MARS — Mayor Gregg Hartung said while the state budget impasse has affected the borough’s revitalization project, officials are moving ahead with events and projects that will help the town.

Hartung said the borough council has received letters of encouragement from state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12th, state Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, and U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd regarding the revitalization plan. The Pittsburgh Landmark and Historical Foundation also sent Mars a letter in support of the plan.

Hartung said several businesses in the borough have banded together to support the effort to update and improve the community.

“We’re trying to create a coalition,” he said.

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Association’s Pittsburgh office recently visited Mars, Hartung said, to tour the borough, view the plan’s streetscapes drawings, talk about economic development, and discuss the types of businesses Mars could attract.

“I’ll start working more intentionally with them in the fall,” Hartung said.

Because of the lack of state funds due to the budget impasse between Gov. Tom Wolf and the Legislators, the revitalization plan has not received any state money.

Hartung said to make up for that, a private funding campaign will begin in the fall. Individuals, businesses and civic groups in and around Mars will be asked to contribute.

“And we will continue to work on state funding,” he said.

One event that will help the revitalization plan as well as the 2017 Mars New Year celebration was the inaugural Mars Brew Fest on June 25.

Hartung said the $12,000 made at the event will benefit those two causes.

He said close to 800 people attended the beer tasting, which featured eight homebrewers from the Butler Society of Homebrewers and four commercial brewers as well as a few hard cider purveyors.

“There was a real variety, but the most popular beer was a grapefruit beer that was made by one of the homebrewers,” Hartung said.

He said all the brewers vowed to return next year for the second Mars Brew Fest.

“The biggest challenge was it was a hot day, and we had to keep buying ice,” Hartung said.

Projects ongoing in Mars are the installation of handicapped access at the Clay Avenue softball fields and the replacement of water lines on Lincoln Street, Hartung said.

After the lines are replaced, Lincoln Avenue, which is Mars’ only remaining brick street, will be paved.

He said removing the bricks to access the aging water lines is a time-consuming chore, and extends the length of the project.

“It’s tedious,” Hartung said.

The borough received a county grant to build a ramp to the ballfield at the park on Clay Avenue.

“It will provide access for people in wheelchairs or with walking issues who want to watch a game,” Hartung said.

He said all the work will benefit the community in the future.

“The revitalization plan is in the business area, but we’re also making improvements throughout the borough, so the community has embraced doing some things to our older town where things need updated, and we’re trying to do it without raising taxes,” Hartung said.