CENTER TWP — Center Township supervisors said Wednesday that they’re still skeptical about joining the Butler Transit Authority as a paying member, but are in talks with the authority and looking into how many residents use the service.

Township supervisor Ken Frenchak, speaking at the supervisors’ meeting Wednesday night at the Unionville Volunteer Fire Department hall, brought up the request by the authority to add Center Township as a full-fledged member with voting authority.

He said he’d been in talks with John Paul, executive director of the authority, about the prospect of Center Township becoming a member.

“We have to start somewhere,” he said. “They asked us to participate.”

During the authority’s last fiscal year, which ran from July 2015 to June 2016, 19,000 people used the Clearview Mall bus stops in Center Township. Currently, Clearview Mall pays the authority for service.

On Wednesday, supervisors said they were including costs associated with joining the authority in their budget talks for the coming year, but would not say how much money was involved. Township Secretary-Treasurer Anthony Amendolea said the township expects to publish a proposed 2017 budget sometime after the supervisors’ Nov. 9 regular meeting.

Frenchak said that during the budget year that ended June 30, another 8,200 riders used the VA Butler Healthcare stops in Butler Township. The VA is currently building a new location in Center Township, and when it opens riders would be receiving service there.

Supervisor Ed Latuska asked Frenchak how joining the authority would benefit the residents of Center Township.

Frenchak said he did not have answers for that yet, and was waiting on Paul to tell him how many Center Township residents use the authority’s services.

He also mentioned that county officials may be interested in forming a county transit authority, and would use the Butler Transit Authority as a “steppingstone” because it’s already fully formed.

“Let’s say this becomes a countywide thing, and we’re not participating but we have people (from Center Township) that want to go into Pittsburgh,” Frenchak said.

Frenchak urged his fellow township supervisors to be open-minded about the decision.

“Let’s not always think there’s an ulterior motive,” he said.

However, township Supervisor Alan Smallwood was skeptical of being asked to join.

“I just don’t understand what the ulterior motive is,” he said.

Township Supervisor Phil Wulff indicated it was too soon to come to a decision.

“I’m just in the fact-finding stages right now,” he said.

Latuska shared his sentiment.

“I can honestly say I’m neither opposed nor in favor until I get more information,” he said.

Frenchak said that the authority wants a response by February or March 2017, though he said there is no set time limit.

Center Township was asked to join the authority in 1989 and declined. None of the current township supervisors were on the board at the time.

A meeting to discuss the potential plans for the authority will be held by the authority, county officials and Center Township supervisors at the Butler County Government Center from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday.

Another meeting consisting of the same officials regarding the authority will be held at the same place and time Dec. 16.