Insurance coverage will be provided to the Butler School District to defend the district and board in a lawsuit, according to a final decision of Liberty Mutual on Wednesday.

Butler School Board members Monday night approved district solicitor Tom King to defend the district in a lawsuit aimed at halting the sale of four district elementary schools that closed in June.

Liberty Mutual initially said it would not pay for the defense of the suit. Some school board members were critical of the fact that taxpayer money would be used.

However, Liberty Mutual then sought additional legal review, and came back saying it would be able to cover it.

King said, “They’re going to send me a letter that they’re going to pick up the defense of the lawsuit for the school district.”

The school district will still have to pay a $10,000 deductible. Liberty Mutual insurance will pick up any additional cost.

The insurance typically is used for cases involving student, employee or transportation complaints, King said.

School board member Bill Halle and board candidate Leland Clark filed the lawsuit against the school district and members of the board on Aug. 7, the day after the district began accepting sealed bid offers for the possible sale of the Broad Street, Clearfield, Meridian and Oakland elementary schools.

“The suit Leland Clark and I filed on behalf of the people of Butler School District was done so at our own expense and with our assuming 100 percent of the risk,” Halle said in an e-mailed statement. “It should also be noted that the law suit would be dropped immediately if the outgoing majority of school directors would simply agree not to try and push through a sale of the four schools without first receiving public input, first developing a district policy regarding the sale of property, first developing a strategic plan and before the new board is seated the first Monday in December.”

The schools closed in June after a consolidation plan was approved in May by the board.