The Butler County commissioners are monitoring expenses with new monthly reports to control costs.

Commissioner Leslie Osche, board chairman, said today that the county spent $17 million out of the general fund through April, which is more than 27 percent of the 2016 general fund total of $62.4 million.

The total county budget is nearly $150.7 million.

Osche said the expenses would be higher if the county had not made an effort to prune expenses.

She stressed the county has more work to do with the budget in the months and years ahead.