Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Fiscal Court met for their regular November meeting in Monday night, November 10th. All members were present, as well as visitors from Ingram Brothers Trucking, Trane, and Baker Electromotive.

Two items of old business were first on the agenda. Magistrates revisited bids for the new Courthouse break room, and for upgrades and renovations to the Reeds Ferry operators building.

The low bid for the Reeds Ferry project was submitted by Jonas Masse at $5,500.00, for work not including plumbing and electrical. Magistrate David Whittinghill informed the Court that Doug Smith had agreed to do the plumbing and electrical portion of the job--including water heater, toilet, and other fixtures--for $2,100.00, bringing the total cost of the project to $7,600. Whittinghill moved to accept the two bids, with Stevie Givens seconding.

It was then brought up by Third District Magistrate Chad Tyree that the reason for tabling bids on the break room project last month was lack of a written estimate. Tyree suggested that it might be necessary to get a more detailed estimate from Masse, and a written estimate from Smith.

Whittinghill then moved to accept Masse's bid contingent on a written estimate being submitted by Smith.  The motion died without second and there was no further discussion on the bids.

Attention then turned to the bids for break room construction.

Last month a bid from Norman Burdin for break room construction couldn't be accepted because it wasn't presented in writing. That prompted the court to re-advertise for bids. Two bids were presented. Burdin bid $6,720.00 on the job, with K-Interiors bidding $12,270.26.

Chad Tyree moved to accept the bid from Burdin, with Stevie Givens giving the second. The motion passed by a 4-1 vote with David Whittinghill calling the one nay vote.

Dennis and Eric Ingram, from Ingram Brothers Trucking, along with Don Yochum from Trane Energy Services, and Skip Baker from Baker Electromotive gave a short presentation to the Court about a possible Compressed Natural Gas fueling station in Morgantown.

Ingram explained that their company will be installing a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station for their semi-truck fleet. Ingram said that they have been considering the move to CNG for their trucks for some time and that fuel costs and better technology make now the right time for the switch. Ingram told the Court they hope to have their facility open by February or March 2015.

Don Yochum, from Trane told the Court that the USA has more natural gas than Saudi Arabia has crude oil, and that natural gas is both cheaper, and cleaner than diesel fuel. Trane has developed a fueling system which compresses the gas from the 30 psi used by most municipal gas systems, to the over 4,000 psi needed to fuel vehicles. He said his company's system is delivered on skids, and operates like gas pumps, and allows payment by credit or debit cards, or fleet cards.

Skip Baker, from Baker Electromotive, explained that his company converts Diesel engines to run on a combination of diesel fuel and CNG. He told the Court that converting fleets to CNG could result in substantial cuts in fuel costs for trucking companies, garbage haulers, or school systems.

No action was taken by the Court.

Sheriff Scottie Ward presented his third quarter budget report, and had it approved by the Court by a 5-0 vote. Next the sheriff told the Court he would like to present some items for consideration ahead of the next budget cycle.

According to Ward his office has returned to the county more than $39,000 in excess fees. The Sheriff said that's more than he has received in budget increases. He explained that with the promotion of Trooper Brian McKinney the county now has no State Police coverage, and when a Trooper is assigned in 2015 they will still be in the county only part time.

"Ninety-nine percent of the calls that come into dispatch are handled by my guys," said Ward.

Sheriff Ward told the Court that he currently has one deputy, Travis McIntosh, assigned as a school resource officer. The school system funds the Resource Officer $1,948.50 every two weeks. Ward said that each pay period he is required to pay $516.40 back to the County to cover the retirement and insurance for the resource officer, and that causes the funding provided by the school system to run out in late spring. After that Ward has to pay the officer's wages from his general budget.

Ward requested that the Court consider on the next budget paying the officers benefits--as they do for the rest of the deputies-- so that he doesn't have to use school system funding for the benefits. This would prevent Ward from asking for a budget increase, and would amount to approximately $7,450 in retained funds to the Sheriff's Office each year.

No action was taken on the matter.

The squires next approved litter abatement payments to the following: BCHS Baseball Boosters-$674, Community House of Prayer-$600, and Butler County Junior Pro-$603.

Judge Fields told the Court that E-Pest and Home Service, LLC had inquired about handling extermination services for the Court House. The current contract runs through May 2015, but covers only termite control, with other pests handled on an as-needed basis.

Chad Tyree moved to accept bids for exterminating by May 2015, with Johnny Tuck seconding. The motion passed 5-0.

In other business the Court agreed to advertise for bids for county garbage pickup service, accepted the Health Department tax rate for 2015, approved a funds transfer from the general fund to the jail fund, and approved routine bills and transfers.

During the open discussion period Judge Fields asked magistrates if the meeting time could be moved to 5 pm in January. The magistrates agreed to the change. Fields also said he would like a directory of approved bidders compiled to make the bidding process more streamlined.

Magistrate Whittinghill said that he thinks county officials need to visit Ohio County to see how they handle recycling, and get ideas for Butler County's recycling plan. He also wants bids in the future to be done on a line-item basis.

Chad Tyree told the Court that they've been invited to participate in the Quality Christmas parade on December 15th.

Judge Fields acknowledged that there will be just one more meeting for outgoing Fifth District Magistrate Keith Daugherty.  Fields thanked Daugherty for his service. Said Daugherty, "I'll still be working for my county, that's for sure."

The meeting was then adjourned.

Story by Joe K. Morris