BUTLER TWP — The Butler School Board on Monday approved a sales agreement with the Arc of Butler County to buy Broad Street Elementary but only after board member Bill Halle dropped his lawsuit against the district.

District solicitor Tom King said the sales agreement, in which the Arc will buy the former school for $475,007, was contingent on Halle dropping his suit.

Halle filed the suit in August with incoming board member Leland Clark, who later withdrew from the suit, seeking an injunction to halt the sale of any of the district’s four closed schools until newly elected board members take their seats Dec. 1.

Halle told the board that he is dropping the suit, contingent on the district holding public meetings for each of the four schools whenever they have bids for sale. The meeting for the Broad Street school will take place at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the school.

The board voted to accept Halle’s offer to end his suit.

King said the sale is contingent on two items. One relates to getting a zoning variance, saying the building is in an area zoned R-3, which is a residential zone.

“Arc would need to get approval from the city,” King said.

He said the sale also is subject to the approval of county Judge S. Michael Yeager. A hearing in front of Yeager will be at 9 a.m. Dec. 22.

Additionally, King said the decision is subject to a higher bid by J.M. Beatty Furniture. The furniture company, which wants to use the building as a retail store, initially bid $380,000 for the school.

About 3:30 p.m. Monday, the district received a second bid from J.M. Beatty for $530,000. King said Yeager will have to consider that bid in addition to Arc’s bid.

He said there is a chance that Arc could submit a higher bid for Yeager to consider as well.