The tumultuous year experienced by Butler County government in 2012 no doubt was unlike any that the commissioners office ever experienced previously in the county’s history.

There hardly ever was a break in the turmoil. Even a headline over a recap of the commissioners’ 2012 in Sunday’s Butler Eagle — “County Commissioners’ Wild Year” — couldn’t fully capture the goings-on that consumed scheduled meetings as well as issues raised outside those sessions.

It’s doubtful that at any other time in Butler Eagle history was the commissioners’ conduct such an ongoing topic as it was in 2012. During the course of the year, none of the three commissioners was spared reader criticism for the conduct that diverted attention from important county business.

It was a sad, frustrating spectacle and, based on the commissioners’ comments in Sunday’s front-page article that accompanied the “wild year” recap, there’s no guarantee that the situation will improve in 2013.

Commissioner William McCarrier said “I’m going to make every effort to work with everybody,” and Commissioner Dale Pinkerton said “we all need to work together to move the county forward.”

However, it was unsettling that Commissioner Jim Eckstein, who was at the center of the past year’s turmoil, didn’t promise to work more harmoniously with his two commissioner colleagues and other county officials to get things done — even if there were disagreements along the way.

Disagreements should be dealt with respectfully — unlike what’s dominated the county scene in the year just concluded.

“Can Butler County withstand honest, open change in county government to modify the status quo” Eckstein was quoted in Sunday’s article.

“I’m sure it can,” Eckstein said, answering his question.

He’s right.

Eckstein’s honesty hasn’t been at question in most of the issues surrounding last year’s business, but the abrasive manner in which he voiced many of his comments certainly left much to be desired in the eyes of most county residents.

Unfortunately, among the unfinished business of 2012 is the defamation lawsuit Pinkerton filed against Eckstein. Meanwhile, several retirements of key officials were attributed to the Eckstein-fueled discord.

All considered, some people might consider it a useless exercise to suggest that, as a New Year’s resolution, the commissioners office make a commitment to harmony.

Futile or not, that suggestion is necessary. County government must not succumb to more upheavals like those that marked 2012.

If Eckstein is thinking of continued public service beyond his current term, he should dedicate this new year to a more professional demeanor than he’s exhibited over the past 12 months.

Harmony, or at least civility, can coexist with hard work, accomplishment — even disagreement.