If the Butler County Vocational-Technical School Joint Operating Committee had voted Thursday not to seek federal economic stimulus money for a construction and renovation project at the school, the money that the school is seeking — and hopefully receiving — would not have gone unspent by the feds. It merely would have been allocated elsewhere.

That's the way federal funding works — not only in regard to the economic stimulus but in regard to what's budgeted under normal circumstances.

That's why, despite some local operating committee members' unhappiness with choosing the stimulus money route, the 6-4 decision in favor of applying for the federal money was correct, and should be pursued vigorously.

Like so many other projects for which the stimulus money will be used across the nation, the vo-tech project would provide construction jobs immediately. That's what President Barack Obama envisioned for the stimulus initiative.

During Thursday's vo-tech meeting, it was Ken Brennan, a representative of the Seneca Valley School District, who immediately voiced his displeasure at the stimulus money proposal.

"It's easy to spend borrowed money," Brennan said. "Our children will pay dearly for this."

He was right on both counts.

However, Butler County's current and future taxpayers will at least be able to derive some satisfaction — if the vo-tech project gets funded — that some of their interests were served by the president's attempt to revive the stalled economy.

Meanwhile, money received through the federal stimulus program presumably would lessen the financial burden on the school's seven member districts — Butler, South Butler, Seneca Valley, Mars, Moniteau, Karns City and Slippery Rock.

That's good, although local taxpayers would not be out of line to question why the districts favored putting the vo-tech project on hold several months ago, purportedly due to the economy, when some districts portray anything but hard times when it comes to giving teachers and administrators generous raises.

In recent months, both the Butler and Slippery Rock districts approved sweetheart early bird contracts with teachers, both from the standpoint of salary increases and the pittance they require teachers to pay in terms of their health insurance coverage.

It will be interesting, although possibly a source of dismay, to watch how that contract generosity plays out in both of the districts' real estate tax bills for the 2009-10 fiscal year and beyond.

Vo-tech teachers currently are engaged in contract negotiations with the operating committee; their current contract expires June 30.

Amid all of that, it must be acknowledged that the time has come for vo-tech facilities to be upgraded. Some of the vo-tech buildings are from 1960 while the others, from 1982.

Those buildings are in need of updates to such things as windows and electrical systems. Meanwhile, another major component to the vo-tech facilities improvements that has been discussed in the past is a plan for a new single-story, 15,000-square-foot building on land between the Butler Senior High School natatorium and the 300 wing of the high school.

The latest project plan envisions a total price tag of $10 million — $3 million less than the cost previously estimated.

Joseph Cunningham, vo-tech school director, in asking the operating committee for a resolution in support of seeking stimulus money, told committee members that he planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to begin the pursuit of funds.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes $53 billion for education and training. Butler County is entitled to its fair share.

The operating committee's vote was correct, but the concerns of those who voted "no" were equally valid.