The Butler County Commission voted unanimously Monday to extend County Engineer Dennis McCall’s contract for five years.

McCall’s contract was set to expire to Jan. 18. He has served as the county’s engineer since 1997.

“Mr. McCall has been an asset to Butler County for several years and we look forward to working with him for the next five years,” Commission Chairman Frank Hickman said. “We’re very blessed to have him. If you go to the state meetings, you’ll find that everyone holds our engineer in high regard, and we certainly do as well.”

Under the new terms of the contract, McCall will receive a nearly $7,000 a year increase in pay. He will now make just more than $145,000 a year.

“This contract brings Mr. McCall into a pay scale that is commensurate with his talent and skills for a county our size,” Hickman said.

Under his previous contract, McCall was guaranteed a 5 percent raise each October. County Administrator Diane Kilpatrick said McCall will no longer receive the automatic 5 percent increase each year, but will instead receive the greater of annual cost of living raises or bonuses approved by the county, or any state designated cost of living raise.

The new contract also stipulates that both the county and McCall must provide 60 days notice in the event of a non-renewal of the contract.

“I’m thankful for the confidence the commission has shown in renewing my contract,” McCall said. “It’s going to be an exciting time in the next five to seven years with the projects we have in the works.”

McCall was named the 2013 County Engineer of the Year by the Association of County Engineers of Alabama at its annual conference in Orange Beach.

Longtime commissioner Jesse McWilliams has often praised the job McCall has done in maintaining Butler County’s road system.

“I’ve been a Dennis McCall fan for a long time,” McWilliams said following the announcement that McCall had been named County Engineer of the Year. “He has a very tough job, but he does a great job. He’s a great engineer and he’s very committed to Butler County.”

McCall is currently serving as the Southeast Regional Vice President of the National Association of County Engineers (NACE). As such, he serves as the executive officer of an eight-member board that includes the president and secretary of NACE.

He is also a past president of the Association of County Engineers of Alabama.