[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6356741,"mediaKeyId","2215900-381d74c7cc95c29c1f4f57bc20793c2d","parentId",2215900,"title","Commissioners approve Freedom Point plat, $85.5 million in requisitions and multiple personnel and contract resolutions","audioSeconds",294,"startMs",550000,"endMs",844000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215900-381d74c7cc95c29c1f4f57bc20793c2d&start=550&end=844","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215900-381d74c7cc95c29c1f4f57bc20793c2d/thumbnail_550000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6356741/Butler-County/Ohio/Commissioners-approve-Freedom-Point-plat-855-million-in-requisitions-and-multiple-personnel-and-contract-resolutions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356741-6de18ff68140090fd0f9273446792889/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148168&Signature=J31c5wVlSFemu9TEs-ue5BXPGcUd4lS9DJ3h1-kUvfxsoWeCmDRPG9PT~txwm4-uJM-KoWVD44I8h6KbVAdco7u7l5Iy0lzvHb3ip21ri1DZknS-dli33fLEdzkM2cI-qGdCARagyAutSoAuBJurcbt0HMJCKYWx~NmZmfpX18X1G54udJiHjJox56mDe0d7ow8DONfzNVgwkWjohpu7NP~Iff0nPRlgm3BD70V1785oP5ePZReVJaUrIRSRYpfcDZWWOKOMZuSRpwjYx7hT1EmqHubbZkOr5zHAffIcBdHe8wGs-AxNiokg73JJ9~ZvNWpdUHwEBpAvGHUdwjmmDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Butler County OH","date","2025-01-07T00:00:00Z","article","Butler County commissioners approved a package of routine and substantive items Jan. 7, including the final plat for Freedom Point Phase 10 Lot 12 (a commercial lot proposed for a 5,000-square-foot Mexican restaurant), financial transactions and requisitions opening the county’s purchasing for 2025, and a set of personnel and contract resolutions submitted by county departments and elected offices.

Final plat and planning: Greg Clouty of the Department of Development presented one final plat — Freedom Point Phase 10, Lot 12 in Liberty Township — described as a 5,000-square-foot Mexican restaurant on a 2.2058-acre commercial lot. Clouty told the commission the planning commission had approved the proposal on Nov. 12, 2024. The commission voted to approve the final plat.

Finance and purchasing: David McCormick, Butler County finance director, presented cash-advance items and a large list of requisitions to open purchase orders for 2025. McCormick told the commission the cash-advance requests were a $6,000 advance to the prosecutor’s victim-of-crime grant fund, a $50,000 annual cash advance to the county health-insurance fund for 2025 cash flow, and a $50,000 repayment from the health-insurance fund for a 2024 advance. McCormick said departments submitted 260 requisitions (many with multiple line items) totaling $85,524,207 to open purchase orders for 2025; finance and the administrator performed cursory reviews and recommended approval. The commission voted to approve the cash-advance items, transfers, and the requisitions.

Personnel, contracts and other resolutions: The commission approved a range of resolutions submitted by departments and elected offices. Items recorded in the meeting materials and read into the record included:

- Community Development: acceptance of the resignation of Susan Ellerhorst as Community Development Administrator, effective Jan. 10, 2025.
- Children’s Services and Job & Family Services: personnel changes including voluntary demotion and promotions, two new hires for Social Services Worker 3, and a contract for additional child-placement services with Buckeye Ranch Incorporated (residential treatment, not to exceed $182,268, retroactive to Oct. 25, 2024 through June 30, 2025) and a child-specific group-home placement (listed in meeting materials at $22,230, Nov. 27, 2024–Dec. 31, 2024).
- Water & Sewer: several personnel actions, two maintenance-specialist hires at $27/hour, and acknowledgement that no bids were received for a water-service-line replacement (Bid Alternate A) and authorization to re-advertise that invitation to bid.
- Courts and clerks: the commission recorded an appointment/authorization to codify an existing clerk-of-court arrangement for area courts and to appoint Deborah Bolesar as Clerk of Courts for Area 1, Area 2 and Area 3 courts pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 1907.2, following a letter of concurrence from area court judges.
- Engineer: award of an engineering services contract with Fishbeck for the Liberty Fairfield Bridal Rehabilitation project not to exceed $141,967 (Jan. 8–July 31, 2025); release of maintenance bonds for Westview Meadows Phase 1; authorization to advertise a roundabout project on Milliken Road; and an encroachment agreement for 5685 Long Hunter Chase Drive (Liberty Township).
- Sheriff: approval of local training expenses (including a $15,826 line item for NORS SWAT sustainment training), and tentative agreement on two union contracts between the Butler County Sheriff and Local 101 Fraternal Order of Police covering sergeants/lieutenants and sworn personnel below sergeant for Jan. 27, 2025–Jan. 26, 2028.

Votes at a glance:
- Approval of minutes (Dec. 23, 2024): Motion to approve carried; Commissioner Carpenter recorded an abstention; Commissioner Rogers and Commissioner Dixon voted yes.
- Freedom Point Phase 10 Lot 12 final plat (Liberty Township): approved (Commissioners Carpenter, Rogers and Dixon recorded as voting yes).
- Cash advances/transfers and requisitions totaling $85,524,207: approved (Commissioners Carpenter, Rogers and Dixon recorded as voting yes).
- Resolutions submitted for county departments and elected offices (personnel changes, contracts listed above): approved (Commissioners Carpenter, Rogers and Dixon recorded as voting yes).

The meeting record shows the commission conducted roll-call votes for recorded approvals. Several items were passed as presented with unanimous recorded yes votes among the three commissioners, except where specific abstentions were recorded.

Next steps and administrative notes: Several items require follow-up administrative work, including re-advertising the water-service-line replacement bid, finalizing contract paperwork for child-placement services and Fishbeck, and implementing personnel appointments. The commission’s next meetings were announced for Jan. 14 and Jan. 28, 2025.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Butler County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting 01/07/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Butler County commissioners approved a final plat for Freedom Point Phase 10 Lot 12, opened requisitions totaling $85,524,207 for 2025 purchases, and passed multiple personnel and contract resolutions at their Jan. 7 meeting.","taxTitle","Butler County, Ohio","taxId",4032,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6356746,"County briefed on state property-tax recommendations that reflect proposals earlier advanced by commissioners",119,346000,465000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215900-381d74c7cc95c29c1f4f57bc20793c2d&start=346&end=465","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215900-381d74c7cc95c29c1f4f57bc20793c2d/thumbnail_346000.jpg","/articles/6356746/Butler-County/Ohio/County-briefed-on-state-property-tax-recommendations-that-reflect-proposals-earlier-advanced-by-commissioners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356746-964ffc1088fe03a2e66bf0ddfa79adf8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148168&Signature=nUr8pkkulXxqQ-EziRxZu~NkYWHDmbmg~5S3ZjslAQgPDlbLJX~3-ZNnirgU4xpy6tKeatHusducXS7rpVpt2RgmSOHNfQXSjFGlg8Ck8E39974EruaMQ1x23ilRjtmB7k7knKp0sfesybptl1zfGtgey9ZUn44NquvYQhCLdORjrYsE6sSUcCYh9m8LlgW4sSj010i4c4stKKeXNTAlPRRBT7xx3qE2VlIMkCXY6eyimeEd7Wal8sU8uAFB4Gn73f6ZLbbCd-nYYaZx8LLK2O7OtV9RDMg-GgaeLELbYAXRyjC~HKgHV2e2H-8O8OhqHYZQTtEyozgTyhJuQTa7Hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Butler County commissioners were briefed Jan. 7 on a set of property-tax recommendations released by the General Assembly’s joint committee on property-tax reform. County staff said the report includes several items the commissioners had previously advocated, though the committee’s recommendations would require state legislation to take effect.

The administrator read portions of the committee’s final report, highlighting recommendations that would need action by the Ohio General Assembly. Those included: expanding and enhancing the homestead exemption for veterans, elderly and other eligible populations; authorizing a property-tax circuit breaker (a provision previously proposed in Senate Bill 271); adopting a property-tax deferral program for homeowners; removing the authority of the Ohio Department of Taxation to order adjustments to county auditors’ proposed property values; requiring emergency and substitute tax levies to be included in a school district’s 20-mill floor; and authorizing counties to temporarily implement three-year averaging for property valuations.

The administrator told commissioners that the three-year averaging proposal had been one of the measures the Butler County commission originally advanced during its work sessions with local officials. “That was the proposal of this commission, initially when you wanted to engage with the tax commissioner,” the administrator said.

Commissioner Dixon said the list would be a good start but emphasized the need for changes in the school funding formula. “We need to keep focused on the main prize and that’s getting the legislators to make some real changes in the funding formula,” Dixon said.

No formal county action was taken at the Jan. 7 meeting. County staff said the recommendations are currently a list for the General Assembly to consider and that the commission’s next step is to monitor and, if advised, advocate with the 135th General Assembly on proposals that affect Butler County.","Butler County administrators reviewed recommendations from the General Assembly joint committee on property taxes, including expanding homestead exemptions, creating a circuit breaker, authorizing deferral programs, and allowing three-year averaging of valuations — recommendations the commissioners had advocated in prior work sessions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6356751,"Butler County to engage Travel Butler to lead 2026 U.S. 250th events; administrator proposes $50,000–$75,000 budget",57,174000,231000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215900-381d74c7cc95c29c1f4f57bc20793c2d&start=174&end=231","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215900-381d74c7cc95c29c1f4f57bc20793c2d/thumbnail_174000.jpg","/articles/6356751/Butler-County/Ohio/Butler-County-to-engage-Travel-Butler-to-lead-2026-US-250th-events-administrator-proposes-5000075000-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6356751-ac659ebcec0ec5a259e87eed412daf0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148168&Signature=WC~O8CexD0R01NhVV~0OJA6mJ-veIEEHDv-Iib7v3mclZ-2BusE0bPrDjCkbrGT5iWbwK-nG3JN9lVgck5CC4pDL2hNb7SrUAeVQYnpUsrv1G7kdN0Z9DwupejINGxlu-RtXX4aVB7E~yUHItJwMTDKdNbh93t9-HIaDFTi~4h6ZM5ZfwryH8VugWyX8IiqQFFy-15rT9bACkikazCoSIz~nDSyVvgJ95OD5Vz3jCh3kR13ZCO0nkXLUZkPEJVd-IYgAODnZWNSoJ~PQAJqvTXGSChUxU9HutICq4YyABM5u6-2WGYDbioxMwK41zaijxuHJWoa94CGalJYeeP6tDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Butler County commissioners were briefed Jan. 7 on plans to secure a countywide role in the nation’s 250th-anniversary (Semiquincentennial) activities in 2026, and the county administrator proposed engaging Travel Butler to champion the effort and setting a preliminary budget of $50,000 to $75,000.

County administrators said the state is asking counties to provide two items before it will recognize a local Semiquincentennial plan: a named county contact to champion the effort and a budget. The administrator said a resolution adopting those elements would need to be passed before the end of the month.

The administrator told the board that Ohio’s planning has already begun under Gov. Mike DeWine’s office and that Butler County’s approach would be similar to local coordination used for other countywide events. “A resolution will need to be passed before the end of the year,” the administrator said during the report. The administrator said staff will meet with a county contact (identified in the meeting as “Tracy”) before the end of the month and will bring a full budget and formal proposal back to the commission.

No formal vote on a resolution or the budget was recorded at the Jan. 7 meeting. Commissioners did not object to the county administrator’s request to pursue Travel Butler as the county’s champion for the Semiquincentennial; the administrator said he will prepare a draft resolution and a detailed budget for the commissioners’ review.

If the commission approves the resolution and budget at a later meeting, county staff said the two items the state requires are (1) a county contact to lead the effort and (2) an identified budget. The administrator estimated $50,000 to $75,000 as an initial funding range but said line-item details would be provided with the formal proposal.

Next steps: the administrator will return to the commission with a formal proposal and a recommended resolution for commissioners to consider before the end of the month.","County administrator told commissioners Jan. 7 that Butler County should engage Travel Butler to lead local programming for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026 and that a county resolution and an initial budget of $50,000–$75,000 will be needed before the end of the month.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners approve Freedom Point plat, $85.5 million in requisitions and multiple personnel and contract resolutions

County briefed on state property-tax recommendations that reflect proposals earlier advanced by commissioners

Butler County to engage Travel Butler to lead 2026 U.S. 250th events; administrator proposes $50,000–$75,000 budget