CEDAR FALLS - An asbestos removal contract has been awarded for the former Dalton Plumbing and Heating building in downtown.

The City Council voted 6-1 Monday to pay $24,045 to Affordable Hazards Removal Inc. of Monticello to remove the asbestos. The building at 222 State St. is set to be torn down in August and has tested positive for the hazardous material.

Asbestos removal is required in order to secure federal dollars for building demolition, said Ron Gaines, director of developmental services. Asbestos removal also is required by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources air quality division, which follows the regulations set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"There's no way around the law," Fire Chief John Schilling said.

But Councilman Tom Hagarty, who cast the lone "nay" vote, wishes the city could save a significant amount of money by using the building for a practice burn.

"This would be an ideal opportunity for our fire department members to have practice on a commercial property," he said, adding that firefighters also have access to 122 houses from flood buyouts.

Hagarty asked if an exception to the asbestos law was granted before tearing down the Island Park Beach House, which was badly damaged in the June flood and could not be rebuilt under city ordinances.

Gaines said the beach house was condemned and treated as a contaminated material.

"We don't know if there was or was not asbestos in the properties because they were deemed unsafe to go in and test," he said.

The city acquired the former Dalton building in 2002 and plans to use the site as part of redevelopment along State Street.