Residents press Lebanon leaders to pause City Hall demolition bids over safety and preservation concerns

A chorus of residents and downtown business owners urged the Lebanon City committee on May 18 to slow down plans to solicit bids to demolish the old City Hall at 312–314 W. St. Louis Street, raising environmental-safety and preservation concerns and offering grant-funded alternatives.

"Financial decisions should never be decided on emotional feelings," said Dr. Joseph Sony, a retired dentist who has practiced in town for nearly 40 years, arguing the inspection documents provided so far do not conclusively justify demolition and that the council should weigh possible sale or rehabilitation instead.

Frank Hester, a nearby neighbor, told the committee volunteers have contacted the State Historic Preservation Office and a congressional staffer about grants that could pay for leak repairs, mold remediation and restoration. "We've got grant money. It doesn't cost the town anything," Hester said, urging the council to pursue those funding avenues before tearing the building down.

Multiple neighbors asked for concrete protections if the city proceeds with demolition bids: written plans for controlling asbestos, mold and silica dust, commitments about sealing nearby homes and HVAC units, and guarantees the city would assume liability for vibration or structural damage to adjacent properties. One resident asked specifically whether the city would provide written assurances that neighbors would not bear cleanup or repair costs if demolition causes damage.

Council members said the committee's current step is to gather information: solicit bids gives the city a cost estimate, not an obligation to demolish. Chair Guy said the demolition bids are scheduled to be solicited with a bid-opening timeline in late June and stressed that the council has not made a final decision. "Getting bids doesn't mean we're going to demo the building," he said, adding the city can place reserves on a sale if it opts to offer the property to buyers who commit to renovating to code.

Speakers on both sides urged transparency. Several commenters said they have not seen the full inspection or cost-estimate documents and asked the council to publish them and to present side-by-side estimates for restoration versus demolition. Paul, the city clerk, asked for clear numbers before the council votes and noted the committee must balance scarce general-fund dollars against long-term downtown value.

The committee recommended placing the demolition-bid solicitation ordinance on the full council meeting agenda after the city attorney reviews whether bids or estimates are required for the next procedural step. Residents were told the bid timeline allows time to pursue grants, but several speakers warned that typical state grant review windows can take months and may not align with the city's procurement schedule.

Next steps: the committee will send the draft ordinance and procurement language to the city attorney for legal review and will include explicit hazard- and remediation-related requirements in any demolition bid package. The matter will return to the full council for a final decision.