Officials must remedy one last challenge before a former Lansford landmark that has fallen into disrepair can be demolished.

On Thursday, the Carbon County commissioners approved a disbursement agreement between Dayhill Group and Northeast Industrial Services Corporation of Shamokin, for the demolition and clearance of the former Elks building, located along Ridge Street in the business district of Lansford. Northeast Industrial Services submitted the apparent low bid for the demolition project in December.Commissioner William O'Gurek said that the contractor, Lansford's borough engineer and the county planning and development office met to discuss the project and have identified some asbestos in the building, which much be remediated before any demolition could begin.This additional work will likely drive the cost of the project up, but officials aren't sure at this time just how much asbestos there is and how much remediation will be needed.The cost for the demolition of the building and the siding of the connecting building came in at $118,748, $9,043 lower than what had been allocated through the Community Development Block Grant program for the project.The time line for the demolition has not been set in stone due to the new issue, but commissioners said the notice to proceed is ready and hope to see some action in the near future.The county initially hoped to have the demolition completed by the end of January."This is just a little bump in the road," O'Gurek said.Carbon is handling the demolition project because Lansford is no longer an entitlement community under the Department of Community and Economic Development rules.After the 2010 census, which showed the population dropped below the 4,000 threshold, Lansford was dropped from the entitlement status, meaning it now has to compete for money with other nonentitlement communities in the county.In September 2015, borough council, after discussing the building's problem for over a year, decided that the building, which has deteriorated to the point of near collapse, should be demolished.The building's roof has gaping holes, and inside floors of the building are collapsing in many places.