Beech Tree News Network

 Butler County Fiscal Court met in regular session on Monday, September 11th at the Butler County Courthouse.  Second District Magistrate Johnny Tuck was unable to attend.

 Judge-Executive David Fields administered the oath of office to new Ambulance Board members Teresa Johnson and Chad Johnson.

Butler County Clerk Sherry Johnson presented the 2017 Tax Rates for Butler County.  School taxes increased from 40.5 to 41.9 cents per hundred dollars assessed on real property and personal property. Extension tax rates also rose from 6.8 to 7.038 cents per hundred dollars assessed on real property, and 10.46 to 10.51 cents per hundred dollars assessed on personal property. 

The City of Morgantown decreased its tangible rate from 12.0 to 11.9 cents per hundred dollars and increased real estate tax from 11.8 to 11.9 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value.

CLICK HERE FOR TAX RATES: 2017 Tax Rates.pdf
Judge Fields announced that the release of funds for the Butler County Senior Citizens' Center should be sometime next week.  The bid packages will also be released. According to Fields, District Court Judge J.B. Hines plans to institute a court-appointed work program to allow individuals to do community service at community organizations like the Butler County Animal Shelter and the Butler County Recycling Center instead of paying fines and court costs.

 "Judge Hines has used the Court Appointed Work Program in other counties with a significant amount of success," said Judge Fields.

In other business the court approved the following by a 4-0 vote:
  - Increase the Rochester Ferry house maintenance /repair allotment from $12,000 to $16,000 (Ohio County will pay $8,000 of this amount)
 - Acceptance of $188,689 for the 2017 Rural Secondary Road Flex Fund.
 - Contract agreement between Butler County Fiscal Court and Heather Keown-contractor for Butler County Community Center
 - Litter Abatement payments to New Liberty Missionary Baptist $553.60; Butler County Bears Baseball $500; BCMS Band $600; and BC Basketball $594.90
 - Change from full-time to part-time employment for Willie Durbin- less than 100 hours per month - at $10 per hour.

CALLED MEETING- September 6th

Butler County Fiscal Court held a called meeting on Wednesday, September 6th with all magistrates present.  The court approved the following by a 5-0 vote:
 - Accept the $110,700 bid from Lovins Concrete and Construction to replace the Rochester Ferry ramps.
 - Take the quote of $150 every two weeks for mowing the Woodbury Park from Thomas' Lawn Service.
 - Replacement of the A/C units for the Butler County Community Center by Kinser Heating A/C and Sheet Metal, Inc. for $12,281.
 - Rekeying the locks for all units at the Butler County Community Center.
 - Litter Abatement payment to BCMS Football Team $577.
 - Bills and transfers