At Butler County commissioner meetings, people can have their say as long as it’s not on behalf of someone else.

Commissioner Bill McCarrier, board chairman, said he would interrupt Margaret Abersold, Commissioner Jim Eckstein’s administrative assistant, the next time she reads comments for Eckstein during public comment.

“If she does it again, I will rule her out of order,” McCarrier said.

Abersold declined to comment.

Eckstein is wondering what all the fuss is about.

“They’re making a mountain out of a molehill,” he said.

During the Dec. 4 public comment period, Abersold read a statement opposing the pending sale of the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She said the remarks were made on behalf of Eckstein.

When Eckstein was asked why he had Abersold do that, he said it was because the 10-minute time limit for each commissioner report was insufficient.

McCarrier on Wednesday sent Abersold a notice telling her to follow the county’s public comment policy, which does not allow people to speak for others.

“We feel she violated the policy,” he said during the interview.

Eckstein said the policy does not prohibit what occurred last week.

“I see nothing in there,” he said. “I think Bill McCarrier made a mistake.”

According to item 4 of the policy: “Multiple speakers signed up to address the board of commissioners on the same item or topic cannot consolidate their individual time allocations or yield their time to another speaker.”

Eckstein said that provision isn’t applicable because there weren’t multiple speakers on the same topic and he wasn’t giving his time allotment to another person.

“It wasn’t my time,” he said. “It was her time.”

Eckstein pointed out the policy doesn’t include the time limit set for commissioner reports. He questioned where the county has that in print.

“Don’t ask me where it’s at,” he said.

The public comment policy also states the chairman shall maintain order.