Butler County is inching closer to constructing a new office building by hiring a Harrisburg firm as a financial adviser for any borrowing needed for the project.

The county commissioners on Wednesday hired Public Financial Management at a rate not to exceed $18,500.

They also adopted a policy enabling the county to reimburse itself from any borrowing for any advance costs incurred on the project, which won’t move forward until a construction contract is awarded.

Commissioner Jim Eckstein opposed the new policy, saying the county should not even consider borrowing a total of $15 million for a new office building and other capital projects.

Eckstein said the county should have some money to use toward construction before considering borrowing the total amount.

“Basically, we have no money at all,” he said. “That’s not prudent judgment.”

County solicitor Mike English stressed the county is not obligated to borrow any amount of money at this point.

“That number doesn’t bind the county in any way,” English said.

Eckstein insisted construction of a new building adjacent to the government center isn’t the best option for addressing office space needs.

He maintains buying a building would be better because of lower costs.

“I don’t think we need a new building,” Eckstein said.

Financing proposals indicate the county could finance construction without impacting property taxes.

Commissioners Bill McCarrier and Dale Pinkerton maintain a new building would be the best choice for the county in the long run if construction bids aren’t too high.

During public comment, Slippery Rock Councilman Itzi Meztli said the county shouldn’t be pursuing such a costly project while raising property taxes by 1 mill this year and giving large monetary contributions to Butler County Community College each year.

Although the county reduced the annual $5 million contribution by $333,000 this year, Meztli said that’s insufficient.

“It’s obvious the college is not struggling to survive,” he said, referring to the college’s $12.5 million surplus.

Meztli pointed out the county has no surplus.

“Commissioners, either you reduce the BC3 allotment or you build a new office complex, but you can’t do both,” he said.

Connoquenessing Township resident Mark Krenitsky suggested the county not keep ownership of the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as it continues to lose money.

For 2013, the nursing home is projected to lose $1.4 million.

Eckstein pointed out that $400,000 of that total is for a balloon payment on debt incurred from prior renovations.

He said another $250,000 of the deficit is due to the building’s depreciation.

Eckstein supports keeping Sunnyview county-owned.

“We owe it to the community to have Sunnyview there,” he said.

McCarrier said in an interview the board hasn’t discussed the future of Sunnyview, but didn’t rule out an eventual sale someday.

“It’s always an option if it becomes too big a burden on the county,” he said.