LITTLE VALLEY — A resolution seeking to demolish the former Cattaraugus County Museum and Board of Elections buildings was temporarily put on hold in the County Legislature’s Public Works Committee Wednesday, Nov. 20.

Over the past several weeks, county lawmakers have been inundated by email from descendants of the 154th Regiment of Civil War volunteers from Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties opposed to the county’s plan to demolish what is considered a Civil War monument.

Olean Legislator Steven Teachman, a history buff and Civil War re-enactor, submitted the resolution to hold up the engineering study, asbestos abatement and demolition of the two buildings across from the County Center on Court Street.

Teachman told the Public Works Committee he wanted to make sure the county explores other options besides demolition “to save or sell the building.”

County Attorney Thomas Brady said the county was prohibited from selling the building to private interests even if they planned to preserve it due to a covenant in the deed of the property to the county.

“You can’t sell it because it is on county property,” Brady said of the former County Museum that adjoins the recently vacated Board of Elections building.

That would violate a restrictive covenant and the entire property including the County Center and County Jail could revert back to the family that deeded it to the county, Brady explained.

“I wasn’t aware of that,” Teachman said. “It wasn’t going to be done (demolished) until spring anyway.”

Linda Edstrom, R-Olean, a member of the Public Works Committee, said the emails she’s been getting from 154th Regiment descendents haven’t addressed what to do with the building.

“They just don’t want it demolished,” she said.

Limestone Republican Carl Edwards said, “I would like to see something done with the building besides knock it down.”

Legislators unanimously voted last month to use $125,000 in casino money to add to $50,000 already in hand for the demolition of the Board of Elections/County Museum.

Teachman said his resolution was designed to signal the opponents that “we want to work with them,” particularly if any parts of the building are to be saved in the event the building cannot be saved.

Legislator Richard Labmerson, D-Allegany, asked if it didn’t amount to giving opponents of the demolition “false hopes.”

Mark Burr, Public Works director of engineering, said the roof leaks and the masonry building has no moisture membrane. The brick wall holds water like a sponge and is not Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible.

Public Works Committee Chairman William Aiello, R-Olean, said the state has said that with changes to the original building constructed in 1911, it is no longer has any historical significance.

“I think the building will probably come down,” said Edstrom. “My reply to them is, ‘What do you want to do with it?’ Let them get together as a group and decide what they want to do with it.”

Committee members agreed to put a temporary hold on the demolition until further consultation with descendents of the 154th New York Regiment.

(This story appeared in the Nov. 28, 2013 edition of The Salamanca Press.)