Butler City Council will apply for a grant to possibly make additional improvements along Main Street.
By a vote of four to one, council approved a grant application for the 2020 Smart Grant Program through the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission Region.
This is a $372,000 grant with a $93,000 local match that would be used for trees, tree wells, and trash receptacles. Councilman Mike Walter cast the lone dissenting vote due to concerns about uncertain finances.
“This is nice to have, but with the coronavirus and the state of emergency we don’t know how our finances are going to look like at the end of the year,” Walter said. “I do think it’s a good program, but I just don’t think we can afford it this year.”
Councilman Jeff Smith argued in favor of the application.
“Any time you can get three dollars for every dollar you invest, that’s really a good return,” Smith said. “I would agree that things are going to be challenging going forward, but I don’t believe we can just stop living and live in fear.”
Council expects to hear about the awarding of this grant by late summer or early fall with the local portion coming out of the Capital Projects Fund if the application is successful.