The Butler County commissioners now must stick to the topic at public meetings.

The commissioners on Wednesday cut their own report periods, which could cover any subject, due to dissension among the board.

Commissioners Bill McCarrier and Dale Pinkerton voted to eliminate the 10-minute reports while Commissioner Jim Eckstein opposed the move.

McCarrier, board chairman, accused Eckstein of abusing report time to attack others with untrue claims.

“We must have rules for ourselves,” McCarrier said.

He stressed the need for civility at meetings, which should be limited to county business.

Eckstein vehemently disagreed his prior comments weren’t applicable to county business.

He pointed out a frequent subject of his reports was stopping the pending sale of the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

“Was that the wrong thing to talk about?” Eckstein asked.

The commissioners still are permitted to speak on any agenda item and respond to public comment.

Along with speaking twice during the discussion leading to the vote, Eckstein also spoke during public comment.

He again accused his colleagues of wrongdoing, saying they meet behind closed doors to make decisions before meetings.

“They do it every day,” Eckstein said.

He said anyone who believed otherwise was living in a “fairyland.”

McCarrier countered Eckstein’s repeated claims of having his free speech restricted.

“Freedom of speech has to be tempered with truth,” McCarrier said, referring to views offered by Thomas Jefferson.

During public comment, former Center Township Supervisor Beverly Schenck sided with Eckstein.

Schenck said the commissioners were not only violating Eckstein’s rights, but also hers by not letting her hear what he has to say.

“You may not like what he says, but he has a right to say it,” she said.

McCarrier pointed out there is no law mandating commissioner reports.

“You’re not required to provide a forum to slander each other,” he said.

Eckstein said government should not be prim and proper.

“Sometimes it’s messy,” he said. “That’s what democracy is about.”

Eckstein quoted the end of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, referring to soldiers dying to preserve freedom.

He pointed to federal officials who bash others on their websites.

Eckstein said he doesn’t agree with such views, but supports the right of other officials to express them.

He said his fellow commissioners would stifle free speech at the federal level if given the chance.

“I hope none of them run for Congress,” Eckstein said.

McCarrier said other counties don’t have commissioner reports during meetings.

Pinkerton recalled how previous boards used report time to talk about various events in the county they attended, but that changed with Eckstein’s arrival two years ago.

Eventually, McCarrier and Pinkerton used parts of their report time to counter Eckstein’s remarks.

Municipal and school district boards typically use report time for their members to discuss what happened with committees and groups they work with as liaisons.

Connoquenessing Township resident Mark Krenitsky said he didn’t want the reports cut, but understood why it was done.

“Commissioner Eckstein, you tend to attack the other commissioners,” Krenitsky said.

Eckstein was unfazed, defending his style.

“I’m not a lap dog for the other two commissioners,” he said.

Eckstein conceded there could be less contention during debates over county issues, but he was simply being himself.

“I am what I am,” he said.

Eckstein said he would not change.

“I’m confrontational at times,” he said. “I don’t put on a persona.”

Eckstein said he knows many people are not dissatisfied with his conduct because he is “very well respected.”

McCarrier said businesses considering coming to the county would be turned off watching what happens during commissioner reports.

Eckstein disagreed his behavior would impact where a business would locate.

“How many entrepreneurs would watch this?” he asked.

The vote Wednesday was only the latest change this board has made to the meeting format in the last two years.

Prior votes included the board setting time limits on commissioner reports and responses to those speaking during public comment time.