Butler City Council is pursuing a state grant for a downtown streetscape project that would include moving utility lines underground and installing new street lights along Main Street.

The plan is consistent with a report published in December 2015 recommending a uniform appearance for the sidewalks of Butler’s downtown. You can a link to that report at butlerdowntown.org.

Partnering with Butler County government, the city is applying to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for a Multimodal Transportation Fund grant. Mayor Ben Smith, who owns Main Street businesses, says the project would involve planting new trees and moving existing benches, too. That would entail uprooting some or all of the existing ornamental trees planted in previous years in memory of certain loved and respected community individuals. Same thing with the benches bearing plaques dedicating them to the memory of other former stalwarts of the community.

As for the new vegetation, are we to assume the city has researched the variety of tree to be planted, to assure their root growth won’t cause havoc with the paver or cement walkways or the utilities beneath them? It’s an important consideration worthy of public disclosure and discussion.

The grant requires a local match, in this case a $1.015 million loan from the county’s new infrastructure bank, to be paid back with streetlight tax revenue. The infrastructure bank dispenses Act 13 money, which is intended to offset local damage caused by Marcellus Shale gas exploration. Is it fair to ask if that cash might be better used elsewhere — like paving repair? Our streets are a mess.

The mayor says benches along Main Street, including memorial benches, would have to be moved before the work could begin. City officials said they could contact the people who sponsored the 37 memorial benches and ask permission to place them in parks, or possibly remove the memorial plaques from the benches and secure them to other benches or on trees.

The green color of the benches doesn’t fit the design of the streetscape, but they could be powder coated a different color. Well, that’s a good thing, since the 2015 Streetscape report’s introduction includes this statement:

“The design attempts to achieve Early American charm and feel of streets flanked by brick paved sidewalks, decorative street lights and benches reflecting Early American style detailing and color palettes.”

You don’t suppose the color palettes include the mocha tones of the new metal siding on the county government building so visible from Main Street a block away? Has the county already exempted itself from the streetscape program, and at the same time is helping the city get funding for it?

That’s not really the issue, although it does suggest a lack of clarity in setting priorities. Are we solving the pressing problems or are we jumping for the low-hanging grant money?