Butler County commissioners last week endorsed a bond issue of up to $175 million by the Butler County Hospital Authority to fund expansion of Butler Memorial Hospital in Butler.

Butler attorney Thomas W. King III told commissioners that up to $150 million would go toward new equipment and a new tower containing more than 65 single-bed patient rooms. Another $25 million will be used to refinance existing debt.

Under federal tax rules, commissioners must approve the issue even though the county will assume none of the liability for the bonds. The commissioners created the authority in the 1980s to assist hospitals and nursing homes with financing for capital projects. Butler Health System will be responsible for paying back the bonds.

Larry Moore, Butler Health System's senior project manager, said final design is under way and is expected to be finished by August. He hopes site preparation work will begin within a few months and that full occupancy will be in early 2010 with a partial opening anticipated in December 2009.

The hospital currently has 234 beds, Mr. Moore said.

Also last week, the commissioners authorized the county's solicitor and elections bureau director to petition the courts to increase the number of voting precincts in Cranberry and Center.

Elections Bureau Director Regis Young said he wants to boost the number of districts in Cranberry by three (from six to nine) and by one in Center (from two to three.)

He said a precinct containing more than 3,000 can be cumbersome on election days. He said Cranberry has three such precincts and Center has one.

Mr. Young expects the changes to take effect by the November general election.