The news that the state has allocated $7 million for infrastructure and other work at the vast Trinity Industries site in Butler's West End is a big boost to the local revitalization initiative.

But even more noteworthy is the impact that money will have in terms of employment. It is anticipated that 350 jobs will be created as a result of this site renewal.

Jobs mean people and jobs mean tax revenue that will emanate from that employment. That represents a win-win situation on a number of important fronts.

The full scope of benefits to be derived from the renewed site will probably be years in the making, but they are benefits that can be looked forward to with excitement.

The situation shows Butler's ability to bounce back from economic setback.

Trinity's local scaleback of operations and ultimate departure produced years of troubling uncertainty for community leaders and the local populace.

How much the state's generous boost to the Trinity area is tied to the fact that this is a gubernatorial and legislative election year is a matter of conjecture. Regardless of the motivation for the availability of that money at this time, the $7 million is coming here and much good is destined to come from that fiscal inflow.

The $7 million breaks down to a $3 million grant — money that won't have to be paid back — for water service, sewer lines, stormwater-management facilities and street construction, and for gas, electric, fiber optic and other services.

The remaining $4 million will be in the form of low-interest loans. According to Diane Sheets, exective director of the Community Development Corporation of Butler County, that money will fund the renovation of one building and reconstruction of another building that currently is structurally unsound.

The infrastructure work, which is expected to begin by early fall, will be next to the Pullman Business Center.

At this juncture, the proposed building and construction efforts are in the design phase.

Butler remains an industrial city, but it would have been unfortunate to have the Trinity site, unused, blighting the city's efforts at moving forward economically and projecting a progressive image.

With all but a couple of Trinity's buildings gone, the upcoming work will be a giant stride toward making the Trinity site again a vibrant aspect of the community.

But, at the foundation, the effort is about people and the fact that 350 families eventually will directly benefit from the preliminary work currently under way.

Although it must be acknowledged that the work will be only one part of a much bigger, broader revitalization challenge, news about this money nevertheless is a very bright moment for the city and all that it is trying to accomplish.