The Butler County commissioners on Wednesday debated the objectivity of a salary study even though there aren’t any proposed wage changes yet.

Commissioner Jim Eckstein criticized the study, which was by the Archer Co. of Dublin, Ohio, for not having diverse input.

Eckstein pointed out the only county employees who worked on the study were Chief Clerk Amy Wilson; Lori Altman, human services director; and Kim Geyer, administrative assistant to Commissioner Bill McCarrier.

Eckstein questioned the impartiality of those three employees, stressing that Wilson is Commissioner Dale Pinkerton’s former assistant.

According to Eckstein, it was unfair to exclude his assistant, Margaret Abersold, from discussions involving the study.

“They’re taking away all of my rights one after the other,” he said.

Eckstein said an earlier draft of the study would be preferable over the latest version. The study originally was due last spring.

McCarrier refuted Eckstein’s comments.

“Wow,” McCarrier said. “What a bunch of BS.”

He said the final draft of the study was delayed due to various factors, including the county changing its parameters.

McCarrier said Eckstein was repeating a pattern of behavior.

“Once again, Commissioner Eckstein has delivered a vicious diatribe,” McCarrier said.

Eckstein also chided Geyer for saying at a previous meeting she had to do damage control by correcting erroneous salary information Eckstein spread internally.

He insisted the actual damage control is dealing with Pinkerton and McCarrier’s decisions.

McCarrier defended Geyer, saying Eckstein caused the problem by distributing incorrect numbers.