Commissioner calls for consolidating services with other jurisdictions

file photo Gregory Jolivette

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By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer Updated 12:27 AM Tuesday, January 5, 2010

HAMILTON — Holding together Butler County’s ailing budget will be the No. 1 priority this year, said county commissioner Gregory Jolivette, who was elected board president Monday, Jan. 4, by his fellow commissioners.

To do this, Jolivette called for renewed discussions on consolidating services with other jurisdictions.

He led an effort in mid-2009 to find areas for possible collaboration. Leaders from cities and townships across the county came together with ideas — consolidated purchasing, health departments, area and county courts — but the initiative fizzled.

“We need to see if we can’t start reinvigorating some discussions along that way,” Jolivette said. But before any services are merged, he said they need to analyze whether it will both save money and improve services.

“We need a yes to both of those in order to move forward,” he said.

As for the budget, county officials say it’s balanced, but barely. It counts on the assumption that the economy — and thus county revenues — will improve this year.

Commissioners got some help Monday when sheriff’s office Maj. William Stump came forward with a slew of contracts for services at the county’s jails.

All told, Stump estimated that bidding out the jail contracts — which had gone to a local agency for years without bidding — could save the county up to  $2 million.

Some of the nearly two dozen bids awarded Monday went to the agency currently doing the work, while others went to new companies.

“Each of these bids across the board are the lowest bids in each of the categories,” Stump said.

Still others were rejected outright. Stump said that even with hiring people, it appears less expensive to bring the work in-house than contract it out.

Jolivette’s election to commission president is largely ceremonial. Commissioners rotate the post, taking turns presiding over meetings and serving on several boards, and it’s his turn.

But it also gives him the podium in a year when the veteran politician faces one of his toughest re-election bids to date. A half dozen people have pulled petitions for that seat. These include the county treasurer, county clerk of courts and a former West Chester Twp. trustee — all fellow Republicans.

Jolivette said he’s ready for the challenge, and plans to take out petitions soon.

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