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Butler County delays EMS levy decision; Auditor and engineer brief supervisors on budget and tax proposals
Summary
County Auditor Leslie Groen presented updated expenses and levy rates on Feb. 17, 2026; the board discussed increasing the EMS levy and whether to buy an EMS vehicle with a loan versus budgeting in one year, and tabled further EMS budget decisions until EMS Coordinator Kari Coates and the county attorney can attend. County Engineer Riherd also summarized legislative property tax proposals and upcoming secondary roads bidding.
The Butler County Board of Supervisors tabled further action on an EMS levy increase after a Feb. 17 presentation by County Auditor Leslie Groen and a brief exchange about financing options for an EMS vehicle.
Groen presented updated expense and levy-rate information and discussed options for how the county might pay for a replacement EMS vehicle. Chairman Greg Barnett asked whether the county should purchase the vehicle using debt (a loan that might be paid from the debt levy) or include the cost in one fiscal year’s operating budget. Groen said she would review whether that type of debt could be paid under the county’s debt levy. The board agreed to postpone decisions on the EMS budget until the Feb. 24 meeting when EMS Coordinator Kari Coates and the county attorney can attend.
County Engineer Riherd briefed supervisors on several legislative proposals affecting local property taxation, mentioning a possible 2% growth option, indexing the state fuel tax that could allow up to a one-cent-per-gallon increase, and a half-percent voter-approved local option sales tax proposal. Riherd also updated the board on secondary roads shed designs and said proposed bidding will appear on a future agenda.
Separately, the board approved routine items during the meeting: a VMWare VCF five-year subscription was approved (motion by Dralle, second by Eddy), claims were approved, and the meeting was adjourned to Feb. 24, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
No final decisions on the EMS levy or vehicle financing were made; the board directed staff to return with additional information and to include the EMS coordinator and county attorney in the next discussion.
