The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Butler will consider moving if the City of Butler asks for $15,000 in yearly rent as is currently included in a revised 2018 budget. Authority Treasurer Brian McCafferty: “I can just say as the treasurer, money was not in the budget for this year, that’s the only thing I can tell you. It’s an unbudgeted expense if it comes up, on a lean budget. Things are really tight. This would be something that we would really have to look at closely and adjust.”
The Authority moved into their current offices at the Tier Garage on West Cunningham Street last year after the city offered it free of charge. The offices had been vacant for a number of months after Butler County administration moved out.
According to Authority Operations Manager Veronica Walker, a rent of $15,000 for 2018 would be nearly double what they paid at their previous location on East Cunningham Street which has since been sold. The Authority will communicate with City Council to explore all options but former mayor Tom Donaldson is one authority member who will not vote to pay any rent.
“Personally, and I’m only one vote on this board, but I will never vote to pay the city for something that a city board is using. The purpose of moving them here was to save the board money and to help this board take us forward instead of backward and to charge us that much money is a direct step backwards,” Donaldson explained.
Butler City Council has scheduled a special meeting for this Monday to vote on final approval for the revised 2018 budget.
Written by Ryan Saeler
