Butler County finance unlocks roughly $18 million from legacy insurance and workers' comp funds; Metro Parks to receive $278,137.64

Butler County finance staff told commissioners they had completed dispersal work to close legacy insured health and workers'compensation funds and to move excess balances back to operating funds.

Finance Director Dave McCormick said the county had unlocked approximately $18,000,000 of balances and returned those funds to various county accounts; about $8,000,000 of the total went back to the general fund. The auditor's office advised that a $278,137.64 allocation destined for Metro Parks be recorded in an other-expense account rather than a transfer-out account; the board approved the administrative reclassification and the appropriation movement so the Metro Parks distribution could be completed.

McCormick said the dispersals reflect excess balances as of Dec. 31, 2024, and additional appropriations will be requested at year'end to disperse funds collected in 2025 before the county transitions to a new funding methodology in 2026. The finance director recommended approval of the budget transfers, appropriations and purchase-order items on the agenda; the commissioners voted to approve those finance resolutions.

Other finance items on the consent list included purchase-order change orders totaling $264,500 and two requisitions for court fire-and-security system upgrades totaling $70,648.53; the coroner requested $10,000 in materials and supplies funded with a state tuberculosis grant. The commissioners approved the finance package as submitted.