Some Butler Township residents still question the wisdom of the township having constructed a new municipal building. As construction of the building was proceeding, some people expressed the view that this new township nerve center would be too big, or likened it to a Taj Mahal

It is anyone's right to harbor such opinions, but those who feel township officials acted correctly and at the right juncture have a better perspective of the overall township picture than the opponents.

A municipality with Butler Township's growth experience and the services such growth demands cannot operate indefinitely in cramped quarters. Anyone who has ever felt strongly enough about an issue to attend a township commissioners meeting has witnessed the limitations that the former municipal building imposed; when more than 15 or 20 people were present, people were required to stand in the hallway and strain to hear what was going on inside the meeting room.

That was a minor inconvenience compared with the challenges the police department faced. The police department had been complaining for years that its space in the basement of the old building was inadequate, and the inadequacy of that space was destined to become more of a problem.

The same truth existed for other township operations.

One thing people will notice immediately when they go to the new building will be the availability of adequate and convenient parking. The limited parking at the old building was a harbinger of what visitors to that building would find when they went inside.

The bottom line is that Butler Township municipal facilities now have "clocked in" to the 21st century. And, the fact that the building was built in a way to allow for future expansion means that the township isn't likely to face unmanageable space constraints for many decades, if ever.

In addition, this new 22,000-square-foot, one-stop center is at a good location, providing easy access for most residents and convenience once they get there. Inside the main lobby is a receptionist's desk to direct visitors to their destination, and another desk for people seeking permits.

People attending township meetings from now on will find space capable of seating approximately 100 people in a room with television monitors to allow the public a closer look at what is happening. Planning documents and maps will be able to be displayed on the monitors as they are being explained, promoting better understanding of what issues are at stake.

Meanwhile, the police department will have more elbow room in which to better organize its operations.

In order that the building was correctly planned, the building design wasn't assembled until each department was consulted about its needs.

"We did it right," Commissioner Joseph Wiest said. "We went to every department head and asked what they needed. We didn't make all the decisions ourselves."

But at the foundation of the project was township officials' good judgment and determination to move ahead at an opportune time in terms of paying for the building. Thanks to the Butler Township Area Water and Sewer Authority, which voted to contribute $2 million toward the $4.9 million construction cost, the township was able to keep debt service within a manageable range - one not requiring a tax increase.

The authority also is contributing up to $100,000 for furnishings.

The building also was constructed at a time of rock-bottom bond interest rates, further keeping the project in line with the township's overall financial picture.

Amid that financial setting is the fact that construction costs are destined only to increase, so the township ultimately saved by not waiting any longer.

The new municipal building thus is consistent with the needs of a prosperous, development-rich municipality that faces even more growth in coming years. People who attend the official open house planned for September will see firsthand how the new facility can work for them and their best interests as members of the community and taxpayers.

This is a new facility for which township residents should feel a deep sense of pride and satisfaction. Whatever their past feelings about construction of a new municipal center or their opinions during construction, the building projects prosperity and optimism about what the future holds.

Others covet the kind of opportunity that Butler Township has converted to reality.