The Butler County commissioners continued their verbal jousting at their meeting Wednesday with accusations of cover-ups and incompetence.

Commissioner Bill McCarrier, board chairman, said Commissioner Jim Eckstein is ineffectual in his post due to an inability to communicate and a lack of interpersonal skills.

“He is completely ineffective as a county commissioner,” McCarrier said.

He accused Eckstein of lying repeatedly about what is occurring in county government.

“He will do anything to make himself look good,” McCarrier said.

Eckstein launched the first salvo by voting against the approval of the minutes for the Sept. 25 meeting, alleging his fellow commissioners wanted to cover up information by not detailing his comments.

He said the meeting minutes should detail his speech, not summarize the topics he addressed.

“These are not accurate at all,” Eckstein said.

McCarrier refuted Eckstein’s claim, saying the minutes are factual.

“The records are accurate, just not inclusive,” McCarrier said.

He said most of Eckstein’s commentary is unseemly or unrelated to county business.

“Most of the comments are not pertinent to county government,” McCarrier said. “The things he says — do we want those in the minutes? Most of what he says is inappropriate.”

He pointed out anyone wanting to see meetings may watch airings on cable television.

Eckstein also tapes the meetings for Internet viewing on Youtube.com.

County solicitor Mike English said county meetings here are more open and accessible than in other counties.

Chief county clerk Amy Wilson stressed they follow Robert’s Rules of Order, a widely accepted guide to running meetings.

Later in the meeting, Eckstein cited examples of what is wrong in county government, including the use of attorney Doug Linn as special counsel when Linn is representing Commissioner Dale Pinkerton in a defamation case against Eckstein.

English said there is no conflict because the county hasn’t used Linn since the defamation case was filed last year.

Eckstein claimed he was the sole commissioner worried about controlling costs.

“My goal is less debt,” he said. “I’ve promoted this constantly to deaf ears.”

Eckstein took credit for reducing a proposed 2-mill property tax hike for 2013 down to 1 mill.

McCarrier refuted Eckstein’s remarks.

“All three of us worked on that ... he can’t take full credit for that,” McCarrier said. “You can’t build your own home by tearing down your neighbor’s house.”

Eckstein accused McCarrier of spreading false rumors in 2012 that Eckstein was harassing male lifeguard applicants at Alameda Pool.

“I’ve never been accused of harassment,” Eckstein said. “There is no harassment.”

McCarrier pointed out he never accused Eckstein of harassing the applicants. He said there were people questioning why Eckstein was directly involved in the application process.

“There was never any insinuation,” McCarrier said.

He said Eckstein’s behavior and comments no longer upset him.

“I’ve learned to pity him,” McCarrier said.