Resident requests information as town evaluates demolition of family homestead

At the June 3 council meeting, resident Jesse Lalen identified a house under discussion as his great‑great‑grandfather’s homestead and asked whether his family could buy or place it on a historic register rather than see it demolished.

Jesse said family members still remember playing in the house and asked what steps, if any, would allow the family to preserve it. Staff replied the property has been evaluated and is not currently viable as a meeting space: structural and ADA limitations, costs of renovation, and site layout made reuse infeasible under the parks master plan. Staff said demolition is being considered so the site could be converted to park green space and playground amenities.

Staff offered to meet with Jesse and family and to provide information the third week of July, and said the department’s training schedule would start in the first week of July. Council and staff agreed to coordinate a site visit and to discuss possible salvage of materials if demolition proceeds.

No formal decision to demolish was made at the meeting; staff described the house as "in flux" and committed to return with more information and to meet with the family.