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Butler Downtown's funding expires

Nonprofit's manager let go

Butler Downtown announced Wednesday that it cannot afford to keep the Main Street manager due to the expiration of state funding.

Bob Dandoy, president of the nonprofit’s board, said the program will no longer have a paid manager, nor will it continue its facade grant program for downtown businesses.

Chelynne Curci-Lang had been the manager for three years. She was the only paid employee in the nonprofit.

Her position ended Wednesday.

The nonprofit had been receiving about $70,000 per year in grant money from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, but that five-year grant program concludes at the end of the year.

About $40,000 of that money was for the manager’s salary and $30,000 was for facade improvements on buildings, Dandoy said.

“Looking at our budget for next year, we just can’t sustain a full-time manager,” he said.

Dandoy said the program’s budget with a manager is a little more than $100,000 per year.

The group also receives about $10,000 annually from the city as well as some money through donations and fundraisers.

Butler Downtown was eligible to apply for an exit grant through the state, which would have provided an additional year of funding. However, Dandoy said the amount would have been less than it has received in the past and would not have covered the expense of a manager.

“At this point, we’d just be delaying the inevitable,” he said.

Butler Downtown had hoped it would be able to enroll in another state program at the end of its existing program, but Dandoy said the organization would not be able to meet the state’s requirements for the new line of funding.

Dandoy said the state would require Butler Downtown to prove it could support its administrative costs without grant money.

“We would need to come up with a substantial amount of money to be eligible for those grants,” he said.

Butler Downtown will continue to operate as an affiliate of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce.

Stan Kosciuszko, president of the chamber, said the chamber will pick up much of the administrative responsibilities for the nonprofit.

“It’s important we continue that so it can maintain its status of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,” Kosciuszko said.

Dandoy said volunteers will continue the nonprofit’s four Main Street Committees, as well as the West New Castle Street Plaza and other events next year.

“We are very committed to moving forward,” Dandoy said. “We want to continue revitalizing downtown businesses. We may look different, but our work will continue.”

The one program the nonprofit will not continue is the facade program.

The organization used its facade program to allocate up to $5,000 each to businesses to renovate storefronts. Corner shops were given up to $7,500.

Kosciuszko said three stores received funding this year, while seven businesses had applied to receive funding in 2015.

Butler Downtown is not eligible for the grants without a full-time manager.

Dandoy said the nonprofit has about 100 volunteers.

It also owes about $50,000 to the chamber for Curci-Lang’s salary and benefits in 2013. The nonprofit did not receive state funding that year due to delays in paperwork and the chamber covered its expenses.

“We were under the assumption we would eventually get that money back from the state,” Kosciuszko said.

Dandoy said one of the agency’s goals is to pay off those debts.

Mayor Tom Donaldson said he is still confident in the nonprofit’s ability to serve the community.

“It’s unfortunate they can’t afford a paid manager,” he said. “But there is no lack of sincere, hard-working volunteers in that organization.”

Donaldson said the city will continue to work with the group’s volunteers.

“Like anything else, things change,” he said. “The more we work together, the more success we’ll continue to find.”

Kosciuszko said he has worked closely with Curci-Lang since Butler Downtown is based within the chamber’s offices.

“We’re heartbroken here,” he said. “We only had three people in the office. But sometimes you have to make hard decisions.”

Dandoy applauded Curci-Lang for her work during the past three years.

“She understands how vital Main Streets are to the health and well being of a community,” he said. “She worked diligently to help us reach our goals.”

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