The Butler County commissioners no longer have immediate access to the records room in their office due to some missing files.

Chief county clerk Amy Wilson on Wednesday confirmed the room on the fifth floor of the government center is now locked with only county solicitor Mike English, an administrative assistant, and herself having keys.

Wilson said even the three commissioners must request to see any of those records because they or their assistants cannot retrieve them directly.

She said once the missing records could not be located, she was obligated under state law to secure the room.

“We’ve never had to lock it before,” Wilson said.

Wilson, who is the county’s chief records officer, declined to identify which records were missing pending a possible criminal investigation into their whereabouts.

She also wouldn’t list examples of what types of records are stored there.

“It is the primary repository for all boards of commissioners,” Wilson said.

After Wilson sent an e-mail Tuesday to everyone in the commissioners’ office about the action being taken, Commissioner Jim Eckstein protested.

Eckstein subsequently sent an e-mail copied to everyone with a county e-mail address questioning the legality of denying a commissioner access to county records.

He questioned whether Commissioner Bill McCarrier, board chairman, was denied access, too.

McCarrier said neither he nor Commissioner Dale Pinkerton have access to the room.

“I will not have a key to it,” McCarrier said. “Neither will Dale.”

Eckstein said he didn’t think anyone was implying he was responsible for the documents seemingly disappearing.

“I’m not taking that interpretation,” he said.

He supports an investigation being conducted by the district attorney’s office.

“Let’s call the DA,” Eckstein said. “I didn’t take documents.”

McCarrier said he also would support an investigation if Wilson determines it is necessary.

Eckstein questioned whether the locking of the room has any connection to his request for a criminal investigation by the state attorney general’s office regarding Wilson’s alleged abuse of compensatory time while working as Pinkerton’s administrative assistant and submitting conflicting time sheet records in response to right to know requests.

The state subsequently moved the investigation to District Attorney Richard Goldinger, who determined there was no crime committed and that it was a personnel issue.