Tom Donaldson

Butler Mayor Tom Donaldson is strongly against a nonprofit organization moving into the closed Broad Street Elementary School.

“I’m adamantly opposed to any nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that is not for the betterment of the city purchasing that school,” he said at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

He had hoped the Butler School Board would have accepted the offer of JM Beatty Furniture to buy the school, but the board Monday night rejected its offer.

The appraised value of the Broad Street school is $456,000. JM Beatty initially put in a bid of $530,000, but its final bid was lowered to $400,000.

“I’m not going to criticize the school board in any way. They make their own decisions,” Donaldson said.

“I do wish they would have taken Mr. Beatty’s offer. There’s no guarantee they’re going to get another offer in that price range. Hopefully Mr. Beatty will reconsider and put another bid in, and hopefully the school will get it because it’s very important that these people sell that.”

Donaldson was outspoken about nonprofit organizations in Butler that use city services but do not pay city taxes.

“They talk about all the good work they’re doing,” he said. “They’re part of what’s bankrupting this city so I don’t care about all the good they do.”

The council members acknowledged that there are some nonprofit organizations which contribute to the city, and Donaldson said he would like to publish a list of those organizations.

Broad Street Elementary closed last year as part of a consolidation effort by the Butler School District.