While City Council previously blocked a nonprofit from purchasing the closed Broad Street Elementary School, the mayor said he is in favor of another nonprofit that has expressed interest in the property.

Previously, the council voted 3-2 against a conditional use for the Arc of Butler County to move into the R-3 zoned school because the organization would not pay taxes and would not keep the playground — a major point of contention for the families in the area.

On Monday evening, individuals approached the school board about a new idea for the space: a religious-based community youth center, also a nonprofit.

Cindy Parker, Terry Devlin and former councilwoman Cheri Readie, with the Walk In Faith Outreach Ministry, approached the Butler School Board with their interest in the space, saying that it could be used for a clothing bank, free meals, tutoring, music and drama lessons and other possible projects.

If the decision would need to go before City Council for approval, Mayor Tom Donaldson said this project would be looked upon more favorably.

“From what I understand, this group that’s interested in the school now is another nonprofit. While my first choice always has been a for-profit business, here again we have to look at who’s coming and asking about the building,” Donaldson said. “While taxes are a big issue, the revenue we wouldn’t get there could be far offset by the good that they would do for the entire community.”

In Donaldson’s opinion, the youth center could address a number of problems in the area and might deter youth from getting involved in drugs or alcohol, he said.

“The good they could do for the entire community, considering the socioeconomic problems that we have here, could more than offset the tax money over the years,” he said. “You can’t put a price on what they’re going to do. Their outreach, their tutoring, the faith-based part of it could be the reason that people choose not to get into drugs, so this could be a super big win for the city.

“Again, I can’t emphasize enough I’m not criticizing the Arc in any way,” Donaldson said. “They have a certain mission, and they do very good at it, and they do great work. This looks like it could be a multifaceted thing where they reach out to more than just the handicapped.”

Readie has stated that she does not believe the council will need to approve the use of the building as it had to for the Arc.

“We would fall under the R-3 use. We would be using it for education ... and there definitely is a religious component,” she said. “Any of the things that the Arc needed, we don’t need any of those ... We’re not going to need a parking lot.”

John Evans, city building code official, said he could not comment on if a conditional use would be needed since the group has not yet approached him about what they wish to do for the building.

However, according to the zoning code posted on the city’s website, schools, churches and religious or nonprofit philanthropic institutions are listed as “conditional uses” for an R-3 area, thereby requiring council approval.

Readie said if the use of the building would go before council, this project still could get the approval the Arc did not.

“I think I know all of (the council members) enough to know that they know in their hearts that this is something that the community needs,” she said. “They’re pretty compassionate about the neighborhood. I understand that there are budgetary needs, but at the same time, they understand that there are other needs as well.”

One of the strengths of this nonprofit’s plan is keeping the playground, which Councilman Kenny Bonus cited as his reason for voting against the Arc’s conditional use.

Bonus said he would need more information on Walk In Faith Outreach Ministry and its plans for the location before he made a decision.

“I just need to make sure we’re doing our proper research and evaluating things from the right standpoint,” he said.

School board member Bill Halle said he would like to work with the city, taking the council’s concerns into account while not wasting the time of arranging formal sales agreements that will be rejected by the council.

“I’m hopeful,” he said. “But I would like to take the city’s concerns into account. The city needs tax revenue, but it also needs services. I’m all for involving the city in the discussion. Broad Street could be such an asset to the whole community that I’d hate to see it be a singular-use building.”

Despite that, Halle still called it a “mistake by the district to eliminate Broad Street,” citing it as the only remaining building the district has.

At this point, there has been no formal offer, Readie said, since the project is planning a fundraiser.

”We’re continually working on our funding,” Readie said. “We are looking for private funding. We don’t want any government funding. We believe that there is enough out there in the community.”

When an offer is submitted will depend on when the money is raised, she said.

Eagle staff writer Aaron McKrell contributed to this report.