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McCreary County residents press board over planned demolition of Smithtown School; board cites facility plan and long-term reuse
Summary
Residents urged the McCreary County Board of Education to halt planned demolition of the closed Smithtown School, raising historic‑preservation and asbestos concerns; the board said the property has been on facilities discussions since 2019 and that a bus garage is a long‑range possibility, while moving ahead with related procurement steps.
McCreary County residents and board members clashed over the future of the closed Smithtown School at the Nov. 18, 2025 School Board meeting as the board discussed authorizing demolition and long‑term plans for the site.
Megan Dobbs, who said she grew up in McCreary County and attended Smithtown Elementary, urged the board to “rethink your decision about erasing our history” and to explore preservation options rather than paving over the site. Dobbs said she was “burdened that the plan is to pave over this historic site” and called for greater transparency in the board’s process.
Caitlin Ross pressed the board on procedural questions, asking why “it takes filing a complaint with the EPA in order for [the district] to finally be absolved to proper procedure” and whether historic documentation could be allowed before demolition. Ross also said she had been criticized on social media…
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