LEBANON — After years of sitting on the back burner, City Hall finally will be renovated.

Officials say work to replace the historic building’s roof, install new boilers and make several energy-efficient upgrades will begin next week and is expected to wrap up by March.

The effort is the first part of a multi-year project intended to improve security and work spaces, as well as protect the circa 1923 structure from deterioration.

That first phase will kick off Sept. 3 and is projected to cost $3.1 million, which is $282,500 under budget, according to City Manager Shaun Mulholland.

“I think it’s obviously good to see that we can now move forward,” he said on Monday. “We’ve got a tight schedule to meet now.”

Work on the roof must be wrapped up before snow falls, and the heating system should be operational before employees get too cold, Mulholland said.

The alley between City Hall and a Mascoma Bank branch will be blocked off during construction, Mulholland said. However, the front and side doors normally open to the public will remain accessible.

Inside, visitors aren’t likely to be affected by the renovation aside from those visiting the Recreation and Parks office, which moved earlier this month to River Valley Community College’s campus on the Lebanon Mall in order to make space for the information technology staff.

Officials have debated renovating City Hall for nearly two decades, but plans often were “pushed out further due to budget constraints,” longtime City Councilor Karen Liot Hill said Monday.

City Hall frequently took a backseat so that other large capital expenses, including Lebanon’s $75 million effort to separate sewer and storm water in 15 miles of municipal sewer, could go forward.

That changed when Mulholland presented his 2019 budget proposal to the City Council.

The spending plan included $3.9 million for the downtown building. Over the course of several meetings, Mulholland argued that construction is necessary to improve air quality, security and morale for employees.

The City Council ultimately agreed, although they cut the first phase of construction down to $3.3 million. Councilors held to that number in June, when Mulholland requested another $2.82 million, saying taxpayers couldn’t afford to front the full cost all at once.

Mulholland predicts the renovation will cost about $7 million when spread out over several years. Lebanon’s Capital Improvement Program calls for $2.9 million in next year’s budget, followed by an additional $785,000 spread across 2021 and 2022.

The City Council is scheduled to discuss those plans during a meeting on Sept. 17. Liot Hill said she’s particularly interested in learning about the building’s layout.

Early designs suggested the council chambers would move into the basement while the planning office would take its place on the top floor. There were also plans to install glass between employees and the public for enhanced security.

“I’m not sure that’s exactly the right fit for Lebanon,” she said, adding officials will have to balance security with the public’s right to access services. “I’m interested in making sure that City Hall is welcoming to the public and particularly the residents of Lebanon.”

Meanwhile, Lebanon Mayor Tim McNamara said the City Council should closely review plans to ensure they’re well-vetted. Cost estimates and other budget priorities also will play as factors in the decision-making, he said.

Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.