Butler County approves capital projects and conditions nearly $7.9M paving award on prosecutor review
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Summary
The Butler County Board of Commissioners approved multiple capital and procurement items, including a $2.123 million courthouse exterior rehabilitation and a $178,795.70 hydrant-replacement contract, and amended a nearly $7.9 million paving award to require prosecutor review after litigation concerns were raised.
The Butler County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 10 approved a slate of routine finance and departmental resolutions that included several capital project contracts and procurement actions, while amending a large paving award to be contingent on review by the county prosecutor.
Commissioners voted to accept finance and departmental recommendations after Finance Director Dave McCormack presented transfers, corrections and four requisitions over $25,000 totaling $4,074,091.78. "With that, I recommend approval of these agenda items," McCormack said during his report.
Among the contract awards and approvals the board accepted were: - a Phase 3B exterior rehabilitation contract for the historic courthouse (window replacement and façade/roof repairs) to S and L Specialty Contracting, Inc., not to exceed $2,123,000, funded through the 2026 capital improvement program; - a fire hydrant replacement contract to J.W. Brennan Excavating LLC for $178,795.70 (effective Feb. 18–June 30, 2026); - an environmental review and pre-application services contract for Butler County Regional Airport with Stantec Consulting, not to exceed $7,500 (calendar year 2026); - other routine items including personnel actions in children services and JFS copier maintenance contract awards.
The most contested procurement discussed was a proposed award for county and township paving to Barrett Paving Materials, listed in the agenda as "not to exceed $7,876,060." A commissioner raised concerns about recent litigation and a reported multi‑million‑dollar settlement alleging falsified testing by a paving contractor. The commissioner asked whether Butler County could be exposed; the administrator said the county engineer had reviewed records and performed some checks and reported no known exposure. "He said he's done some research in his own documents ... and they do their own random auditing and testing of them as well," the administrator said.
Following that exchange, a commissioner moved to amend the consent agenda entry for item 23,845 (the Barrett Paving recommendation) to make the contract award "subject to verification of approval by the prosecutor's office." The board approved the office holders and agencies agenda as amended; Commissioners present recorded affirmative votes.
The meeting record does not show the prosecutor had completed a formal review at the time of the vote. The administrator said he would check the contract form and whether it had already been approved by the prosecutor and would ask the county engineer to address the litigation/testing question during the engineer's March presentation.
The board also approved a water and sewer capital program request for 2026 totaling $652,000 to replace aging fleet and equipment and approved smaller equipment purchases, including a 2025 Kubota UTV at $19,928.88 procured through a state contract vehicle.
The meeting ended after public comment and acceptance of routine monthly reports. The motions to approve the finance items, departmental resolutions and the amended office‑holders/agencies agenda carried with Commissioners present voting yes.