BC3 moving community office downtown
Butler County Community College is relocating its community leadership initiatives office from the main campus in Butler Township to downtown Butler in August and is working on securing downtown apartments with discounted rent for students before the fall 2019 term begins.
BC3 announced Friday that it is relocating community leadership initiatives coordinator Tracy Hack's office to a second-floor office at the Alliance for Nonprofit Resources, 127 S. Main St.
“This is another important initial step to have a presence downtown,” Nick Neupauer, BC3 president, said Friday.
He called it a small step toward fulfilling an objective in BC3's 2017-2022 strategic plan and advancing the college's desire to serve as an educator and convener for community partners seeking to revitalize downtown.
The strategic plan calls, in part, for the college to enhance its community engagement by increasing the college's presence in the community.
“We are exactly where we need to be,” Neupauer said. “We take these small steps. We build the momentum. And this is a very important part of building that momentum. This is not about BC3 being the knight in shining armor. It is about the strength that our college brings to encourage and influence partnerships and collaboration.”
Moving Hack's office downtown will allow her to continue working the college's community initiatives such as opioid addiction and recovery programs and serve as a point of contact for businesses interested in employee training programs and for the main campus, he said.
“It seems like it's going to be a good relationship,” Mayor Ben Smith said. “I think it's good for the college and good for the community to have them downtown.”
BC3 is also partnering with the Center for Community Resources at 212-214 S. Main St., which, like ANR, leases its building from the Nonprofit Development Corp.
BC3 will occupy the ANR office for free for up to six months. Then CCR and ANR may seek BC3 reciprocation by providing free training to their staffs while allowing the college to remain in the building free.
ANR will provide administrative support to Hack, who will work with ANR community partnership manager Sandra Curry to address downtown social and economic issues.
“We are all community oriented and work on behalf of the community as well as on behalf of nonprofit organizations and businesses,” said Mike Robb, NDC executive director. “BC3's focus is not only education, but also a broader stroke in regard to providing people an opportunity to advance in their careers and help businesses. There is an economic engine there. Affording this opportunity with this space helps further that.”
BC3 was drawn to the ANR building because additional space is available there if needed.
“There is the flexibility for BC3 to expand or to contract very easily with our arrangement with ANR,” said James Hrabosky, BC3 vice president for administration and finance. “We are going to use an office and some meeting rooms and some training rooms.”
BC3 would also have access, if needed, to the CCR building.
“From our perspective, this is about the common good for the people,” said Chris Lunn, NDC chief financial officer, “BC3's mission is to expand and better the community through education, where ours is to expand and better the community through helping people find services, and support the governmental and nonprofit entities within those communities.”
In addition, BC3 plans to work with downtown landlords to offer 15 to 20 apartments, possibly at discount rental rates, for students before the start of the fall 2019 semester.
“We'll partner with appropriate landlords to provide students and the admissions department with apartment opportunities. We would be looking for a certain standard for these apartments,” Neupauer said.
He said college officials have met with some landlords, but a lot more work has to be done.
A long-range study conducted by BC3 states that apartments for 200 students are needed, he said.
“By this time next year, we would like to launch 15 to 20 apartments for students downtown. Our students come from all over and rent apartments now,” Neupauer said.
