Butler County is looking for a contractor to construct a new office building on Jackson Street.

The county commissioners Wednesday approved seeking bids for the $14 million project.

Along with a four-level building, the project includes repair work to the adjacent government center’s roof and air conditioning units.

Bids are due by April 17, with possible approval at the April 30 commissioners meeting.

John Hays of Thomas & Williamson, the Pittsburgh firm serving as construction manager, said the project would be completed by August 2015 under the current timetable.

The commissioners’ vote was 2 to 1. Commissioners Bill McCarrier and Dale Pinkerton supported seeking bids while Commissioner Jim Eckstein dissented.

All three commissioners agree more office space is needed, but Eckstein prefers that the county buy an existing building to save money. His colleagues maintain new construction is the more efficient solution in the long run.

Of the total cost, $12.2 million is for the new building, $1.6 million is to repair the air conditioning units with the remaining $217,000 for roof repairs.

Hays explained the government center fixes will be listed as bid alternates so the county would have the option of just awarding a contract for new building construction. However, he anticipates the bids may come in lower than the estimated cost.

In a related vote, the commissioners unanimously approved a project labor agreement with the Butler-Venango County Building and Construction Trades Council, the AFL-CIO and affiliate unions to ensure any labor disputes are settled without strikes or lockouts.

“It cuts out work stoppages,” Eckstein said.

He tied the refinancing of a 2004 bond to borrowing money for the construction project.

Eckstein unsuccessfully argued the county should not refinance a 2004 bond now, but do it later in conjunction with any borrowing to pay for the construction project.

He said combining the borrowing would reduce fees assessed to the county.

“This really puzzles me,” Eckstein said.

But Anthony Ditka, office managing partner for the Pittsburgh branch of Dinsmore & Shohl, the county’s bond counsel, explained that delaying the refinancing could result in paying higher interest.

The commissioners authorized refinancing the $45.6 million 2004 bond. Eckstein dissented.

Dinsmore & Shohl will refinance the bond at a rate that would save at least 3 percent annually.

The county would save $1.2 million over the term of the borrowing, which ends in 2026, at that rate.

“We’re not extending the term,” Ditka said. “The goal is to save money for the county.”

Additional money could be saved if the county gets a lower interest rate. For 2014, the county is paying 5 percent interest.

Eckstein also debated other aspects of the refinancing process, much to McCarrier’s chagrin.

“All right,” McCarrier said. “We heard enough of this nonsense.”