Beech Tree News Network

I, Chad Tyree, 3rd District Magistrate of Butler County Fiscal Court, would like to reassure the community that the matter of Butler County’s budgets is not being taken lightly. The point of reviewing prior to acceptance, the County Clerk’s and Sheriff’s budgets so in depth, are in fact on behalf of all the Butler County community and taxpayers of Butler County.  This review includes, but is not limited to, how they (the County Clerk and Sheriff) and other elected official’s (Jailer) budgets affect or can affect the General Fund.  The General, Road, Jail, LGEA, CDBG, Rochester Ferry and Reeds Ferry funds have a fiscal year that runs from July 1st to June 30th while the other budgets (including the County Clerk and Sheriff) calendar year run from January 1 to December 31 and all must be reviewed and approved by Butler County Fiscal Court.  Each fund influences the general fund in some way with exception to the Rochester Ferry and Reeds Ferry funds. On November 23rd an initial budget was given to the Fiscal Court by the Butler County Sheriff for review.  A revised budget was submitted on December 14th by the Butler County Sheriff for review and the County Clerk presented a budget for review.  Fiscal Court merely extended the time to examine the County Clerks and Sheriff budgets until December 28 at December 14th meeting.  The purpose of the extension is to review the County Clerk’s and Sheriff’s employee benefits paid for by Butler County Fiscal out of the General Fund.  The benefit values are not reflected (or listed) in the County Clerk’s or Sheriff’s budget because these benefits are part of the General Fund. A request was made to the Butler County Treasurer to compile these benefit values for review in conjunction with the Clerk’s and Sheriff’s budget. The budgets under review are for operating the Sheriff’s Office and County Clerk’s Office in 2016, and in no way affects the administration’s (be it the Clerk or Sheriff) ability to provide services to the citizens of Butler County and until December 20th (Dec. 20th is the last 2-week pay period in 2015. Time worked in the Sheriff’s office after that date will be paid under the 2016 budget).  They (both the County Clerk and Sheriff) are operating under 2015 budgets approved this time last year.  Furthermore, the Butler County Fiscal Court is currently working on an equitable and timely solution to reinstate/provide vital services to Butler County that are not being currently provided by the Sheriff’s office.  In no way has the Butler County Fiscal Court suspended services in Butler County.
Butler County, like much of the country and world, have been hit with certain revenue short falls and increased expenses.  Each citizen in Butler County has certain services that are dearer to them than others; it’s the Fiscal Courts duty to see that all services are funded whether we use them now or want them available in the future.
During the review and setting of Fiscal year 2015/2016 budgets for the General, Road, Jail, LGEA, CDBG, Rochester Ferry and Reeds Ferry funds earlier in the year (about 6 months ago) the fiscal court, struggled with making cuts to certain line items and even services.  The reason for this - each service is important to someone.  These cuts squarely lay on the shoulders of not only the fiscal court but every sworn elected official in Butler County.  The budget review is something each elected official must work on together, professionally, equitably, and for the betterment of every citizen in Butler County.

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Sincerely
Chad Tyree
Butler County’s 3rd District Magistrate