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Butler County creates $5 million capital reserve for aging 911 communications system
Summary
The Butler County Board of Commissioners approved creation of a capital projects reserve fund and a $5 million transfer to begin replacing end-of-life 911 telecommunication infrastructure that handles about 187,000 annual emergency calls.
Butler County commissioners on Tuesday approved creation of a capital projects reserve fund and a $5,000,000 transfer from the general fund to begin replacing aging components of the county's 911 emergency telecommunication system.
The fund, described by county staff as a four-year plan to address end-of-life infrastructure, will be used for acquisition, replacement, improvement and maintenance of facilities, equipment, technology components and fixed assets that operate Butler County's 911 system. County Administrator Boyko told commissioners the system routes roughly 187,000 calls annually for police and fire services across cities, townships and the sheriff's office.
County Finance Director Dave McCormick and the county's project leads said the $5 million is a budgeted 2025 item and will be administered by the board of commissioners. "This fund is solely managed and administered by you," the administrator said, noting the board will set procedures for approvals and oversight of future expenditures. Commissioner Rogers asked whether the fund could be used to help smaller townships afford radios and other equipment; the administrator said yes, if the expense is part of an identified capital improvement for the telecommunication system.
Commissioners and staff said the need stems from an aging system roughly 20'plus years old. The proposal referenced a Capital Improvements projection that anticipates roughly $5 million in needs over the next four years. Bayer Becker, the county civil engineer on the project, requested a modest contract increase to remain engaged in design and pre- and post-construction coordination.
The commissioners voted to approve the fund and the transfer during the resolutions portion of the agenda. Commissioner Carpenter voted yes, Commissioner Rogers voted yes and Commissioner Dixon voted yes.
The board directed county finance staff to develop an approval mechanism to track expenditures and present proposed project scopes and funding requests for future disbursements from the new reserve.
The county will return to the commissioners with implementation details for how specific projects will be submitted and approved from the capital reserve fund.
