The debate over Butler County jury commissioners continues despite the posts no longer existing.

Beverly Schenck, a former Center Township supervisor, told the Butler County Commissioners Wednesday they violated Robert’s Rules of Orders, the meeting procedures used by the county, when casting a second vote in May to abolish the posts.

Schenck said the commissioners first had to rescind a November 2012 vote that retained the part-time posts.

Chief County Clerk Amy Wilson said she was unaware of anything inappropriate about taking the May vote, which was separate from the one taken the prior November.

County solicitor Mike English said in an interview there was no legal issue with the second vote.

“It was a different vote on a different statute,” English said.

Under a previous state law enabling counties to eliminate jury commissioners, commissioners Jim Eckstein and Bill McCarrier voted in 2012 to keep the jobs.

After a new law with different provisions was enacted, McCarrier sided with Commissioner Dale Pinkerton last May to cut the elected posts for 2014.

Schenck chided McCarrier for switching his vote, which was two days after a primary election.

“You alone are responsible for the nullification of 14,000 votes,” she said. “I resent that.”

McCarrier previously defended the change in his stance, saying it would not have happened if the law remained the same.

He and Pinkerton cited cost savings as the impetus for cutting the posts.

The salaries and benefits of the jury commissioners were budgeted at roughly $71,000 for 2013.

County court administration staff now handle the random generation of jury summonses and eligibility questionnaires.

Tom Holman, deputy court administrator, said in an interview there have been no problems since the transition occurred.

As of this morning, the state attorney general’s office had not filed charges against anyone for alleged interference in the jury pool selection process late last year.

County President Judge Thomas Doerr issued a Nov. 22 order removing jury commissioners Jon Galante and Clinton Bonetti from the jury selection process based on the state investigation.

The state attorney general’s office refuses to acknowledge the investigation.