McCreary County residents press board over planned demolition of Smithtown School; board cites facility plan and long-term reuse

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 after attempting to coordinate documentation and asked why residents were not being heard.

A member of the board responded that the district’s long‑range facility plan includes constructing a bus garage on the property when feasible and that such work could be “5 years, maybe 10 years” away depending on financing. The board member added that the district was cautious about letting scarce property be used for other purposes and urged residents to request records or meet with officials for clarifications.

Several residents, including Robert Phillips, spoke in favor of demolition. Phillips described the vacant Smithtown building as an “eyesore” with broken windows and trespassers and warned of liability risks if the structure remained standing.

District staff and administrators told the board the Smithtown site has been part of recurring facility discussions since 2019 and that local facility plans—developed by a planning committee of community stakeholders—showed no active redevelopment plan for Smithtown. Staff said the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) reviewed the district’s facilities plan and indicated the plan contained no Smithtown project, which staff interpreted as permissive for disposal or demolition steps.

On procedural matters, the board read several letters from community members describing both fond memories of the school and current concerns about crime and trespass at the property; one letter asked the district to consider reuse options such as a community center or park that would “honor the school’s legacy.”

The board discussed asbestos testing and disposal in response to community concerns. Board members said professionals would handle asbestos remediation and that no asbestos materials had yet been disturbed. The board repeatedly urged residents to request documentation directly from the district to verify inspection and remediation plans.

The board did not record a final, roll‑call vote on the demolition authorization in the transcript excerpt provided; the chair asked for a motion later in the meeting to “authorize superintendent and board attorney to take any and all actions necessary to start the process of the demolition of Smithtown School building” (motion text read on the record). The transcript shows the board placed a related procurement item on the agenda for bidding clarification.

What happens next: board members said demolition timing will depend on procurement and available financing; staff repeatedly urged residents to review the public facility plan and sign up for future planning‑committee opportunities to influence project prioritization.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified in the meeting record.