Although the Butler County 2017 budget of $160.5 million approved Thursday does not include a property tax hike, staffing costs remain a concern.

County Commissioner Leslie Osche, board chairman, said layoffs are a possibility if state money funding salaries is lost in the state's 2017-18 fiscal year, which starts July 1.

Osche said the county budget is too tight to cover salaries funded by the state.

“We don't have room in the budget to maintain services,” she said.

County Controller Ben Holland broached the topic during the county salary board meeting.

Holland opposed adding a Drug & Alcohol prevention specialist at more than $24 an hour due to uncertainty about the next state budget.

Commissioners Kim Geyer and Kevin Boozel sided with Osche to add the job due to the heavy workload of the Drug & Alcohol branch of county Human Services.

Boozel cited the $1,200 annual cost to the county making it affordable.

The county funds 10 percent of the total salary. State and federal revenue pays the majority.

Osche said any potential problems with state funding won't arise until halfway through next year.

Holland said in an interview the county must deal with staffing costs at some point.

“It's not pens and pencils,” he said, referring to comparatively minor expenses. “It's not travel.”

Holland said the county must fully fund the pension fund someday to avoid major issues with it down the road.

“The most effective way is to eliminate jobs,” he said.

Osche agreed personnel costs will be a concern in years ahead.

She said in an interview jobs would have to be evaluated in the future.

However, Osche pointed out other counties, even smaller ones, have larger staffs than Butler does.

The new budget keeps the tax rate at 27.628 mills.

Of the total amount, 21.59 mills is for general use. Debt service is allocated 3.1 mills. More than $5 million, or 2.93 mills is dedicated to Butler County Community College.

A mill equals $1 of tax revenue for each $1,000 of a property's assessed value.