Frustration Flows: Creekside Bar and Grill Owners Slam Lebanon City’s Handling of Situation

LEBANON – More than 170 days after initiating sewer-related discussions with the City of Lebanon, Bethany Williams, co-owner of the upcoming Creekside Bar and Grill, took her frustration to City Hall. At the April 14 Lebanon City Council meeting, Williams delivered a pointed public comment detailing a pattern of delays, miscommunication, and bureaucratic hurdles that have stalled her business’s opening.

Williams and her partners purchased the property at 800 West McAllister Street in October 2024 with plans to launch Creekside, but since then have faced what she described as “a nightmare” of conflicting guidance and inaction, particularly from the Lebanon Sewer Department.

“Our first interaction with the sewer department was shortly after closing,” Williams explained. “We were told by Penny Zimmerman, the department head, that the existing septic system would be fine.” That advice, however, was later contradicted by a St. Clair County inspector, who informed the group that such use was not permitted and that they should have been referred to the county at the outset.

“This is something we’ve been trying to resolve since October 25,” said Williams. “We were told different things by different departments, and contractors couldn’t even get answers.”

Williams said four different sewer contractors tried working with the city and county, only to walk away in frustration. Two of those contractors even advised Williams to message both Mayor Cheri Wright and Zimmerman directly—a move that reportedly triggered pushback from a city employee who took issue with placing both individuals in the same conversation, citing personal tensions.

The City Council eventually voted to support exploring sewer options for the site, but Williams said she was soon warned by city officials that installation could take anywhere from six to 18 months.

Adding to the challenge, the city reportedly told Williams that their property technically lacks sewer access—despite being located within city limits. As a result, the business was told they would need to build and maintain a private connection, cover any crop damage on city easement property, and still pay a city sewer bill on that private line.

“We’ve invested over a million dollars into this business,” Williams told the council. “We are sitting on an empty property right now because we cannot flush our toilets—171 days later.”

Williams also noted that this isn’t an isolated incident. “How many businesses lost is it going to take for someone to make a change?” she asked, citing similar sewer-related struggles reported by other Lebanon businesses, including Ginger Ale’s, the Greenhouse, the Sports Plex, and a business owned by a woman named Jessica.

While city officials estimated the cost of connecting sewer to Creekside at over $100,000, Williams presented a significantly lower bid from Littiken Plumbing, which offered to complete the work in three to four weeks for less than half that price.

Following a closed executive session, the council approved a new agreement that may offer a path forward. The city agreed to permit a sewer connection beneath Route 50 to an existing manhole, contingent upon four conditions:

A $100,000, five-year bond to protect the city from liability

Use of interlocking piping under the highway

A hold harmless clause for the city

Permission to tap into the manhole at no charge

Meanwhile, the city continues to grapple with broader sewer issues. At the same April 14 meeting, the council approved $5,850 in repairs to the McKendree Park lift station, which had suffered a blown discharge pipe for over a month. The council also approved a $14,616.76 purchase of a Kubota tractor for the water and sewer department, already budgeted for the current fiscal year.

However, city officials acknowledged that a permanent sewer expansion to the Creekside area is not included in the 2025–2026 budget and would need to be planned in a future year—a timeline that could stretch into 2027 or beyond.

Though the City Council’s recent decision offers a temporary solution, it follows nearly six months of stalled progress, rising frustration, and what Williams called an escalating “public and legal battle.”

As Lebanon looks to spur growth with newly passed TIF districts and increased development incentives, the handling of essential infrastructure like sewer may prove a pivotal test.

“We’ve been patient,” Williams told the council. “We just want to open this business. It benefits everyone in this room.”

When contacted for further comment on the matter, the city responded with, “No comment.”