With time running out on the deadline to receive $1.4 million from the Richard D. Marting Foundation, Portsmouth City Council still has not decided where to build a municipal building.

But President Howard Baughman said a decision will be reached by the May 29 meeting.

“The time has come to make a decision on the building,” he said Monday. “I do intend to have some type of decision by that date. I think it's that important.”

The foundation said the city must have plans in place for the former department store building by March, or it will forfeit the $1.4 million.

Mayor Jim Kalb signed an agreement with the foundation after Scioto County Common Pleas Court Judge William Marshall ruled the sale illegal.

However, after discussing the issue at Monday's City Council meeting, city officials still have differing opinions.

Councilman Mike Mearan wants to build the new building at the former Adelphia Communications building on Washington Street.

He said it would cost about $10.5 million, or $1.5 million more that first thought.

He represents the owner who gave the building to the city. But Mearan said he receives no financial gain should the city decide on that site.

“We could sell the Marting's building,” Mearan said. “Maybe we could even sell it for $500,000. But let's do something.”

He was a member of a committee that last year recommended building at the Adelphia site.

Councilman Bob Mollette, however, said the city should consider renovating the current municipal building. Baughman said he will contact an architectural firm to see how much that would cost.

“I believe the existing municipal building property has been unfairly exempted as a viable option because it has been stated the property is just too valuable for our city government and would be better suited as commercial property,” Mollette said in a letter to City Council. “I am recommending City Council obtain professional advice for proper decision making.”

Mearan, however, said Mollette's plan would put the city “back to square one.”

Kalb brought up another option.

He said the city should renovate the former Marting's Department Store building.

But voters in 2006 forbade the city from doing so. Kalb said voters did not know what they were voting on that May day. But he later recanted that statement and said voters were telling the city not to renovate the building.

On Monday, Mollette said the voters spoke clearly in their opposition to renovate the building.

City Council needs four votes to pass an ordinance approving a particular site to build at.

JEFF BARRON can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 236.