The granite bricks sold to help finance Butler County's World War II Memorial in Diamond Park were a good way to honor honorably discharged veterans while helping to make the memorial reality.

With a price tag of $200 a brick, families who chose to honor a veteran were right in expecting the bricks to be a permanent memorial to those whose names, branch of service and years of service would be etched into the bricks.

But instead of being a permanent memorial, many of the bricks have, since their installation in 2003, become a disgrace — not only for the county but for those officials who had the obligation to ensure that the project was completed correctly.

Unfortunately it wasn't and, because of that, some of the costly bricks have been cracking over a period of many months. Meanwhile, this winter's bitter weather has resulted in some of the bricks being dislodged.

Frankly, "disgrace" is an appropriate word for the situation.

A front-page photo in the Feb. 15 edition of the Butler Eagle pictured John Cyprian, Butler County veterans services director, holding a section of bricks affected by the weather. As explained by Cyprian, the cracking and subsequent dislodging have resulted from the brick project's contractor not properly sealing the bricks.

Cyprian said the contractor, Granite Fabricating of Bentleyville, previously acknowledged the problem and periodically has made repairs at no cost to the county. He said the company intends to make a new round of repairs once warmer weather arrives.

But Cyprian and other county officials should explain why they allowed the problem to persist after first learning about it. From the start, the project should have been redone to the county's — and the brick purchasers' — expectations.

That's what's needed now.

The county should not accept what amounts to shoddy work, even if it's the result of an honest mistake. It's puzzling why officials have been content to do just that for a project honoring people who gave so much of themselves on their nation's behalf.

The Butler County commissioners are right in considering job cuts to resolve a looming $500,000 budget deficit. Units of government aren't immune to the kinds of action businesses and industries must implement in tough times.It would be unfortunate if decisions by the commissioners would add to the county's unemployment rolls. However, the county government must consider the hardships of taxpayers, many of whom are having difficulty making ends meet — and who also might be on shaky terms regarding their own employment.A tax increase for 2010 should be a last resort, only after job cuts are made. It is reasonable to conclude that, considering how the county employment rolls have ballooned in recent years, there is room for some responsibilities to be combined, to allow for a reduced payroll.The contracts eventually approved with unions representing county employees will have a bearing on how deep jobs cuts might have to be, if the commissioners can't find other ways to eliminate the deficit.Regardless, the attitude in the Commissioners Office must be "No Tax Increase," and the three commissioners must commit themselves not to deviate from that intent.

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Jeff Reed prides himself on a superior standard of performance whenever he's called upon to kick a field goal or extra point. Besides that, he should strive to ensure that his conduct off the field also is a credit to himself and to his team. His alleged temper tantrum at 2:30 a.m. Feb. 14 at a Sheetz convenience store in New Alexandria, Westmoreland County, was anything but.Reed was cited by the state police for breaking a restroom towel dispenser that had run out of towels. He also was accused of using profane language to a store employee and also outside the store. The specific charges lodged against him were disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.A towel dispenser running out of towels is not an unheard-of situation. The mature solution for Reed or anyone else would have been to inform store personnel that more towels were needed; it's reasonable to believe that the problem would have been rectified quickly.Reed's pro football status isn't an excuse for him to expect special treatment or to be shielded from inconvenience whenever he's off the field. He deserves the citations that were issued by the police, but the Steelers organization doesn't deserve the embarrassment — however minor — that stems from such childish, bizarre conduct.Reed should commit himself to conduct off the field that is commensurate with his performance on the field. Instead of erupting into a temper tantrum, Reed should have asked store employees for more towels, and then — after washing his hands — given the employees his autograph.