The Butler County commissioners Wednesday moved forward with development of a dog park in Alameda Park.

The commissioners approved a $48,569 contract with Pashek Associates of Pittsburgh for the preparations of construction documents, bidding and construction observation for the dog park.

The commissioners also approved a $30,000 contract with Colorado sculptor Louise Peterson to create a life-size bronze dog statue for the park.

Donated money is funding both contracts.

Gary Pinkerton, director of county parks and recreation, said the statue will have one outstretched paw.

“The idea is you can high-paw the dog,” Pinkerton said.

Tobacco compliance

The commissioners approved a contract with Adagio Health of Pittsburgh for the county sheriff’s office to continue conducting tobacco compliance checks.

The county is paid $50 for each visit to a store that sells tobacco.

Sheriff Mike Slupe said his office will check roughly 180 stores in the county to determine if they are selling tobacco to minors.

Slupe said a teenage volunteer will enter each business and request to buy tobacco.

The county receives $50 in federal funds funneled through Adagio for each visit.

Slupe said in an interview that violators can be fined up to $300.

Special counsel

The commissioners hired Butler attorney Armand Cingolani to serve as special counsel for $135 an hour.

Commissioner Jim Eckstein said Monday that Cingolani’s services are needed to defend the county against a sex discrimination and retaliation complaint.

Chief county clerk Amy Wilson earlier this month filed the complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Although the county has received only a notice of the complaint — not the details — Eckstein previously said Wilson is alleging he engaged in inappropriate behavior toward her.

According to Eckstein, Cingolani would be more objective in handling the case than other attorneys already being used as special counsel.

Special counsel is used when county solicitor Mike English cannot deal with an issue for such reasons as possible conflict of interest.

Salary board

Before the commissioners meeting, the county salary board revised the 2015 pay hikes for 13 nonunion employees.

County Controller Ben Holland, who is on the board with the three commissioners, said the changes follow the pay structure recommended in a salary study.

“We’ve started to implement it,” Holland said.

Eckstein voted in favor of the revisions but said some employees are receiving too much money since they are overpaid according to the salary study.

“I think we look silly,” he said.