Butler City Council voted down the conditional use of the closed Broad Street Elementary School by the Arc of Butler County on Tuesday during a public hearing at the city building.

The motion was defeated in a 2-3 vote.

Councilmen Michael Walter and Kathy Kline were in favor of the motion, while Mayor Tom Donaldson and Councilmen Kenny Bonus and Corey Roche were against it.

The Arc of Butler County is a nonprofit organization that serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

John Link, Arc executive director, and Michael Gallagher, its solicitor, expressed disappointment.

“We thought it would pass because it had the merits to pass,” Link said.

The Arc has the option to appeal to the Court of Common Pleas within 30 days of receiving a written notice of the decision.

“All options remain on the table,” Gallagher said.

The Butler School Board approved the sale to the Arc for $400,000 in August. It was the Arc’s third offer.

Donaldson initially called the sale of the space to a nonprofit “irresponsible” and “absurd.” He said about 40 percent of the city’s properties are tax-exempt and that the city can’t afford to lose any more of its tax base.

The lone for-profit business that made an offer was J.M. Beatty Furniture, which submitted an initial bid of $530,000 and then lowered it to $400,000. That bid was rejected by the school board in March.

Donaldson previously stressed that his desire for city taxes is nothing personal against the Arc or the school district.

He reiterated that sentiment Tuesday.

“It was the right thing to do,” he said. “It’s not to reflect anything against the Arc or for anything else. It’s just how it had to be.”

Several Butler residents attending the hearing voiced their concerns over the proposed elimination of the closed school’s playground to create 25 parking spaces for Arc employees.

“There’s nothing in this city to do for those children,” Butler resident Cheryl Eldridge said in defense of the playground.

Bonus heard their pleas.

“The challenge I was facing was the elimination of the playground in the neighborhood,” he said. “I think that caused a legit concern with my vote. I saw that being a challenge in both the eyes of the public, and in that immediate neighborhood.”

However, Butler School Board President Nina Teff commented on the playground from another view.

“Whether it’s Arc or someone else, there’s no guarantee that you’re going to keep the playground,” she said.

Roche was concerned with how the Arc would affect the neighborhood, from its lights to parking.

“At the end of the day we have to protect our neighborhoods because that’s the lifeblood of the city,” he said.

Link said the organization would require use, but not exclusive use, of the parking spots in front of the building, because the 25 spaces may not be enough for the employees.

One neighborhood resident was concerned with how this would clog up traffic around 5 p.m.

Link responded by saying that it would be no different with a for-profit business occupying the building, and that the Arc wouldn’t be at the building on the weekends, whereas a for-profit building may have employees who might.

Kline also spoke of the Arc possibly being a better option than other candidates for the building.

“What else is going to come in there that might not be as good a fit as Arc?” she said. “And if Arc is willing to look at the liabilities, to have the insurance that the neighborhood can use it for neighborhood activity, I thought it would be a possible fit.

“We know who Arc is, and I’d rather have somebody there who we know. I’ve told many people my first choice was for a for-profit, but that didn’t happen, so you have to kind of accept that.”

Before the motion, Link said that if the Arc didn’t move to the Broad Street location, there was a chance it wouldn’t remain in Butler. The Arc currently has locations on Washington Street and Hollywood Drive, but is looking to relocate.

“It’s not like buildings are popping up all over the city,” Link said.

Link noted the nonprofit has around 300 employees.

Though it was a tough call for Walter, hearing Link say the Arc may leave Butler, taking that many employees with it, swayed his vote.

“I really don’t want to see them leave the town,” he said.

Taxes were touched on briefly, with Butler resident Mark Krenitsky stating he wanted to see the Arc, should it move into the Broad Street building, make payments in lieu of property taxes.

Donaldson also commented on taxes.

“You don’t pay taxes,” he said to the Arc representatives. “This is a large piece of property that could become taxable.”

Gallagher, the Arc solicitor, said communities have responsibilities beyond taxes.

“That’s just part of life,” he said. “We have to take care of those who are less fortunate.”

Donaldson noted that many of the residents who had issues with what would happen if the Arc moved into the building may be just as upset when another organization moves in.

“I’d still like to see a for-profit business (move in), and that will create other problems,” he said. “And those same people aren’t going to be happy, so we’ll have to deal with this all over again.”