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Michael D. Pitman reports about Butler County, Ohio, politics, county government, countywide issues and Butler County people just like you for Cox Ohio Publishing (including the Hamilton JournalNews, Middletown Journal and several weekly papers in Butler County). He wants your suggestions and questions for more news stories. Leave a comment for him here or e-mail Michael at Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > June > 04
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Sheriff to close county jails? This date?
UPDATE: Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones closed the county’s minimum security Resolutions jail Thursday evening, June 4, and moved roughly 200 inmates to the county jail on Court Street in Hamilton.
The move took place shortly after 7:30 p.m. and caused the opening of the formerly closed Court Street jail, according to sheriff’s deputies.
The sheriff gave no reason for closing Resolutions, and deputies and dispatchers would only say a release would be available Friday morning, June 5.
The lights were still on at the Resolutions jail on Second Street in Hamilton Thursday night, and a sign on the door stated that visitations were canceled Thursday.
The only announcement from the sheriff Thursday came via the Web site Twitter, where he posted, “I will be closing two of Butler County’s jails this date. Sheriff Jones.”
Original post:
This mysterious tweet just popped up on Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones’ Twitter account:
I will be closing 2 of butler county’s jails this date. Sheriff jones
I have no idea what this means and why the sheriff posted it at 11 p.m. Is he planning on closing county jails?
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment | Categories: Butler County Sheriff's Department
TweetThe other fiber optics debacle
It should be noted that Butler County Domestic Relations Judge Sharon Kennedy’s request to go after the money from a defunct fiber optics contract has nothing to do with Dynus Corp.
Butler County’s problems with fiber optics started years before Dynus Corp. made headlines, sparked an FBI investigation and tumbled a county auditor.
All that began in 2005. But the county’s fiber optics headache stretches back to when the system’s backbone was being built in 2001.
That year, the county entered into a $2.75 million contract with the company NORMAP to build the county’s fiber optic backbone and paid them $1.37 million up front. The contract required a performance bond that the company never obtained.
Soon after, the company was going bust and appeared unable to pay Cincinnati Bell, which it had actually subcontracted to do the work. So former commissioner Michael Fox said he arranged for Columbus attorney Robert Schuler to purchase NORMAP to keep the deal alive.
Schuler, son of a state senator by the same name, had just closed a multi-million dollar deal and needed something to invest in as a tax shelter, Fox said.
County officials say Schuler renegotiated the contract to have Cincinnati Bell build the system and lowered the maintenance cost on the system by roughly $200,000 a year, potentially saving the county $4 million over 20 years.
Schuler received the remainder of the original NORMAP contract, more than $1.3 million. He later sold the company to then-Middletown councilman Perry Thatcher.
Cincinnati Bell then built the system for $2.5 million and now maintains it.
Butler County Domestic Relations Judge Sharon Kennedy told the county prosecutor’s office Thursday, June 4, that the county should go after that original $1.37 million in court, suing former NORMAP president Ron Lutwen for breach of contract.
But the county didn’t lose any money, argues Fox, who spearheaded the fiber optics initiative.
What Schuler did, he said, was negotiate down a contract that has such astronomical profits built in that he could complete it without the original $1.37 million.
“We basically cut a bad deal (with the original NORMAP contract),” Fox said. “You may not like the deal, and you may look back in retrospect and say they could’ve done a lot better, but to say that the county lost money or is missing money is objectively false.”
Commissioner Gregory Jolivette, who joined the commission in 2004, said he asked about going after the money when he first joined the dais.
“I asked how come they didn’t go after NORMAP for the money criminally, they said there wasn’t support on the commission to do that,” he said.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Dynus
TweetBudget, union contracts, fiber optics lawsuits aboil at commission meeting
This morning’s Butler County commission meeting was a doozy. Just two issues that came up:
Judge asks for lawsuit to pursue fiber optics funds (Story will be updated here):
A lawsuit to pursue the $1.37 million Butler County lost in a fiber optics contract eight years ago should be part of the county’s efforts to fill a $ 6 million budget hole, Domestic Relations Judge Sharon Kennedy told commissioners this morning, June 4.
In a letter to Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper delivered today, Kennedy asks the prosecutor to “pursue legal redress” for the company NORMAP taking $1.37 million for construction of the fiber optics system without a performance bond.
When the company went bankrupt, the county’s money disappeared. And no one went after it.
“I am asking you to pursue legal redress for (former NORMAP president Ron) Lutwen’s breach of contract and obtain judgement against NORMAP and Mr. Lutwen, personally, of the loss of funds to the taxpayers,” Kennedy’s letter says.
The NORMAP contract was in 2001, long before the Dynus Corp. debacle put a company out of business and led to the county auditor pleading guilty to bank fraud.
County shoots down MRDD union contract, commissioners split (Story to be updated here):
After signaling they would take a tougher stance with unions, Butler County Commissioners voted down a proposed contract with the Professionals Guild of Ohio this morning, June 4.
The union represents roughly 80 employees in Butler County Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
The proposed 3-year contract included a 2 percent wage increase for MRDD staff every year, as well as 2.5 percent increases after a probationary period, and after three years employment. It also includes lump sum longevity bonuses every five years after 10 years employment.
MRDD Superintendent Chrisina Hurr pointed out her department is funded through a levy and state and federal grants, not through the county’s general fund that is facing a $6 million shortfall.
“If we did operate with county general funds, we would not be here today asking for this contract to be approved,” she said.
She said the agency has cut its staff 27 percent since 2005 and decreased its budget $3.9 million this year compared to last year.
Commissioner Gregory Jolivette made a motion to approve the contract, but it died without a second.
Commission President Donald Dixon said it would be unfair to give pay hikes to the agancy’s employees while it seeks furloughs, pay cuts and layoffs from general fund departments.
“There really shouldn’t be any reason why part of our team has to suffer, while the others prosper,” he said. “I think it does send a message, and we have to be consistent.”
Jolivette argued the county wouldn’t be withholding pay raises for general fund departments if the general fund were in the black and MRDD were in the red.
“We shouldn’t be painting the fund that are different with the same brush,” Jolivette said. “Other funds that have absolutely nothing to do with the general fund should be looked at separately.”
Commissioner Charles Furmon did not comment on his reason for not supporting the contract.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: County Commission
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