Although a number of people implored the county commissioners Wednesday to drop their participation in a lawsuit against Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvana Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine and not waste taxpayer dollars, two of the three commissioners voted to move ahead with the federal suit.

Leslie Osche, commissioners chair, and Kim Geyer voted in favor of continuing participation in the lawsuit to make a stand against what they view as the governor's taking away citizens' rights in closing down businesses, ordering residents to stay at home, creating a color-coded reopening process that was not approved by the legislature and other executive actions.

Osche and Geyer also want the lawsuit to result in the formation of a process to handle future health pandemics.

Geyer said instead of defying the governor's orders, it is appropriate to take the matter up in the legal system.

“We have heard from numerous business owners throughout the county in the past week who are supportive of the action the county commissioners are deciding to move fwd with,” Geyer said.

Commissioner Kevin Boozel voted against participation in the lawsuit, which he said was approved by each of the three other counties involved – Fayette, Greene and Washington – by a vote of two Republican commissioners to one Democrat commissioner.

Boozel said no public meeting was held on the decision to file the lawsuit last week. He said he received an email at 1:26 p.m. May 7 informing him the lawsuit would be filed a half-hour later.

Boozel said he understands that people feel their rights were violated in Wolf's orders in the pandemic, but he said sending people to war against their will could also be called a violation of rights.

“I just hope to God that everyone looks at this for years to come and finds a better way to do it than what we are doing today,” Boozel said of the lawsuit.

Two Democratic candidates for state representative seats, a Butler attorney representing four clients, the chair of the county Democratic committee, and two business owners used the meeting's public comment session to state their reasons that the county should not participate in the lawsuit.

The commissioners said they could not give a cost estimate for the lawsuit, but said local attorney Tom King has been hired at $175 per hour to represent the counties and individuals in the suit.

King said no bills would be sent to the county without a conference with the commissioners.

Osche and Geyer said there is a line item in the budget of $40,000 or $50,000 for unanticipated legal fees.

Geyer said the three other counties involved in the lawsuit indicated they will chip in toward Butler County's costs in pursuing the suit.

This is a breaking news story. To read more about the commissioners' decision, make sure to pick up Thursday's Butler Eagle or subscribe online.