Cheer The vast amount of sanitary sewer line installation on the way in the southern part of Butler County has prompted three volunteer fire companies to make a safety gesture on behalf of the workers who will be installing the lines. That decision is commendable.The three departments — Saxonburg, Middlesex Township and Penn Township — plan to form a team with expertise in trench rescues.While the departments hope the team's services never will be needed, they are affording project workers a measure of faith that, if a cave-in or some other emergency does occur, emergency personnel trained to respond to such an accident will be close by.Meanwhile, it is to be hoped that the Saxonburg Area Authority, which is carrying out the expansion project, will be able to make good on its hopes of providing $60,000 to the rescue team for equipment and training expenses. The funding will depend on whether an expected $106,000 savings is realized on the sewer system project.Despite the ability of construction companies and their workers to avoid accidents, such incidents remain an unfortunate possibility. The trench-rescue team could be the difference between life and death, should a cave-in occur.

Cheer Those involved in the renovation of the Jefferson Township Community Pool, formerly known as the SEBCO Pool, deserve a thumbs-up for not being deterred by the possibility for brutal winter weather over the past three months.Rather than shutting down the pool-renovation work because of the possibility that an extended period of bad weather might occur, those in charge of the project chose to allow the work to continue whenever weather conditions permitted. And, the weatherman was cooperative much of the winter.Thus, rather than workers having to spend the summer renovating the pool, they will be able to move on to another project. It is anticipated that the pool will be ready to open by June 1.The renovation project was made possible in part by a $150,000 federal grant and a $120,000 state grant through the Butler County Parks and Recreation Department. The SEBCO Association, which manages the facility, has raised $30,000 in matching funds for the project and is attempting to raise more for additional work.No doubt, some Butler residents are wondering why such good grants fortune hasn't befallen the city's pool, which apparently will remain closed this year.The Jefferson Township project began around Thanksgiving, right about the time a month of less-than-pleasant weather kicked in. However, since Christmas, conditions have, for the most part, been much better.Swimmers in the county's southeastern sector are in for a treat when the outdoor-swimming season begins.

Jeer In a predictable move, considering last year's legislative pay-raise fiasco, some lawmakers facing primary election challenges in May want to wait until after the November general election to consider a cost-of-living increase for retired public school and state employees.One public think tank — the libertarian Commonwealth Foundation in Harrisburg — says, based on a study of the state and school employee pension systems, the proposed pension increase would cost taxpayers $420 million a year.Whether the increase — whatever the size — should be granted is for lawmakers to decide. But the cost-of-living legislation should not be delayed until after this year's legislative elections. State voters should have the opportunity to weigh their representative's and senator's performance in part based on the pension-increase vote, since voters already know that the increase is an issue before the legislature this year.However, that might be too much to ask of a legislature still smarting from last year's sneaky, middle-of-the-night pay-raise vote. Nevertheless, voters should demand that this year's pension action precede the Nov. 7 election — in a properly announced daytime session.Voters must keep in mind that the state's taxpayers already have a pension "monster" before them.A 2001 law signed by then-Gov. Tom Ridge raised future pension benefits by 25 percent for active state workers and public school employees, and 50 percent for lawmakers. In 2002, Gov. Mark S. Schweiker affixed his signature to legislation that raised the cost-of-living allowance for state and school retirees by more than $1.7 billion spread over 10 years.Regarding the proposed cost-of-living hike, state Rep. Frank Pistella, D-Allegheny, said, "It looks like the chances of moving this now are slim and none."The state's taxpayers should demand otherwise.