The final vote to close the Clarence C. Brown Education Center passed Thursday evening by the school’s joint-operating committee. The school, founded nearly 35 years ago, provides alternative and emotional support for special needs students and is run by the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV of Grove City, which has recommended the closing by June 30 due to financial trouble.

Although the MIU IV staffs the school, five school districts own and maintain the building: Karns City, Mars, Moniteau, Seneca Valley and South Butler school districts.

While all five school boards have already voted to close the school by June 30, the committee had to vote a final time on the closing, according to solicitor Tom May.

Now, the committee will accept closed bids on the property, but they are seeking minimum bids of $150,000, May said.Those bids will be opened at the next meeting for both the committee and the authority at 7 p.m. on June 30 at Clarence Brown, 1104 Pittsburgh Pike Road.

For the students who would be attending Clarence Brown, each respective school district will work with the students and families to ensure proper placement in another program.