The three commissioners and County Administrator Judi Boyko have spent about 15 hours with consultant Mike Hinnenkamp over the past several weeks trying to frame a direction for the future of the county. The topics have been wide ranging, external issues, such as economic development and social services to internal improvements such as staff retention and customer service have all been dissected.
The object of the exercise was not to make decisions on specific projects, rather to form collective policies — the three commissioners have very distinctly different ideas on certain matters — on potential opportunities.
Hinnenkamp condensed the work the four did during the previous session into 10 categories — five each in external and internal improvement areas — and had the four pick their Top 3 priorities. All four picked “enterprise activity to enhance development and sustainability” in the internal category, and “vulnerable citizen prosperity” on the external side.
By the time they reached the end of the exercise Thursday, “financial stability” was at the top of the list all four agreed was the most important internal focus, “this makes sense because everything is based on this, if you don’t have that you can’t do anything,” Hinnenkamp said.
The county is already in an enviable position with zero general fund debt and $127.6 million in unencumbered cash as of the end of March, the general fund budget is $118 million. All agree the county is in great fiscal shape but keeping it there is the challenge.
Commissioner T.C. Rogers has been saying for more than a year they need to figure out what is the right size of county government, in terms of the number people, since personnel is by far the biggest expense. There are roughly 1,400 county employees and 600 are under the commissioners’ direct control.
Commissioner Don Dixon said they need to continue to make sure the other elected officials are lock-step with them on being fiscal watchdogs.
“The big impact on our fiscal stability is continuing to have relationships with the elected office holders because they run their own show ... they run their own business,” Dixon said. “Although we are fighting to try and get to what is right-sized that has to happen with them, too. They could find plenty of ways to grow and different programs, but we have to all understand we can’t do everything.”
They agreed they need to have a similar goal setting session with other office holders.
Should the county go into the money-making business?
The second top internal priority involved enterprise opportunities. Monetizing the county’s water and sewer system was the chosen enterprise option for discussion.
At first it was suggested the commissioners could tap the aquifer that runs below the county and start selling water to other entities. That idea fell flat. Talk turned to guidelines for expanding their water and sewer infrastructure to invite growth.
They all agreed they will not foist those utilities on those who don’t want them. As Dixon noted, it was tried twice in the past in Ross Twp. and was met with vehement opposition.
They also won’t use an “if you build it they will come” approach.
Boyko said development is “pushing” this way and they need to be ready infrastructure-wise. Dixon said developers must build what they need, “the bottom line is if they’re coming, if you’ve got the money to come here, then don’t ask us to build the roads and put the water and sewer in for you.”.
“It’s not pushing by the residents, when it’s ready to develop the private sector will bring it,” Dixon said. “You know what our hardest job is, to tell them to get your wallet out and pay for it.... The free market will work if you just stand back and watch it.”
Hinnenkamp boiled down their comments, saying it appears the commissioners want to maintain their status quo but keep an eye on “hot spots” and be ready from an engineering standpoint to act quickly if a good, revenue generating development presents itself. They also want to make sure they are prepared when some of the other jurisdictions — several are small with ancient infrastructure — find themselves with failing systems and no way to fix them.
“If I had to explain what I’ve heard from your position, not just on this issue but on all, is that you want the county to be in a position to provide the service, provide the aid, provide whatever you want to say, when it makes sense for the overall county,” Hinnenkamp said. “But you’re not coming in heavy handed at all on any of these things, and you’re not forcing anybody.”
Social, human services are core responsibilities
On the external issues side everyone agreed “vulnerable citizen prosperity” is the top issue. Boyko said this is one of the major “statutory” services the commissioners provide, managing state and federal programs within Children Services, Job and Family Services — mainly food stamps, unemployment, child care and Medicaid — and job finding help. She also said elderly services is becoming increasingly important as the population ages.
Dixon largely said this category is “mission impossible” because the rules and regulations are so rigid they don’t have many opportunities to make improvements, “you can’t fix it.”
“We need to help the ones that really need it and get the ones off that don’t, and give us the ability to regulate it and enforce it...,” Dixon said. “It’s all messed up, we can’t fix it from the bottom up, this isn’t something you can lift up from the bottom.”
They tried several years ago to weed out food stamp fraud — they found millions of dollars stolen by scofflaws — and the state stopped them.
Economic vitality and opioid epidemic tied for second place on the list of external issues. In terms of economic vitality they are talking about helping the other jurisdictions attract smart growth. Commissioner Cindy Carpenter said it hasn’t always been easy, especially in Middletown.
“There was an impression that the Butler County commissioners treated Middletown” unfairly, she said. “The three of us have gone out of our way to just not ever do that, we don’t, we understand this is an aging manufacturing city that has all these issues, same as Hamilton.”
Rogers noted until fairly recently the city eschewed the county’s help. They told Hinnenkamp they gave Middletown a hefty amount of federal COVID relief namely: $3 million to clean up the Middletown Paperboard site; $1.5 million to help pay for expansion of the Sonny Hill Community Center and $7 million for Butler Tech’s advanced aviation training center at the city’s airport.
The commissioners also gave $2.5 million to Hamilton for Spooky Nook infrastructure and the commissioners are in talks with Liberty Twp., about helping fund the potential new Millikin Road interchange at Interstate 75.
Boyko said they need to keep a few important things top of mind when considering these economic development assists.
“I’m not suggesting their decision-making process be solely based on economics but in order to do a lot of these things that we need to be able to pursue, there has to be an economic engine within the county that’s going to generate the revenue for the county,” Boyko said. “Whether that be sales tax, property tax valuations, there has to be attention to those things that are going to continually contribute to the county’s coffers.”
As for the opioid issue, the commissioners say they have made a good start by establishing a local committee to advise them on millions of dollars that are flowing to the county and other jurisdictions in litigation settlement money.
The commissioners decided all five of the internal improvements: enterprise opportunities, financial stability, improving customer service, encouraging a diverse, capable workforce and improving employee morale are their sole responsibility.
As for vulnerable citizens, economic vitality and the opioid crisis, they will lend their leadership, staff resources and money to help the efforts but they won’t “own” the projects. As for addressing environmental and affordable issues they will participate but not lead those efforts.
Boyko and Hinnenkamp will also be meeting with county directors to discuss these goals and strategies and an action plan will be formulated.
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