DATE: February 27, 2006
FROM: Tulare County Human Resources & Development
TO: Mr. Toney Chimienti

Dear Toney:

As we have now concluded on our open enrollment for 2006, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation for your efforts and that of your staff in this major undertaking. The professionalism exhibited at our 70 plus group meetings and the over 2000 one-on-one enrollments made significant headway in helping our employees take advantage of both the benefit of the gap insurance as well as the pre-tax medical reimbursement accounts.

Given the burden the employees share in the cost of the County's medical benefits program, I would view the expansion of these programs as a positive contribution to our efforts to retain good County employees. Especially commendable were the extra efforts to explain the benefits of the pre-tax medical expense reimbursement program. The increase from about one-third of a million to nearly $1 million is extraordinary.

We have, of course, worked together both here and in Kings County since 1994 and I continue to have the greatest respect for you and look forward to many future years of collaboration.

Sincerely yours,
Tim Huntley
Director of Human Resources and Development