Lebanon City council discusses fate of deteriorating Old City Hall, weighing demolition and reuse

Lebanon City council members and residents spent the meeting’s public-comment period and a large portion of the agenda debating the future of Old City Hall, which speakers described as suffering extensive water, mold and structural damage and likely requiring major, costly repairs.

A resident who spoke repeatedly urged the council to explain whether closed-door sessions had preceded the current proposals and said the city had asked the state to delay findings: “the open meetings act and whether or not this how it's oriented,” the resident said, arguing that any new material shown at tonight’s meeting should not substitute for earlier, private deliberations. Michael and other council participants responded by outlining outreach and by describing technical problems at the building, including interior mold, failing walls and wiring and plumbing that are difficult to access.

Why it matters: the decision affects whether the city will budget funds for renovation, identify a demolition timeline, and find interim facilities for municipal services such as EMS. Council discussion noted that the building’s street-facing facade appears salvageable in places but that the interior and roof are significantly compromised, making full renovation expensive and possibly impractical.

Council members discussed timing and contingency plans. One estimate given during the meeting suggested it could be “at least 7 months” before the city could complete sale or related transactions for the property, while a Randall Street project was raised as a potential alternative site that could be completed in roughly six months if started quickly and could house EMS and other city operations until a permanent plan is implemented. Speakers emphasized the need to coordinate demolition with the availability of a safe replacement location.

No formal motion or vote on demolition or sale was recorded. Instead, the council signaled a consensus to begin a public process — gathering community feedback and producing cost and schedule estimates — before making a final decision. Council members repeatedly called for detailed cost estimates, bids, and a clear reuse plan for the site so the outcome would not be a vacant or weed-filled lot.

Next steps: council members asked staff to prepare options, cost estimates and a public-engagement schedule. No final decision was made at the meeting.