BUTLER COUNTY, OH (FOX19) -
Butler County is looking to balance their budget by the end of the year which means several county departments are making cuts.
County Commissioners approve nearly $900,000 in cuts from more than a dozen departments on Thursday.
Commissioners hope a total of $1.5 million can be cut by the end of the year. One of the departments cutting costs is the Butler County Sheriff's Department to the tune of more than $200,000. "The message for the last five years has been cut, cut more, ok that's not enough, cut more," said Butler County Administrator Charles Young.
Young began the process in August asking county departments to look at their budgets and make cuts. The goal is to end deficit spending by the end of the year. "We may be able to avoid deficit spending, it is going to be very close. If not, it would be the fifth straight year of deficit spending," said Young.
The coroner's office, veterans services and information services department have all made cuts and some departments have had to layoff personnel. The sheriff's department is taking the biggest hit, cutting $205,000 from their budget but will not make personnel cuts.
"This is the first time that it has been done with all of us together and we are cooperating and helping each other. It has been a long time coming but we all sat down at the table for painful cuts. We are going to manage and make it through," said Sheriff Richard Jones.
Butler County officials say they have about $500,000 more to cut in order to get out of the red. Several county departments have not yet reported the money they plan to cut from their budgets. Budget hearings begin in the county the second week of October.
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