Judging from discussion at Wednesday's Buffalo Township supervisors meeting, Columbia Gas has not been considering township residents' concerns nearly enough regarding enlarging and again starting to use a long-abandoned pipeline.

The pipeline, which is being enlarged to 20 inches in diameter from 10 inches, is considered by many residents and by township officials to be located too close to homes.

There's also concern that the project would involve cutting down numerous trees.

Based on Wednesday's discussion, it appears that Columbia might have avoided opposition — and might have found a cheaper alternative — if it had communicated with township officials and residents with more of an open mind.

Understanding the gas company's rights, the community's interests must not be ignored.

Supervisor Dan Przybylek criticized Columbia for not notifying residents sooner about its plans to cross their properties. He agreed that the line's location also is a serious issue.

The fact that the line was abandoned for years should have led Columbia to more closely examine the impact of what its plans on the current housing situation. Columbia also should have worked more closely with township leaders and residents before apparently making its intentions final.

The negative reaction to what Columbia plans to do indicates that the gas company's public relations wasn't up to speed when it began making its plans.

The German company IMS Measuring Systems demonstrated confidence in Butler County when it chose to locate its North American headquarters on Myoma Road in Adams Township.That headquarters, which was completed in December 2008, now is anchoring an increased IMS presence here, as evidenced by Thursday's groundbreaking for an IMS plant that will manufacture the company's high-tech thickness-measuring gauges.The new plant, which will be adjacent to the company's Adams headquarters, will be IMS' first outside of Germany to manufacture the gauges. It is expected to eventually employ 20 highly skilled workers.The manufacturing facility will consist of 9,500 square feet; the plant's cost has been estimated at $3.5 million.With each success at bringing new businesses and industries to the county's southern sector and elsewhere, the county is able to build a stronger case for others to move or expand here.At the groundbreaking, county Commissioner William McCarrier said, “It's a great day for Butler County and Adams Township.”That day will be remembered as one of even greater significance if IMS' project encourages other companies from abroad to recognize the value of locating some of their operations here.

The positive results of a traffic-timing project on Route 228 show what can be accomplished through municipal cooperation and the willingness to make an investment despite uncertainty over the ultimate benefits.The project, involving Cranberry and Adams townships, Seven Fields Borough and Marshall Township in Allegheny County, has been found to have decreased travel times an average of 11 percent by reducing traffic signal delays and has cut stops along the busy roadway by 23 percent.The project began last April.The statistics, from a study by the regional Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, also showed that drivers were in their vehicles 453,233 fewer hours, used nearly 2 million fewer gallons of gasoline, and that their vehicles made nearly 14 million fewer stops.All of that translated into an estimated 112,000 fewer pounds of pollutants being emitted by vehicles.Equally notable from Cranberry's standpoint is that the township already has approved participation in another retiming program set for 2013-14.Dick Hadley, a Cranberry Township supervisor, said the findings reveal a success story in the use of smart technology for improved traffic flow without investing in concrete and pavement. The main impetus for the project was reduced highway dollars from the state and federal governments.The municipal cooperation at the heart of this project should also be a part of the new retiming program when it gets under way a year from now.And, hopefully, the results will be similar.