Butler City Council gave the Shiloh Baptist Church a 90-day extension before the condemned, defunct church would be considered for demolition.

However, it may have found a new home entirely with Slippery Rock University.

University president William Behre said during Thursday's meeting of the council of trustees that the university is in talks to transport the building to campus, which doesn't currently have a spiritual center.

“We are in discussions to relocate that building to campus to become (the) campus spiritual center,” Behre said. “That is in an early discussion.”

The church is on Snyder Avenue, and had been seriously damaged by rain and flooding over the years, which led to it being condemned. Additionally, few of the church's trustees are still alive to help make decisions.

Butler councilman Jeff Smith, who is also an SRU trustee, said at Thursday's city council meeting that this project is still in its early stages.

“Slippery Rock is in serious negotiations with Shiloh Baptist Church,” he said. “It's not a done deal, there is still more talking and work to go on.”

In addition to saving the church, which has been called a historical site by locals and descendents of its members for being the only church primarily attended by Black congregants in the region, Smith said Slippery Rock University's interest in taking the building is financially helpful to Butler.

“The city will save money because we won't have to demolish it,” Smith said. “This is most likely a next spring project.”

Council also voted to promote two part-time Bureau of Fire firefighters to full-time to fill positions left by two firefighters who retired effective last council meeting.Fire Chief Chris Switala said it is difficult even for fire departments to make hires.“I would love to have 25 people on a list,” Switala said. “We're lucky we get three to five, and it's something that is common across the state.”