Butler County personnel who want to park in spaces under the new government center annex will pay $50 per month.

The county commissioners on Wednesday approved charging that amount in the annex, which is under construction.

Commissioners Bill McCarrier, board chairman, and Dale Pinkerton voted for the motion. Commissioner Jim Eckstein voted against it, saying $50 is not enough.

“I think it’s too low,” Eckstein said.

He suggested raising the amount to $80 per month. He made a motion for that, but it died for lack of a second.

McCarrier said the $50 fee was chosen because it is the same amount that it costs to park in the tier garage on West Cunningham Street. He said that the new commissioners who take office next year may choose to increase the fee.

“I think this is a starting point,” McCarrier said.

The county in the past offered optional free parking for elected officials in a lot behind the government center. With construction on the annex, officials have had to park elsewhere.

The commissioners also:

n Voted to spend $13,500 for Thomas and Williamson of Pittsburgh to study options for refurbishing the exterior walls of the government center.

John Campbell, director of county facilities and operations, said Thomas and Williamson will do an analysis of the walls and offer options for rehabilitation. He said that the panels used to be bright white, but reinforcing wire has rusted and bled through. Additionally, cracking and popping of reinforcement wires have been reported.

“It’s not going to last forever,” Campbell said.

n Voted to spend $44,600 to install a 10-inch storm drain along South Jackson Street and the government center annex to help alleviate water getting into the basement of the courthouse. Campbell said water has been infiltrating the basement during every rain event, harming the drywall.

Additionally, the commissioners voted to pay $9,460 to Thomas and Williamson to study waterproofing options for the courthouse.

n Voted to approve 48 human services contracts, 27 drug and alcohol contracts and four problem gambling contracts for 2015-16. Ann Brown, fiscal operations officer for county human services, said the contracts are revenue neutral compared to the last fiscal year. They also voted on a five-year grant agreement with the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The grant will go to June 30, 2020, and the state will pay the county $4.8 million total, with annual payments of $964,214.

n Voted to approve Butler Ambulance Service to assist the county sheriff’s office with training in the use of Naloxone, which is an opiate overdose antidote. In June, commissioners voted to have the county apply for a $10,000 state grant to buy Naloxone kits for county police departments.

n Voted to award the sidewalk project in West Sunbury to R&B Contracting and Excavation of West Mifflin. The company, one of seven to apply, bid $65,050 for the project. The project entails putting curb cuts along sidewalks to accommodate wheelchairs. No county funds are involved.

n Voted to reappoint Ray Steffler and to appoint Brian McCafferty and Steven Newcaster to the Butler County Community College board of trustees.