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During Wednesday night's Council of Commissioners Committee of the Whole meeting, Butte Silver Bow Commissioners voted 7 to 3 to go out for a developer's packet on the Greek Café building in Uptown Butte.

However, that developer's packet must include incentives of money that are already in place for the building and time frames for the developer to meet.

Commissioners had previously held this communication in abeyance while research was conducted on the legality of going out for a developer's packet. At Wednesday night's council meeting, Butte Silver Bow Historic Preservation officer Jim Jarvis told commissioners he contacted the two funding agencies that have given grants to Butte Silver Bow and CPR for the building and said that if they end up not doing anything to the building the grants are returned. Jarvis said there is a $45,000 stimulus fund grant that needs to be used by June 30, 2011 or the county loses those funds. There is also a $35,000 National Park Service grant that does not have to be used by a set date. This $75,000 in grants along with $95,000 from the URA will go towards stabilizing the building. But Jarvis said the full price tag for stabilization is $277,000. Jarvis recommended going out for a developer's packet for the building and in the interim beginning the first few phases of work with the money they currently have.

Commissioners debated what to do about the Greek Café building at length. Commissioner Morgan commented that he did not want to spend money to put a new roof on a building if it were going to sit vacant so he asked Jarvis if there are any parties interested in the building. Jarvis responded by saying, "I know of two developers that this is more than a twinkle in their eye."

Commissioner Foley said the money could be used for a lot of building in Uptown Butte that, "are in better shape." He added it's not realistic to save every building in Uptown Butte. And Commissioner Sheehy commented that, "We've lost way too many of our antique historic buildings."

By the end of the debate, three different motions had been made for what to do about the building.

Commissioner Granger's motion to demolish the building and end all discussions failed with a vote of five for and five against. Then Commissioner Morgan's motion passed. He asked to go out for a developer's packet that includes the $170,000 that is already available for the project and tells developers that if they do not use the $45,000 grant by June 30 they will lose that money and the county is not responsible for it. He also asked that if no developers come forward they look at demolishing the building. No work will be done to the building until there is a developer.