BUTLER TWP — Without money from the county, the financial stability and academic accreditation at Butler County Community College is in peril.

The college is looking at dipping into money reserved for capital projects, liquidating assets, being unable to make payroll or pay vendors, and defaulting on its bond payments, college officials said this morning.

"Our future would be greatly jeopardized," said Jim Hrabosky, vice president for finance at the college.

For that reason, the college will join the county commissioners in legal action to get $1.2 million in county money released to them by county controller Jack McMillin.

The action was discussed at a public event this morning on the college campus. Faculty, staff and students gathered in the Succop Theater as board members, employee representatives and college administrators expressed their outrage and frustration over McMillin's withholding of funds.

McMillin has for more than 30 days refused to release a quarterly payment approved by the commissioners. The county, as the college's sponsor, contributes about $4.9 million annually to the $23.9 million budget.

If the financial stability of the college is interrupted, the college's accreditation would be "placed in immediate jeopardy," said Diane Bosak, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges. She said the college could immediately be put on probation.

Hrabosky said without the county money, the college would not make payroll in June. In September, it would deplete all reserve funds and would default on bond payments.

BC3 President Nick Neupauer likened today's legal fight with McMillin to the one county commissioners went through to open the college in the mid-1960s.

Since then, the college has touched hundreds of thousands of lives and provided a return on the county's investment, he said.

College solicitor Jim Coulter attempted to counter accusations made by McMillin that county dollars are used to support branch campuses in other counties. Additionally, he said the college has repeatedly responded to McMillin's request for documentation showing that.

"I'm disappointed college resources will be diverted to what we consider unnecessary legal expenses," Coulter said.