The Butler County commissioners are looking for ways to cut staffing costs.

Commissioner Leslie Osche, board chairman, said at the meeting Thursday the county would review implementing an early retirement incentive program.

“We’re researching it,” Osche said.

She said such a buyout program would have to be one component of a larger staffing plan.

According to Osche, it’s premature to consider a hiring freeze.

“We don’t have enough data yet to determine if that’s necessary,” she said.

However, the commissioners have not immediately filled posts as retirements occur.

The county has not replaced former planning director Dave Johnston, who retired at the end of 2015.

Osche said in an interview the planning department is operating without a director. The planning staff is reporting to interim chief clerk Jerry Patterson.

County Controller Ben Holland advocates this practice being used for every vacancy.

“Every post that is vacant should be considered frozen until reviewed by the salary board,” Holland said.

County row officers and department heads say they will continue to consolidate jobs or reduce overtime costs.

Joyce Ainsworth, county human services director, said in an interview that jobs are being reviewed when they’re vacated by a departure.

She pointed to a fiscal post that was altered in 2015 to include programming duties, so that only one person needed to be hired to fulfill both functions.

Sheriff Mike Slupe said his office formerly had 18 full-time deputies and 18 part-time deputies, but now there are 26 full-time deputies and four part-timers.

He said the move saved the county up to $40,000 this year.

The county this year has only created two new permanent posts: two full-time 911 dispatcher posts approved Thursday to help field city police calls.

The county has hired 20 people so far this year.

Lori Altman, county human resources director, said the county was replacing people who left.

“It’s just replenishing,” she said.

Although other posts were created earlier this year, they are all temporary.

Most of the temporary jobs are covering employee leaves of absence or filling a gap until permanent appointments can be made to fill vacancies, such as the interim chief clerk.

Other temporary posts added this year include a probation officer to address the absence of an injured employee.

The exception to temporary posts being created to replace departed workers is Thursday’s creation of two temporary elections bureau workers. The people filling those posts are needed to handle the extra workload resulting from a presidential race.

All temporary posts have either an end date or a cap on total hours that can be worked.