuss it and make a final decision.”

Chairman Kip Godwin said informal discussions after The News Reporter came out Monday with a story on the new policy brought about the need for a special session. “I am not 100 percent sure what action will be taken,” Godwin said. “The general consensus is we will revisit it.”

He said the main objective was to be given the opportunity to be insured. “It may not be necessary that taxpayers pay for it.

“There are a lot of other positive things we did in adopting the new manual,” Godwin pointed out. Pre-employment drug screening, internet usage, and medical insurance benefits for disabled retiring employees are issues addressed in the policy, he said. “The attempt was not to cause all of the controversy we caused.”

The policy gives one-term commissioners who are off the board individual group health insurance coverage at half the cost. The county pays 75 percent for two-term commissioners and 100 percent of premiums for commissioners with three or more terms.