MONROE - Common Council members debated the benefits and problems Tuesday of funding the sealing and repainting of the historic Lincoln Park water tower, before voting 6-4 to get the job done on this year's budget.
At its meeting, the council accepted a proposal from Lane Tank Company to epoxy seal and paint the 121-year-old water supply tower at a cost of $21,500. The company estimated the life of the paint at 12 years.
Green County Historical Society has offered to contribute $8,296 toward the cost.
The Finance and Taxation Committee sent the issue to council April 7, without a recommendation to approve the expense, but indicated the Lane Tank Company offer as the quote to be considered if council were to vote on the matter.
A second quote received from Central Tank Coatings offered a six-year life expectancy for $15,000.
Council members found out the city's portion of the project costs, about $13,300, could come from capital account funds currently in certificates of deposit.
City Treasurer Cathy Maurer said the city would wait until a certificate renewal comes due to cash it out.
Council members were split over spending the money now from a tightly balanced budget and waiting until next year, when the project could be budgeted.
Aldermen Neal Hunter, Paul Hannes, Charles Koch and Mike Rivers voted against the motion.
The members of Green County Historical Society had acted in good faith by working to improve the water tower in the past, said Alderman Michael Boyce, chairman of the Finance and Taxation Committee.
"I think the council should too," he said. "The cost to paint far outweighs the cost to remove the structure."
Alderman Keith Ingwell noted the City of Monroe doesn't own many structures of historic value.
"If we let it go, we won't have any," he said.
Donna Glynn of the Green County Historical Society told the council that the tower had not had any maintenance since 1978, until the group stepped in.
Lead paint is chipping off into the playground area below, she said.
Alderman Jan Lefevre pointed out a liability issue for the city, in the chipping lead paint.
The Historical Society doesn't own the tower, but it wants to do something about it, Lefevre said.
"Lead is serious," she said.
The water tower was taken out of operation in 1993, when the tank began to leak and could not be repaired.
Koch said the current repainting project was not budgeted.
"To pay for it now, after the budget cuts last fall, I don't think it's fair," he said.
"We've got to watch the line on the budget ... and we haven't collected all those taxes. We have to be careful," he said.
Mayor Bill Ross advised the council about perceptions of the public on the budget - of employees not getting raises and cutting out spring cleanup.
"If we put $13,000 toward the water tower, is that the best use of our money?" he said.
He also asked if there were other options, in view of a recession that may "last another year or two."
Alderman Thurston Hanson, considered a financially conservative member of the council, voted in favor of the project.
"It's not unbudgeted, it just came up," he said. "What's more important, new vehicles or preserving a historical monument building?"
Hanson said when it comes to the budget, the city needs to pay closer attention to new vehicle purchases and maintaining vehicles for longer periods.
At its meeting, the council accepted a proposal from Lane Tank Company to epoxy seal and paint the 121-year-old water supply tower at a cost of $21,500. The company estimated the life of the paint at 12 years.
Green County Historical Society has offered to contribute $8,296 toward the cost.
The Finance and Taxation Committee sent the issue to council April 7, without a recommendation to approve the expense, but indicated the Lane Tank Company offer as the quote to be considered if council were to vote on the matter.
A second quote received from Central Tank Coatings offered a six-year life expectancy for $15,000.
Council members found out the city's portion of the project costs, about $13,300, could come from capital account funds currently in certificates of deposit.
City Treasurer Cathy Maurer said the city would wait until a certificate renewal comes due to cash it out.
Council members were split over spending the money now from a tightly balanced budget and waiting until next year, when the project could be budgeted.
Aldermen Neal Hunter, Paul Hannes, Charles Koch and Mike Rivers voted against the motion.
The members of Green County Historical Society had acted in good faith by working to improve the water tower in the past, said Alderman Michael Boyce, chairman of the Finance and Taxation Committee.
"I think the council should too," he said. "The cost to paint far outweighs the cost to remove the structure."
Alderman Keith Ingwell noted the City of Monroe doesn't own many structures of historic value.
"If we let it go, we won't have any," he said.
Donna Glynn of the Green County Historical Society told the council that the tower had not had any maintenance since 1978, until the group stepped in.
Lead paint is chipping off into the playground area below, she said.
Alderman Jan Lefevre pointed out a liability issue for the city, in the chipping lead paint.
The Historical Society doesn't own the tower, but it wants to do something about it, Lefevre said.
"Lead is serious," she said.
The water tower was taken out of operation in 1993, when the tank began to leak and could not be repaired.
Koch said the current repainting project was not budgeted.
"To pay for it now, after the budget cuts last fall, I don't think it's fair," he said.
"We've got to watch the line on the budget ... and we haven't collected all those taxes. We have to be careful," he said.
Mayor Bill Ross advised the council about perceptions of the public on the budget - of employees not getting raises and cutting out spring cleanup.
"If we put $13,000 toward the water tower, is that the best use of our money?" he said.
He also asked if there were other options, in view of a recession that may "last another year or two."
Alderman Thurston Hanson, considered a financially conservative member of the council, voted in favor of the project.
"It's not unbudgeted, it just came up," he said. "What's more important, new vehicles or preserving a historical monument building?"
Hanson said when it comes to the budget, the city needs to pay closer attention to new vehicle purchases and maintaining vehicles for longer periods.