It was praiseworthy when the new Butler County commissioners — all political newcomers — came aboard in January pledging not to make any rash decisions and risk aggravating the financial difficulties they inherited from the previous board.

Taking office Jan. 4, commissioners Leslie Osche, Kim Geyer and Kevin Boozel took up less than ideal circumstances: a $150.7 million budget with a 27.6-mill property tax rate, including a 3-mill tax increase; an unpaid tax anticipation note for 2015 and another pending for 2016; depleted cash reserves and state funding made unreliable by a budget standoff that had endured seven months.

As soon as they took office, the new commissioners began to look at the budget to see if it could be changed.

They parted ways with the budget’s author, chief clerk Amy Wilson. They have not begun a search for her replacement yet, saying they needed time to reconsider the job description.

They considered reopening the budget. They decided not to do that — not in any official capacity, anyway. On Jan. 20, they announced they would not seek to modify the budget because the revenue projections were too tight to make major changes.

Instead, they directed department heads and row officers to cut a combined $5 million in spending, about 3.3 percent of the budget total.

Three months into their first year, that’s essentially where the commissioners stand.

They’re still getting their bearings. They’re still establishing channels of communication. They’re still mapping a strategy.

The commissioners said as much last week during a session hosted by the legislative action committee of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center.

Commissioner Osche, board chairman, stressed the new board is assessing the county government before making major changes.

Today marks the three-month anniversary of the commissioners taking the oath of office. It’s the completion of the first quarter of their first year.

Another way of looking at the milepost is that the first of the commissioners’ 16 quarter-years in office is already finished. They have just 15 left.

Maybe this pep talk isn’t even necessary, and maybe the commissioners are more aware than anybody that they must get the administrative chores out of the way before they can pursue their vision for a better Butler County — you know, the one they were campaigning for a year ago.

But just in case that tendency for “paralysis by analysis” is taking root, c’mon! Let’s get going. Let’s not lose sight of the bigger goals and the greater vision.