Council reviews Brownfield grant proposal to assess Old Town Hall

The Bridger Town Council discussed a proposal to use a Brownfield grant to assess and plan for the Old Town Hall.

The Chair introduced the item, and a staff member said the proposal—prepared by Nan Knight—"kind of boils down to those three tasks: structural assessment and identification of structural constraints," to guide any future reuse or remediation. The staff member said she and Nan Knight pulled highlights into the meeting packet so the council could understand the work involved.

Councilmembers asked for clarity about which portions of the property would be assessed. One member said they read the proposal as focused on the main building but asked whether the garage would also be included; staff and the member agreed it was appropriate to wait for the assessment before considering removing parts of the building. "I wouldn't see any reason to give them a shot of knocking [it] down until after they've done their assessment anyway," a councilmember said.

Council discussion emphasized safety and prudence: members pointed to prior near-failure of the floor and urged staff to prioritize the structural review rather than immediate demolition. Staff said the proposal in the packet summarized the full scope and that the full proposal contained more detailed work items.

Next steps: staff will proceed with the grant-proposal process and return to the council with assessment findings and any recommended actions. The council did not take a formal disposition vote on the grant during the segments provided.