Butler County Courthouse

The Butler County commissioners will need to use about $3.5 million of the county’s $7.8 million fund balance to pay for the 2026 budget, which does not include a tax increase.

Budget director Ann Brown told commissioners Wednesday the estimated sum from the fund balance will be needed to balance the budget at the end of the year.

On Nov. 19, the commissioners introduced a $249.87 million budget that is about $7 million less than the 2025 budget, but includes a nearly $6 million deficit. The county’s general fund budget proposal is $84.6 million, a 3.8% increase from 2025, while general fund revenues are projected to be $75.55 million

Brown said work remains to be done on the budget, but 98.6% of the real estate taxes have been paid and grants delayed by the now resolved state budget impasse are beginning to come in.

The commissioners scheduled a final vote on the budget for their Dec. 17 meeting.

Also at the meeting, commissioners approved an application for an annual grant for the adult probation office’s Day Reporting Center program, which allows people with drug and alcohol dependency issues who are sentenced to serve probation to remain in the community and receive appropriate substance abuse treatment. The county has operated the program since 2006.

The $260,000 grant would pay for the salary and benefits of an intensive case manager and intensive probation officer, treatment expenses, drug testing, supplies and operating expenses.

Chief probation officer Doug Ritson said the program benefits people who need treatment and the community.

The commissioners approved another annual grant application for the adult probation and parole offices. The $164,555 application would offset probation officers’ salaries. Ritson said the application is for the same amount the county received last year, but an increase over previous years.

For drug treatment court, the commissioners approved a renewal services agreement with the Center for Community Resources for a maximum of $52,089 to provide a case manager for the treatment court for six months. The money for the position is coming from opioid abuse settlement funds.

For the jail, the commissioners approved a $158,175 quote for a new radio antenna for the county jail from Motorola Solutions. The antenna is the last step in upgrading the prison’s radio system. In June, the commissioners approved purchasing 74 Motorola radios for about $354,432.

In addition, the commissioner approved an extension of the contract for the inmate health services contract with PrimeCare Medical Inc. from Oct. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2026 at a cost of $213,862 per month.

Leslie Osche, commissioners chairwoman, said PrimeCare slightly reduced its original price and provided the county with information for using opioid settlement funds to offset the cost.