The Butler County commissioners are debating whether a proposed project to construct a new office building has exceeded its estimated cost by a third.

Commissioner Jim Eckstein said at the commissioners meeting Wednesday that the estimated cost already is climbing based on the most expensive proposal from construction manager Thomas & Williamson at $14 million.

“We haven’t even broken ground,” Eckstein said. “I’m very concerned about this issue to be third over the cost.”

But Commissioner Bill McCarrier, board chairman, refuted that the project, which hasn’t been officially approved, already was over budget.

“That is not true,” McCarrier said. “We have several options.”

McCarrier said in an interview there are no official proposals, just “sketches.”

The most costly sketch is a five-level option at $14.2 million. Along with a parking lot, there are two shell floors for expansion and two floors for human services offices.

Under the second option at $13.8 million, there are five levels but with a reduced parking lot.

The third option is $12.1 million with four levels, leaving out a shell floor.

The fourth option costs $10.6 million with three floors, eliminating the parking lot.

Earlier this year, county officials discussed an estimated cost for the building, which would be erected next to the government center, at roughly $10 million.

Eckstein said after the meeting that county administrative staff should not have had access to the rough proposals to review before he had an opportunity to see them.

“I think it’s terrible,” he said.

Eckstein pointed out he previously requested to be kept in the loop about how the design was evolving.

“They did not abide by my request,” he said.

Eckstein questioned whether his fellow commissioners also saw the material before he did.

McCarrier said all three commissioners received the sketches at the same time. “They came by way of e-mail,” he said.

The commissioners on Wednesday did award a contract to Thomas & Williamson of Pittsburgh. They initially hired the company in May.

Under the contract, the company is paid $60,502 for preconstruction services, $8,668 for bidding and $257,864 for construction services, if the project moves forward.