BUTLER TWP — Butler’s next superintendent could be coming from a neighboring district.

Dale Lumley, South Butler superintendent, has been named a finalist — actually, the finalist — in Butler’s superintendent search.

He is the lone candidate left from a five-person field.

The only other finalist has withdrawn his name.

Lumley and Jay Burkhard, an assistant superintendent at East Pennsboro School District near Harrisburg, were the two candidates left to be interviewed by a community advisory panel on Wednesday.

However, Burkhart was appointed to the superintendent position in his district last week. He withdrew his Butler application on Friday.

Even with the recent development, Wednesday’s final interview with the community advisory panel is still on.

Although Lumley is the only candidate still in the running as of now, Michael Strutt, Butler superintendent, said Lumley hasn’t been offered the job yet.

“The board has to deliberate after (this Wednesday’s interview) to decide what they want to do,” he said. “The board can appoint the finalist if they want … or the job could be re-advertised.”

Strutt admitted that re-advertising the position is not very likely because of the time constraints they face with hiring a superintendent. Also, the initial search yielded only five candidates.

In January, the search committee aimed to hire a candidate by March 17 so that person could play a role in replacing Cathy Rodgers, business manager, and Carolyn Cornish, assistant superintendent, who also are retiring June 30.

Lumley confirmed his superintendent application with Butler School District, but declined further comment until a decision is made.