Lebanon City council agrees to move temporary city hall to Martin Building, sets moving budget

The Lebanon City Council agreed to move forward with leasing the Martin Building on Route 4 as a temporary city hall after an independent inspection found structural and environmental issues at the existing city hall that could cost more to repair than to replace.

"So is that ready to move forward to authorize the mayor to sign the lease?" said Ben Barrows, Chair, asking council to authorize staff to proceed. Council members expressed concurrence and asked that a resolution be prepared for the next meeting.

Council discussed logistics for the move: a moving company quoted $4,130, and the council set a not-to-exceed moving budget of $5,000 to cover any unexpected expenses. "The quote that the moving company gave us is $4,130," Barrows said; council members said $5,000 total was appropriate to allow flexibility.

Staff provided operational details for the temporary site. The proposed opening date for the temporary city hall is Nov. 21, 2025, with the new location at 405 North Madison Street and existing phone numbers to remain the same. Staff noted they will not move all furniture; the council desks — described as more than 100 years old — are likely to remain in place because of space and handling concerns.

A staff member who measured the space said a floor plan exists for council review and encouraged members to raise questions before finalizing the lease and move. The council expects a resolution and related documents at the next meeting to formalize the authorization.

Next steps: staff will present a lease resolution and warrants next week so the mayor can execute the lease and the move can proceed as scheduled.