Butler County’s employee pension fund lost about $4 million in January due to a downturn in the stock market.

However, county Controller Ben Holland said this will not cause any short-term or long-term issues.

Holland said the plan finished January with about $170.2 million. The plan finished December with about $175.9 million. Accounting for the county paying its retirees during that time, Holland said that represents an overall decline of about $4 million.

“I think it will rebound,” Holland said.

Last year, Holland reported the pension is nearly 89 percent funded. Because the pension is in such good shape, Holland said something like this will not greatly affect the county.

“A downturn in the market isn’t going to hurt us,” Holland said.

The plan has 574 members paying into it and 577 retirees receiving benefits.

The county is paying an average of more than $820,000 per month in pension benefits.