BUTLER TWP — For a second time the Butler School Board has rejected a sales proposal for its Oakland Elementary School.

The school is for sale following the district’s consolidation last summer. That consolidation closed five elementary schools and reopened the Center Avenue school as the district’s alternative and special education school.

Monty Edgar, who owns the Woodbine Oaks trailer park next to Oakland and Edgar Electric, offered the district $363,600 to buy the Oakland school, which has an average appraised market value of $362,500. While that offer expired at the end of April, Superintendent Dale Lumley confirmed before the board vote Tuesday night that Edgar still is interested in buying the building.

He wants to use it for his electric company and to lease commercial office space.

Although the board voted 4 to 3 to sell the building, board solicitor Tom King said the board needs five minimum votes to pass a sales agreement for the property.

Board President Nina Teff said, “That’s what happens when two people don’t show up to our meetings.”

Board members John Conrad and David Korn were absent.

Teff, Suzie Bradrick and Jennifer Cummings voted against the sale.

Cummings said the board still needs to consider other options for the school before getting rid of it. For instance, the board has previously discussed leasing parts of the building but keeping it in case there is a need for more district space. She also suggested the district explore making a magnet school out of it, but no other discussion on that idea took place.

Board member Bill Halle said it would be better for the district to keep a centrally-located school like the unsold Broad Street Elementary School for programs or in case of increasing enrollment.

After the vote on the sales agreement failed, Bradrick proposed the board market Oakland with a Realtor, just like the board already approved doing for the Broad Street school.

But that vote failed as well, 3 to 4, with some board members saying that they would lose money to a Realtor when a viable offer already was on the table.

Board member Neil Convery said, “This is an extremely viable offer that is above the average appraisal for the building. I don’t know what more you’re looking for by marketing the building ... That’s taking an offer for granted.”

However, Bradrick stressed that she believed Edgar would remain interested in the building long enough for the district to try marketing the property to other companies outside of the immediate Butler area.

“This particular buyer, he’s going to be there regardless,” Bradrick said. “If this guy wants to buy it, he’ll be here today, he’ll be here tomorrow and he’ll be here three months from now. I want to market, and I want to see what happens. If we can get a better buyer, I want to market.”

The board in March rejected a sales agreement with Edgar.