Local contractors warn county conservation resuming CRP work would undercut private firms

Dan Harris and Logan Vandyke told the Butler County Board of Supervisors on July 30 that they were concerned Butler County Conservation resuming Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) work would harm private contractors.

Harris, who said the work is his sole income, and Logan Vandyke, identified as representing B & L Seeding, said county-provided CRP services could compete with private businesses because the county could perform the work more cheaply. Conservation Director Matt Morris said the conservation department has not performed CRP work since 2022 and has been referring CRP jobs to private contractors since then.

Morris said the conservation board moved to establish an ordinance that would give private contractors a first right of refusal before the county performed CRP work and that the ordinance would be written so the conservation department would not undercut private contractors. County Attorney Dave Kuehner told the board that a governmental entity needs an ordinance in place before it provides a service that is also available from private contractors.

Supervisor Rusty Eddy said he recommended against creating an ordinance, and Chairman Wayne Dralle — who was absent from the meeting but sent an email — told the board he did not support passing an ordinance that might compete with private contractors. The minutes record discussion but do not show a vote by the Board of Supervisors on the proposed ordinance.

The board did not adopt a county ordinance at this meeting. The conservation board's motion to draft an ordinance was recorded in the minutes and may proceed through that board and to the supervisors for future consideration; the minutes do not specify next procedural steps or a timeline for any ordinance drafting or review.

This discussion was recorded in the meeting minutes as part of the regular business of the Butler County Board of Supervisors on July 30, 2024.