It is unfortunate that Butler Downtown must carry on as an all-volunteer group. The organization last week laid off its only paid employee, Main Street Manager Chelynne Curci-Lang, after state funding for the program expired.

Bob Dandoy, president of the nonprofit’s board, said the program will no longer have a paid manager, nor will it continue its facade grant program.

The nonprofit had been receiving about $70,000 per year in grant money from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, but that five-year grant program concludes at the end of the year.

About $40,000 of that money was for the manager’s salary and $30,000 was for facade improvements on buildings, Dandoy said.

“Looking at our budget for next year, we just can’t sustain a full-time manager,” he said.

The bitter pill does not mean the program was unsuccessful. Neither does it mean Butler Downtown should disband. The group has made solid accomplishments in recent years; it would be a shame to abandon its momentum.

The forward-thinking business leaders who make up Butler Downtown have successes to their credit, the most visible being New Castle Plaza, which hosts summer concerts. Facade improvements under the guidance of Butler Downtown’s design committee have fostered an attractive look to Main Street businesses. And the group has cultivated a all-for-one, one-for-all attitude conducive to community celebrations and events that benefit everyone, most of all the community.

But perhaps Butler Downtown’s most important achievement of all is the enhanced essence of a vibrant business community. The volunteers promote volunteerism while providing “a comprehensive structure igniting self-sufficient revitalization,” according to Butler Downtown’s vision statement.

The downtown stands at the brink of a renaissance: the county government annex is under construction; the new Rite Aid pharmacy is completed with a hotel and parking garage about to begin construction; and Dunkin’ Donuts is planning a $1 million project at Main and Brady streets. Butler Downtown can and should take some of the credit for attracting new business, with more anticipated.

Butler Downtown shares office space with the Butler Area Chamber of Commerce and operates as a chamber affiliate. Stan Kosciuszko, president of the chamber, said the chamber will pick up much of the administrative responsibilities for the nonprofit.

That relationship should continue to the organizations’ mutual benefit and broadly overlapping objectives of enhancing the business climate.

It’s an obvious setback to lose funding that maintained the paid leadership of an organization. But that doesn’t mean the organization failed. The success of Butler Downtown always has relied on an active and energetic corps of volunteers. It still does. But those volunteers can’t give up the ship. They to step up now more than ever before.