Pendleton will have an array of choices regarding where it can spend its share of the mammoth federal $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act.

Hopefully, the city’s elected leaders will choose wisely.

The choices are not easy. There are a host of competing priorities and needs that seek a one-time infusion of funds, but what elected leaders must do is sift through the ideas that sound grand and decide where the money is needed the most.

A plan developed by a local group that consists of the Pendleton Economic Development Department, the Pendleton Convention Center, the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce and the Pendleton Round-Up Association to receive $250,000 to create a broad-based effort based to beef up tourism is not a bad place to start.

Tourism is an important element the vitality of any community, and Pendleton is in a unique position once a year with the Round-Up to capitalize on the large influx of visitors that arrive.

Yet, there are other pressing concerns city leaders must carefully consider. Infrastructure improvements should be at the top of any list regarding where to use the infusion of funds. The Vert Auditorium and the Pendleton Aquatic Center, for example, both need upgrades because of deferred maintenance. Other city infrastructure — not least of which are roads — also could use some repairs or outright replacement and the federal money could be used for those projects.

At its last session, the council seemed to like the idea of spreading the money across tourism, infrastructure and the general fund, and that may be the safest — or least controversial — avenue.

Yet, city leaders should be wary of making compromise decisions that spread the cash too far over too may subjects. If there is a need, such as an infrastructure improvement, that could be solved with a large infusion of the money then elected leaders should not be shy of saying so and voting for that approach.

No one discounts how difficult monetary decisions — especially when it is free and there are so many competing needs — can be. Yet, part of the job of being an elected leader revolves around a certain degree of fortitude. Sometimes when the table is full of money the possibilities can seem endless. Yet, at least in Pendleton there are some key options that probably need to be at the forefront of elected leaders when it comes to making firm decisions.

The city is lucky to be able to count on the money. We just need to make sure we spend it wisely and for items that truly need the money.