SABATTUS — The former Cushman Tavern at 921 Middle Road will be demolished this year, Selectman Jean Paul Curran said Tuesday night.

Selectmen and Lisbon town councilors voted in September 2018 to demolish the two-story structure on the Sabattus-Lisbon town line because it’s in danger of collapsing.

The home was deeded to Robert and Pamela McGuire in April 2001. Robert died in 2014, and the home is abandoned.

It was built in 1825 and features fresco paintings of oversized trees, ships and New England charm by Auburn artist Orison Wood.

Selectmen said they had hoped anyone interested in saving the art in the building would have done it by now.

“The goal is for us to take it down this year,” Curran said.

The town has received two bids for demolition, one short of the minimum required by the town’s purchasing policy for projects costing more than $10,000.

Town Manager Anthony Ward said he would send a second request for bids.

Contractor David Onneger, one of the two bidders, said he has been interested in saving the art for the past six years, but only got permission from the owners to look inside last week.

The fresco paintings Onneger wants to salvage are across entire walls, he said, and would be easier to save during demolition.

Onneger asked the board if he could get a demolition permit with permission from the homeowner.

The board said that would have to be done through Code Enforcement Officer Dennis Douglass.

“We had the meeting last year in Lisbon and nothing has been done since then, so we want to work with this but also want to have this done,” Selectman Guy Desjardins said.

“My concern is this goes another six months and that building becomes more and more dangerous,” Ward said.

The board said Onneger can continue with his plan and the board will decide if they want to approve a demolition bid in about six weeks.

“What makes it complicated, I think, is what your needs are and what the owners’ needs are and then what the town’s needs are,” Desjardins said. “You’re here to save a wall and we want to take it down because it’s an unsafe building.”

“When we walked away from the meeting a year ago, I thought that’s what we were giving people: the chance to save what they want to save,” Selectman Rick Lacombe said.

The board also discussed the retirement of Fire Chief Mark Veilleux, who submitted his resignation in early September.

Acting Fire Chief Steve Coffey said the department has been operating as usual.

“I’m extremely confident in Steve leading right now and his officers have stepped up to help,” Ward said. He said the hiring process for a new fire chief will begin in October.

In other business, Board of Selectmen Chairman Mark Duquette said he received a complaint from a resident about Middle Road.

“He called and stated how unsafe Middle Road is, that he has to drive in the breakdown lane to not damage his car,” Duquette said. “It’s terrible and there’s no need if it.”

Duquette said it’s “extremely disappointing that our tax dollars don’t come home when our money goes to help other towns.”

Middle Road is maintained by the Maine Department of Transportation.

Ward announced the Town Office will be closed Wednesday, Oct. 2, for training.