Historic carved city seal could come down for conservation; council asked to form task force

Carol, chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, told the council the carved wooden city seal on Ellsworth City Hall dates from 1935, is likely Atlantic white cedar and appears in the building's National Register nomination as a "character-defining feature." She said replacement with a 3D‑printed composite would amount to reconstruction that risks losing the building's historic integrity under the Secretary of the Interior's standards. "If we conserve it, we maintain national register eligibility," Carol said.

Carol described a recent history in which a piece of the carving fell, a facilities manager advised scanning and replacing the element, and preservation volunteers were not consulted. She urged the council to authorize a task force to handle logistics the historic commission cannot (funding, cranes, permits) and to get the seal down and into climate-controlled storage for drying and assessment. "It's the real thing. It's the emotion. It's the determination," Carol said, arguing that a composite replica would have "no historical value whatsoever."

Staff and several councilors agreed removal and drying are the appropriate immediate steps before deciding on restoration method or whether to reconstruct. Staff noted grant opportunities tied to a certified‑local‑government status that could cover a portion of conservation costs; Carol said such grants could fund up to 60% of eligible work if the preservation commission regains certification. No cost estimate was available; Carol said mid‑five figures had been mentioned at one meeting but emphasized that a full condition assessment is needed.

Councilors asked for clear next steps: find and secure the broken piece (if it still exists), create a diverse task force that includes preservation expertise and logistics/funding members, identify climate‑controlled storage (local museum archives were suggested as candidates), and commission a professional conservation assessment once the seal is dry. Staff reiterated that removal should be done by preservation professionals to avoid further loss.

The workshop produced no formal vote; presenters said they would return to the council with a task‑force proposal and a scope for the initial condition assessment. The council did not commit city funds in the workshop but agreed to advance the matter to an action item so the task force and funding options can be considered at a future regular meeting.