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Resident urges council not to sell Santiam Station depot, calls it 'a centerpiece of Lebanon's history'
Summary
A resident told the City Council she opposes selling the Santiam Station depot, saying the historic building should remain publicly owned and be rented rather than sold.
Linda Ward, identified as a resident from Ward 2, told the Lebanon City Council during public comment on Jan. 8 that she objects to a reported plan to sell Santiam Station, the city’s historic depot building.
“This depot is a centerpiece of Lebanon's history,” Linda Ward said, noting the depot was built in 1908 for the Southern Pacific Railroad and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ward said the building “should belong to the people, not to a private individual or business.”
Ward told the council she has no objection to renting the building and said renting would likely produce more income for the city than an outright sale. She urged the council to preserve public ownership so future councils cannot authorize demolition, relocation or renovations that obscure the building’s historic character.
City staff did not respond on the record during that segment with a specific plan or timeline for the depot. Ward’s remarks were part of the public comment portion of the meeting prior to a scheduled land use public hearing and other agenda items.
