CRANBERRY TWP— Money saved from vacant jobs at Butler County Community College and a sudden availability of state funds is allowing for campus improvements.

The new college budget approved Wednesday by the college trustees at the BC3 Cranberry Center allows for roof replacement on five classroom buildings, emergency call stations, a sound system for Founders Hall and improvements to the Pioneer Cafe. The cost of all that work should be about $1 million.

The college had planned for several months to do a rebudget to identify where the savings from the vacant positions would be redirected. The college also has a small increase in expected revenue, plus savings in its phone and utilities bills.

It was just several weeks ago that the state let the college know there was capital money available, college spokeswoman Susan Changnon said. The state will provide matching funds for these projects.

Because the college has reserve money, it was able to agree to take the money, according to Jim Hrabosky, interim vice president for administration and finance.

President Nick Neupaur said these projects are in the college's master plan, and the college had saved money to do them later. Had the college not had matching funds, the money would have gone to other community colleges, he said.

Hrabosky said the state gives the college until Aug. 15 to spend the money, though an extension is possible on the Pioneer Cafe renovations.

The college's new budget moves an additional $466,000 to the capital fund, bringing the total for the year to $536,000. It also recognizes a special allocation from the state of $591,278.

The total new budget of the college is $26.3 million, where the original budget was $24.8 million.