Butler City Council will wait a month before deciding whether to take charge of the commemorative benches on Main Street that the Shade Tree Commission currently oversee.

Councilman Jeff Smith agreed at Tuesday’s forum meeting to remove a motion to revise the commission’s commemorative bench policy from Thursday’s voting meeting agenda after commission members asked Mayor Ben Smith to replace Jeff Smith as the commission liaison.

Commission member Donna Smith said the commission adopted a commemorative giving policy for benches and trees in 2008.

She said the commission is capable of administering the commemorative bench and tree program and is suspicious of Jeff Smith’s motives for wanting to take control of the benches.

“I feel there’s an agenda. We’re requesting another liaison. We have a policy. We know what we’re doing. Jeff is leading us in the wrong direction,” Donna Smith said.

She asked council to talk to commission members before voting on the motion.

Jill Kraus, a former commission member, said the commission wasn’t consulted about the policy change.

In a letter to council from commission members Jon Lex, Barb Long, Diana Bowman and Donna Smith, they said Jeff Smith constantly oversteps his authority.

“His is constantly overstepping the bounds of his role by telling the commission what we should and should not be doing — and often inaccurately. A liaison does not speak or act with executive authority. But Mr. smith has repeatedly attempted to do so over this commission,” the letter states.

Councilman Michael Walter commended commission members for having the courage to write the letter.

“You have to be in a bad position to write a letter like that,” Walter said.

Jeff Smith, whose wife Diane Smith serves on the commission, said council adopted the policy for the commission and changing it won’t impact people who have purchased commemorative plaques for the benches.

He said the benches have to be moved from Main Street before an anticipated streetscape project can begin, but the city can’t move them because of the policy.

The city is applying for grant money to pay for the streetscape project.

The proposed policy revision isn’t a reflection on the commission’s accomplishments, Jeff Smith said.

He said the ordinance that establishes the commission does not give it authority over benches.

Mayor Ben Smith asked if they can ask the commission to move the benches.

Jeff Smith said it would be easier for the city to move the benches and the city should have the authority to do so.

He agreed with Ben Smith’s suggestion to table the motion until the September council meeting so the matter can be discussed with the commission.