Butler County officials are taking the right attitude in regard to the city's intent to move all police dispatching duties to the Butler County Communications (911) Center.

That correct attitude has been not to waste time working on the plan until the city proves beyond doubt that it intends to actually implement the plan.

The city's plan could have significant financial and operational consequences for the 911 center. But as of last week, as reported in an article in Sunday's Butler Eagle, the county had not been officially notified by the city to get the plan implementation process under way.

That mandates a wait-and-see attitude, considering the city council's past history of not following through on all important approvals.

What should come to mind quickly for city residents is the decision in the fall of 2005 to install parking meters on Main Street, not only to bolster anemic city revenue but also to discourage employees of downtown businesses and business owners from gobbling up the available parking spaces.

The majority of the council members in office at that time felt that the return of the meters would benefit downtown stores and service businesses by providing convenient parking for shoppers and those in town to access downtown services.

But despite an approved motion on the city council's books, meters have not returned to the downtown for the first time since meters were removed in the 1980s. Main Street meters have been confined to the site of the former Woolworth's store.

The result is that, even with the two-hour parking rule in effect, people coming to the downtown for shopping or for such things as a visit to the Social Security or Internal Revenue Service offices must, most of the time, either park in the tier garage or seek a parking space on a side street.

For some people, that is a deterrent for shopping in the city, just like some business people fear that Main Street parking meters would keep some potential shoppers away — choosing instead to patronize area malls and other shopping centers where parking is free.

The city shouldn't have motions on its books that it doesn't intend to implement. If it does intend to follow through with eliminating the desk sergeant positions and turning over all dispatching duties to the 911 center, then it should officially notify the county to get that process started.

A study of the current 911 dispatching service a few months ago found that if the city police calls were switched to the 911 center, it would be necessary for the county to hire and train at least five new full-time, or part-time equivalent, dispatchers and buy additional display consoles and computer technology to equip the new personnel.

"We really can't even make estimates until we find out if the city is really going to do this," said Frank Matis, director of the county's Emergency Management System.

And as of last weekend's Eagle report on the situation, the county had not received an official document about the change from the city.

The wheels of government move slowly in the city — even when a motion by the council seems to indicate that an initiative is in gear and ready to move ahead.