The city of Butler's explanation of how a sinkhole behind Pullman Park will be eliminated leaves much to be desired.

Butler's longstanding solution of “we'll correct it next year because we don't have the money to do it this year” is unacceptable, considering the danger that the sinkhole has posed — and could pose in the future.

Rather than determine the source of the problem and take corrective measures, the city and redevelopment authority, which owns the property, have wasted money filling the hole temporarily twice, only to have the slag and other fill washed away during heavy storms.

The city says it doesn't have the estimated $10,000 to $15,000 needed to resolve the problem. But considering the potential dangers associated with the sinkhole, does the redevelopment authority not have any funds to loan to the city, which is responsible for the pipes underneath the authority property, to get the problem fixed?

The five-foot-wide hole has been covered by plywood and surrounded by yellow emergency tape, which might not deter the curious. The city council announced a plan to place a heavy steel plate over the hole until the problem can be fixed.

However, a logical question is whether the hole will grow if the city is hit with heavy rains.

It's believed that a 36-inch drainage pipe might be the source of the problem, although there's also an 84-inch storm sewer running through that area.

If the 36-inch pipe is the problem, is the 84-inch pipe in any danger if the break is left unresolved?

Surely the city has $10,000 or $15,000 tucked away that can be reallocated for such a problem and then be replaced under next year's budget. The city and redevelopment authority must have the combined capacity to make the necessary investment.

However, as has happened so many times in the past, the city has, so far, opted for its put-off-until-later mode.

The Evans City Park Authority's new summertime “Energize Evans City” program gets a thumbs-up for what it has sought to accomplish this year.The authority should continue the program next year, coupling this year's experience with additional ideas for bringing people to EDCO Park.At the foundation of next year's program should be an ongoing informational mission to keep the public informed about what's happening in connection with the “Energize” initiative.“Energize Evans City” will conclude for 2012 with a party on Labor Day Weekend. Planning for next year should begin soon after that so the plans are in place when Memorial Day 2013 nears.

Whether the Butler School Board reverses its July 19 decision on the controversial phase-out of the Japanese program apparently will become known at Monday’s board meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the administration building.The board has said it will reconsider last month’s action.Regardless of what the school directors ultimately decide, the efforts of those supporting the program’s full reinstatement cannot go unnoticed. Among those pushing for the reversal are Butler High School graduates who experienced the value of the program and its positive impact on their lives.What’s been said about the program and its instructor, Masami Schaper, cements the belief that the course is top-notch, even inspiring.While only the board has the power to make the final decision about the program’s future, the support that the program has garnered since the prospect of its demise was announced makes it imperative that the board give the program further consideration.Amid the district’s overall spending, the cost of the Japanese program is only a blip.However, many blips can add up to something significant, and it’s the board’s responsibility to control spending.The district will have to live with the board’s decision, but the effort on the program’s behalf merits praise for its dedication and passion.In many districts, opposition to a course being cut might never have materialized. Or, if it did, it might not have matched petition-signing held at Alameda Park.More than 110 people signed on behalf of keeping the program alive — which obviously captured the board’s attention.