Though not entirely surprising, it was still discouraging that no Butler residents or city business representatives attended the special Saturday morning meeting on Dec. 11 to discuss the city's 2005 budget.

The 9 a.m. meeting time might not have been convenient for everyone, but interest in details of city spending should be high at a time when discussions of bankruptcy and distressed city status are not considered alarmist. The city's financial situation has been deteriorating in recent years, and only the November passage in Harrisburg of a big boost to what was formerly known as the Occupational Privilege Tax (now called the Emergency Municipal Services Tax) will allow the city avoid - or postpone - bankruptcy.

The city will dodge a bullet by adding as much as $300,000 in revenues through the new, $47 tax on each person working in the city. But residents who complain about rising taxes and diminished services in the city should follow up their complaints with interest in the budget, down to line-item detail to get a real understanding of where their tax dollars are going.

City council cannot force people to come to admittedly dry budget discussions. But if residents want to be taken seriously when they criticize city government operations, they should demonstrate interest by attending an occasional meeting and talking with city officials face-to-face about what can be done to put the city on firmer financial ground. If more people understood details of how city money is being spent, there might be a better chance of developing a consensus - and support for making difficult changes.

Members of city council who did attend that Saturday morning meeting - Joe Bratkovich, Jim Kraus and Charles Savanah - deserve a cheer for their attempt to engage city residents in the city's financial challenges.

Just as the Main Street revitalization efforts in Slippery Rock are wrapping up, another $1 million is on the verge of arriving in the borough to extend the work.A $959,000 grant from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is designed to extend the Main Street clean-up work, which featured new lights, trees and sidewalks as well as buried utility lines, over to Franklin Street, from Main Street to the Grove City Road.The SPC grant requires $120,000 in matching funds and was part of $4.1 million worth of projects funded to encourage economic development and improved transportation.Slippery Rock's revitalization efforts began to gel five years ago, driven by a determined group of local volunteers. Groundbreaking for the Phase I improvements was in April 2003.Now it appears, the hard work begun five years ago is being recognized and rewarded with more funding to continue the effort to make Slippery Rock more visually appealing and more attractive for business growth and development.The people who envisioned Slippery Rock's revitalization project have to be feeling pretty good about what they've accomplished so far. The WPC grant, which will pump another $1 million into the borough's efforts, is further confirmation that they are on the right path.

For the first time, a coordinated mix of arts and music entertainment (called Ring in the Arts) will await those gathering in downtown Butler as the New Year approaches.Modeled after popular First Night celebrations held in larger cities, including Pittsburgh, the concept is to bring people into the center city for a diverse mix of holiday entertainment, featuring a family-friendly environment.Butler's New Year's Eve event is a little different because of its strong emphasis on the arts. With Butler's smaller size, compared to Pittsburgh and other big cities, Ring in the Arts will also be special because many of those coming into Butler on Dec. 31 will be seeing friends and neighbors as they work their way from one event to another along Main Street.Tickets sales are brisk and a post-Christmas rush is expected, according to Maggie Stock, of Butler, who is coordinating the event for the Butler Arts Council. Because the event is the creation of the Butler Arts Council, which developed the evening as a fund raiser, there will be something for everyone - music, dance, visual arts, film, poetry - and even magic.Community reaction to the event has been enthusiastic and Stock reports that she is constantly fielding questions from people who want to help or want to participate in some way. "People want to donate their talent, their time, their space. And that says something good about Butler," said Stock.Admission buttons are $10 per person or $25 per family and are available at Friedman's and Bilo grocery stores, as well as through arts council members. Tickets can be purchased at the Penn Theater the night of the event, which is scheduled to run from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. So make a date - and be there.